Cultivating Gratitude
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow There are some questions surrounding the details of the marriage of Rebbe Akiva to Rachel, the daughter of Kalba Savua. According to the Ben Yehoyada (Nedarim 50a), the following is what transpired. Rebbe Akiva initially performed kiddushin, the first stage of marriage, with Rachel. This was done in a quiet ceremony so […]
Focusing on the Positive
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow The daughter of the emperor once said to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya, “You are the epitome of magnificent Torah, but it is stored in an ugly vessel!” Apparently, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya was an unattractive man. The emperor’s daughter was puzzled as to why Hashem would deposit his Torah in an ugly […]
The Power of Bikur Cholim
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow In Parshas Korach, Moshe Rabbeinu announced that the events that were about to unfold would establish clearly whether or not Korach was right in his challenge. “Through this shall you know that Hashem has sent me to perform all these acts, for it was not from my heart. If these die like […]
An Exercise in Futility
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow The Bayside Canadian Railway is a 200 foot(!) railroad in Bayside, New Brunswick, Canada. The railway was designed to transport fish – frozen pollock, to be precise. It would seem to be a total waste to build a railroad to move fish a mere 200 feet. Moreover, after the fish is moved […]
Is a Bar Mitzvah Boy an Adult?
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow The boy spent weeks in preparation for his bar mitzvah. When the moment arrived, he relished the opportunity to read the Torah. He had finally achieved adulthood. He was now a full card-carrying member of the tzibbur. Or was he? Our sages have taught that there are physical attributes that signify when […]
Sleeping Duty
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow The Gemara in Nedarim (15a) says that an oath not to sleep for three days is considered to be a shevuas shav, a vain oath. It is not physically possible to stay awake for three days. Coffee may help, but even caffeine has its limits! A number of years ago, people watching […]
Not Saying Hashem’s Name in Vain
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow The Gemara in Nedarim (7b) says, “Rav Chanin said in the name of Rav: Whoever hears the utterance of the Divine name [in vain] from his friend has to excommunicate him. If he doesn’t, he himself should be excommunicated.” The Ran there references the Gemara in Temurah (3b) that says that someone […]
Can a Kohen Go to a Tzaddik’s Funeral?
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow The great Rishon Rabbeinu Chaim HaKohen once remarked that had he already been born when Rabbeinu Tam passed away, he would have become tamei and gone to his funeral. (Kesubos 103b, Tosfos D”H Oso) Granted, Rabbeinu Tam was a great tzaddik and talmid chacham, but Rabbeinu Chaim HaKohen was, in fact, a […]
A Ring of Truth
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow Devin McLean and his store manager were about to close the AutoZone in York County, Virginia, when a gunman barged into the store. McLean was left in a restroom while the gunman made the manager open the store safe. That’s when McLean, a 23-year-old Air Force veteran, bolted through a side door […]
The Accidental Aveirah
Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow Unfortunately, there was recently a restaurant that was found to be serving treif under the guise of kosher. Rav Moshe, zt”l, ruled that if an individual had a halachic basis to believe a restaurant was kosher and it turned out it wasn’t, then it is considered an aveira b’oines. There were two […]