http://www.chabad.org/search/keyword.asp?kid=7528 Newest articles written by Naftali Silberberg Copyright 2005, Chabad.org - Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center, all rights reserved. http://www.chabad.org/media/images/50/CtRx507451.gif 130 52 http://www.chabad.org Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=1008888 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=1008888 This all got me thinking. Does Judaism, a results-oriented way of life, allow for celebrating good intentions? The answer was not long in coming... Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=994923 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=994923 Question: When the third Holy Temple is built – may it be soon – how and by what criteria will the new high priest be chosen? Answer: Before we discuss the appointment of the high priest with the coming of Moshiach, let's first discuss the nature of this exalted position as well as review the general rules that relate to the installment of a new high priest. The high priest's most significant task was entering the Holy of Holies chamber on Yom Kippur to attain atonement for all of Israel. At this time, our Sages tell us, the holiest elements of creation converge: See Basukot Teishvu 5738. Yom Kippur, the holiest day; the Holy of Holies, the holiest location; and the high priest, the holiest individual. According to tradition, if the High Priest was not perfectly righteous, he would pass away upon entering the Holy of Holies—a place that tolerated no imperfection. In fact, during the Second Temple period the high priest would enter with a rope tied around his foot, in the event that his Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=982888 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=982888 Do I detect a hint of snobbery in the polite lady's automated voice as she patiently informs me that she is "recalculating" (yes, I'm not even good at following spoon-fed instructions)? Perhaps she's really thinking to herself, "You poor idiot..." Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=988699 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=988699 Is it inconceivable that the Sages would deprive all of Israel of the benefits afforded by one of the greatest mitzvot we have—simply on account of a few ignorant souls who might otherwise err? Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=983693 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=983693 Question: Someone has recently told me that the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge eaten by Adam and Eve was not an apple. Is this correct? Answer: The Talmud Talmud, Berachot 40a. cites three opinions: Rabbi Meir says that the Tree of Knowledge was a grapevine—"for nothing causes more heartbreak than wine...." Rabbi Nehemiah maintains that it was a fig tree. The Torah tells us that after the sin, Adam and Eve "knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves and made themselves girdles." Genesis 3:7. Rabbi Nehemiah maintains that "that which caused their downfall, was then used to rectify them." Rabbi Judah says it was actually wheat stalks! The Midrash Rabbah (Genesis 15:7) asks on this opinion: "But it is stated that it was a tree?!" To this the Midrash responds that its stalks were as tall as the towering cedars of Lebanon, giving them a tree-like look. He bases his contention on the fact that "a child knows not how to call out to his father and mother until he has tasted grain." A Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=980204 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=980204 On that morning, nearly 3,000 innocents lost their lives, and nearly 300 million lives lost their innocence. Americans lost their sense of security. Suddenly, we all felt so vulnerable. Sun, 6 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=999970 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=999970 After filling the storehouses with the summer harvest, a person might feel confident about his financial situation, and forget the Creator who supplied him with all this material wealth. Tue, 1 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=974343 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=974343 We must let the power-that-is know that we are highly dissatisfied. I ask of you all to go in droves to the local town hall meeting and vent. Scream and rage, beg and demand... Sun, 30 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=970971 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=970971 Dear Reader, I want to bring to your attention a grassroots campaign to raise awareness about the plight of Gilad Shalit, an IDF soldier cruelly held hostage by Hamas terrorists for more than three years now. The more folks get involved, the more effective we can be in accomplishing the goal of exposing this issue to millions of people who most likely do not know who Gilad Shalit is. The tactic is simple: Tomorrow, Wednesday (two days before Gilad's birthday), thousands of Twitter users will sign on and tweet Gilad Shalit's name (using the #GiladShalit hashtag) as often as possible, so that he becomes a top ten "trending topic" on the popular networking site. If everyone does this all at once in a coordinated fashion, hopefully we can accomplish great things online. Can we count on you to unify with us in this effort? Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=960793 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=960793 Two things happened this past week. One of them made national headlines, the other, for reason that aren't clear, didn't. I have a feeling, though, that the events are related. Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST