Rabbi Eliezer ben Eliyahu Ashkenazi (1512-1585) was a highly regarded Talmudist, as well as a physician. He authored various works, including Ma'ase ha-Shem -- a commentary on the historical portions of the Pentateuch, also including a commentary on the Passover Hagaddah -- and Yosef Lekach, dedicated and named after Don Yosef Nasi, the Duke of Naxos.

In tonight’s evening prayers we insert the request for rain, “v’tein tal umatar,” in the amidah. We continue adding this request into the weekday prayers until the holiday of Passover.

Chanukah was a victory of few over many. Each Maccabee was a hero, essential to the victory.

One could think that in those days, when the population of the world was so much smaller, a single individual would have more power to change the world.

In fact, just the opposite is true.

Technology and information have put enormous power in each of our hands.

Today, each of almost eight billion people has the power to change the entire world for the good.​