Ask The Rabbi

This episode is based on the sermon I delivered on Yom Kippur before Yizkor. Remembering is a fundamental value in Judaism. However, God blessed us with the Ability to Forget. How should we navigate through life with these seemingly contradictory values? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Odysseus spent 20 years trying to return to his home in Ithaca. I  spent 50 years trying to find my home, after moving to different countries, cities and even continents. The trip to my hometown Kishinev a few weeks ago helped me to understand where my real HOME is. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Israel is going through a painful and dangerous crisis right now.  The polarization in our society has reached extreme levels.  The election campaigns for the next government have just started, and already experts predict nasty fights and ugliness. This Episode provides a strong warning from Jewish history that should give all of us something to think about. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com...

The situation in the Middle East was radically transformed as a result of the “Deal” between America and Iran. This Episode explains the reasons for the recent drastic change in President Trump's actions and rhetoric. It stresses the importance of the midterm elections and makes a case for Israel’s larger importance in the fight for Western civilization against Jihadist fanaticism. 

This Episode is unlike any others in this Podcast. It takes the listener on a fascinating tour of the most unique country in the world- the Kingdom of Bhutan, in addition to describing a short visit to India. 

Something is broken in the relationship between the two largest Jewish communities in the world. This is going to affect the future of the Jewish people. This Episode attempts to explain why the Israeli and American Jews are living in totally different realities.

In this Episode we look at the big picture and ask the most important question: Is Israel better off today than before October 7, 2023? Despite having gone through the toughest and longest war in her history, Israel has emerged as a regional SUPERPOWER IN THE Middle East. 

The Kiss That Destroyed a Kingdom 

When Love Becomes Violence: A Royal Crime Behind Closed Doors

A Forgiven Man, a Broken Home: When Sin Becomes a Family Story

From Palace Roof to Broken Lives

In this episode we see the growth and development of Joseph’s character as he is transformed from a self-centered teenager into a prototype of a righteous saint and a moral role model.   

This Episode deals with the famous story about Judah and Tamar in chapter 38 of Genesis.

This episode analyzes the tragic story of Jacob’s only daughter.

This is an eye-witness report on the historical event that took place recently in the Middle East.

This Episode analyses one of the most famous stories in the Bible

The First Woman Rabbi Had a Tragic Life

This Episode deals with the power of the rituals to change people’s lives. 

This episode deals with the topic of Adultery, but from unusual angles.

In this episode we explore ancient stories involving divorce which also include kindness and empathy. 

This episode continues the topic we dealt with last time: what happens when a husband leaves his wife for extended periods of time in order to study Torah? While the story of Rabbi Akiva and Rachel is seen by many writers and commentators as beautiful and romantic, and even a model of commitment and loyalty of the spouses to each other, many other stories do not have happy ends…

The Jewish people all over the world are still deeply traumatized, and Israel is still fighting a brutal war on several different fronts. Nobody knows when and how it will end. This Episode makes a dramatic shift in the topics discussed on this Podcast. All of us need a break from the news, and learning holy texts has been found to be healing. I also hope that listeners will gain an insight into a...

October 7, 2023 was the the worst year in the history of the State of Israel. More Jews were brutally murdered on that day than at any time since the Holocaust. A full year has passed since then, and Israel right now is fighting several wars simultaneously against its enemies who openly declare their goal of destroying the only Jewish state. This episode summarizes this very dark year and provides...

Jews around the world have just observed the 9th of Av - the saddest day in the Jewish calendar. Fasting, and thinking about the destruction of both of our Holy Temples in Jerusalem, felt especially poignant this year. Numerous rabbis, articles and TV commentators reminded all of us that Rome was able to destroy our country because we hated each other. While the Jews were involved in a brutal civi...

According to the 2024 United Nations  World Happiness Report , Israel is the  5th happiest country in the world, and in 2023 it was #4. Surrounded by enemies who want to destroy the only Jewish state, with the ever-present threat of terrorism, life in Israel is not easy or simple. And yet, the State of Israel is the only developed country with growing population, and it is the youngest of all the...