Category Archives: Boruch Rappaport
Update on the war here in Israel
I want to check in with you all, even though you don’t hear from me so much. I really should be better at posting, even though I’m not. On Shabbat/Yom Tov we were in Jerusalem, in Bayit Vagan. At like 8:30 or so in the morning we started to hear the sirens wailing. Again and…
The Power of the Ten Days of Repentance
I was inspired this year by a thought, I hope that I’ll be able to get it out into writing. As part of the morning prayers, in the siddur you will find an addition for the 10 Days of Teshuva an addition, after Yishtabach. שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֑וֹת מִמַּעֲמַקִּ֖ים קְרָאתִ֣יךָ השם Tehillim, chapter 130. Ten days, once…
The Disaster In Meron r”l
Forty five tender souls in one blow. Anyone with a feeling heart is still reeling. Every detail of the story told over still brings tears. The headlines of most of the articles which are written to inspire, go to the tune of “What Does G-d Ask From You”, a play on the verse, (excuse the…
Thoughts About The Pandemic
On this Shabbat we conclude the readings of the Four Parshiot, four special extra readings on these Shabbatot that Chazal (the Sages) instituted before Purim and Pesach, with Parshat Hachodesh. We take out two Torah scrolls from the ark instead of the usual one scroll. In the first we read the Parshat Hashavua, the weekly…
Re’eh Anochi Look At Me
I want to tell you a story. 15 years ago I underwent open-heart surgery. If I remember correctly on the 3rd day after surgery we were in good enough shape to return to the department. The fourth day was Shabbat, Parshat Re’eh. I think that I was able to go the hospital synagogue for part…
About Learning Kabbalah
About a year ago I was asked a question on the Quora site. Here is the question and what I answered: Q. Where are some places where I can study Kabbalah (not including the Kabbalah center)? Where are some places where I can study the Torah? I am an Indian Christian in NJ looking to…
About “The Egg” By Andy Weir
An associate, colleague, with whom I work, sent me for my perusal the short story by Andy Weir called “The Egg”. I am not going to copy it here, as I hold it to be more science fiction than what it’s supposed to be. And I responded to my colleague as follows: This story would…
A Difficulty With The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh At The Beginning Of Sefer Shemos
One of my students in our Torah Mastery course asked me this month the finest question that I’ve ever received over the last five years since Torah Online was founded, and was victorious in my favorite game, “Stump the Rabbi”. In the first lesson of Torah Mastery I said over a piece from the Ohr…
Tisha B’av and Moshiach
Another question from one of my students: Q. (On my Parshat Devarim Answer Page): About what you wrote in your email when you sent us the Answer Page: What I am inspired about from your words is that what we are missing is Moshiach. Once we get unified on that point, pray and fast for…
On Eating Meat
I was asked today by one of my students: Q. I’m Vegetarian for Over ten years, and so I don’t understand about the meat that was eaten in the Holy Temple. I answered her: A. In brief, because this is really a very broad subject: We have to eat because that is the way the…
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