BDJ Daily Torah

Rabbi Kanefsky explains the significance of the command to "also" count the children of Gershon.

As Shavuot approaches, Rabbi Stein begins an examination of the various sections of the blessing over the Torah recited each morning.

To commemorate this important day, Rabbi Kanefsky offers memories, and a message.

Rabbi Stein looks at various ways of counting individuals for a minyan while being mindful of the prohibition of directly counting Jewish people.

Rabbi Stein looks at how the Israeli government and contemporary halachic authorities navigate the apparent prohibition against conducting a direct census.

Rabbi Kanefsky suggests that the Levites' reaction to their exclusion from the original census may have set the stage for their special role in the Temple.

Rabbi Stein examines the views of contemporary halachic authorities regarding the conducting of a direct census of the Jewish people.

When King David conducted a census of the Jewish people, a plague ensued immediately afterward. Rabbi Stein examines the reasons why.

Rabbi Kanefsky explains how the command to count the Jewish people contains both a link to the past and an eye to the future.

Rabbi Stein begins a discussion of the proper, and improper ways to conduct a census of the Jewish people.

Rabbi Kanefsky looks at the end of Parshat Bechukotai where an attempt is made to assess a financial value to individual people.

Rabbi Stein derives a profound lesson about life balance from the story of Rav Shimon Bar Yochai.

Rabbi Kanefsky points out an odd phrase found in the collection of blessings listed in Parshat Bechukotai.

Rabbi Stein continues the story of Rav Shimon Bar Yochai and the years he and his son spent in a cave, hiding from the Roman authorities.

As we near the completion of the Book of Vayikra, Rabbi Kanefsky looks at the relatively recent custom of chanting "Chazak, Chazak, V'Nitchazek" when the Reader finishes the final verses.

Rabbi Kanefsky discusses the prohibition of harmful speech as mentioned in Parshat Behar and explains why it is immediately followed by the phrase, "And you shall fear your G-d"

As L'ag BaOmer begins, Rabbi Stein looks at the dispute over exactly when the rules of mourning end.

Rabbi Stein begins a discussion of the story of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, author of the Zohar, who evaded capture by the Romans by hiding in a cave for 13 years. His yarzheit is on L'ag BaOmer, which occurs this week.

Rabbi Stein explains how the fight depicted at the end of Parshat Emor offers moral lessons about the proper and improper way to engage in community disputes.

Continuing his discussion of the way the weekly Parsha is divided, Rabbi Kanefsky looks at the ramifications of the rule that one may not start or end an Aliya in the middle of "bad news."

Continuing his discussion of the way each Parsha is divided, Rabbi Kanefsky examines the rules that determine where breaks should or should not be made.

Sarah Pincus explores Rashi's treatment of the unnamed individual who gets into a fight, curses using G-d's name, is taken into custody, and, after Moshe consults with G-d, the individual is executed.  Source sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11pNciyxvqyXB5yUuxvUrataZ0W6tqcT8LN4w5k8xXqU/edit?tab=t.tao9akhglx73

Rabbi Kanefsky begins a discussion of the different viewpoints regarding how the weekly Torah portion is divided into specific Aliyot, and whether other methods are possible or even preferable.

Rabbi Stein examines the different opinions regarding women's obligation to count the Omer.

Continuing his discussion of the rules for counting the Omer, Rabbi Stein examines the remedies when a counting mistake is made.