The tragic events in Meron on Lag B’Omer seem so long ago because in HaShem’s “divine little acre” challenge pursues challenge and headache pursues heartache.

That most people suffer in this world is axiomatic, but so too is the reality that HaShem’s chosen people suffer most. Why?

The parasha begins with an admonition to Kohanim not to touch any human corpse, and is in effect even before death sets in, when the ill party enters into a state of death throes.

The galut can be viewed as a living, breathing organism with a terminal illness. The Sanhedrin declared all the lands outside of Eretz Yisrael to be ritually impure to the extent of the tuma exuded by a corpse.

On Yom Ha’Atzma’ut we recite the Hallel prayer which contains the words: “They have eyes but cannot see, ears but cannot hear.” I wonder if King David, when he wrote these words with idol worshippers in mind, could have imagined that they would apply perfectly to the religious leaders in today’s galut, who have eyes, ears and brains, but are unable to perceive that the world of the galut is now in the midst of its death throes, while the new-old world of the Jewish nation is being reshaped in Eretz Yisrael today?

The holy Torah records many blessings of HaShem for His chosen people – breathtaking blessings and promises from the ultimate source of blessings – the Creator himself… we must strive to live al Kiddush HaShem.

In this week’s parashat Shemini my attention was drawn to two specific personalities: Aharon HaKohen in the parasha, and Yehoshua bin Nun whose yahrzeit (date of death) falls in this week on the 26th of Nisan. Although the specific crises facing these holy men were vastly different, both were made to bear profound burdens which would have felled lesser men.

We have undergone enormous suffering at the hands of Christianity and Islam over the last 2000 years, with the epitome of our suffering during the 6 years of the European Shoah. As a survivor of the American Shoah, I wish to make a proposal to the large orthodox organizations in the galut like the RCA, OU and Young ISRAEL

This is being written on the 23rd of March 2021 on the fourth election day in two years. But from my angle of vision as a retiree from active participation in Israeli life, now perched high above the din, babel, cacophony, and discordance of our political system, I can say that it really doesn’t matter who wins or loses the election!

The Hagada instructs every Jew to see himself and herself as if they were enslaved in Egypt and were freed by the hand of HaShem. The most effective way is to stand before a mirror and imagine that you are looking at a Jewish slave.

After reading the following story of two brothers, stand before a mirror and ask yourself two questions: Which of the two brothers and their respective families are living a life closer to the word and spirit of the Torah? Where do you and your family fit into the story?

This week, as we close the book of Shemot — still under the spell of our miraculous exodus from Egypt — joined together with our waning memories of last week’s Purim, a bittersweet Purimdika story comes to mind that has relevance to the lives of many Jews today…

Why is the present American administration, in concert with major Christian countries of Western Europe, continuing the ways of the bad old Obama days? They are running amok to appease the deranged and despicable ayatollahs of Iran; the ones who shout “death to America” whenever a camera appears.

The Gemara in Megillah 14:a states that Esther argued before the rabbis that the episode of Purim deserved to be recorded in the Tanach. The rabbis initially denied her request, relying on a verse that is understood to mean that victory over Amalek is to be mentioned only three times in the Tanach. Is there a discrepancy – and if so how will that play out with respect to geula?

Parashat Terumah relates the minute details of the construction of the Mishkan and serves as “coming attractions” of the three Batei Mikdash in Yerushalayim, built by King Shlomo, Ezra the Scribe and Hordus (Herod), and the future Bet HaMikdash which will, b’ezrat Hashem, be built in our time.

Much like a cinema that shows “coming attractions,” Megillat Esther serves as “coming attractions” for the final days when HaShem will perform the final miracles in the redemption process of the Jewish people.