by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | May 19, 2021
The parasha brings together, in one giant leap, the spiritual failures of our society together with its crème de la crème. On one end is the sota, the married woman regarding whom there is valid reason to suspect that she has been unfaithful; and on the opposite end is the nazir, the God-fearing person whose spiritual thirsts are not satiated by the minimal demands of the Torah and who seeks to be even closer to HaShem by voluntarily imposing upon himself additional restrictions. In both cases they – the nazir and the sota – must eventually appear before the Kohanim in the Bet HaMikdash. Why?
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | May 11, 2021
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?
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Apr 28, 2021
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.
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Apr 20, 2021
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?
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Apr 14, 2021
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.
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Apr 7, 2021
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.
