Forest Hills Blog

˜INSIGHTS

 A review of the Pesach Yizkor Drasha

Delivered by Rabbi Mordechai Z. Hecht

Anshe Sholom Chabad JC

Rough Draft

WARM  UP

I didn’t sleep well last night.

I woke up this morning and feel that my thoughts may be scattered. So please forgive me.

It’s quite an irony because did you see the weather outside. What a day. The sun is shining and there is a warm breeze blowing.

You know, some times the job of a Rabbi seems easy. People come to synagogue. The Rabbi get’s up and speaks, he sits down and all is well.

But you know, sometimes, a rabbi has huge responsibilities. Sometimes he has so many thoughts and so many stories and so many parables that it can be a great c… Read More »

Diversity & The Creativity of G-d

If asked to list the greatest miracles of all time, most of us would include Kriyas Yam Suf - The Parting of The Sea. This is due to a variety of reasons.

First of all, of all the miracle recorded in the Torah, it is probably the most famous.

Secondly, it’s theatrical presentation has all the elements of a real "keeper."

Thirdly, The players also worked really well together. On the one side, the most advanced civilization and powerful army of its time. On the other side, a just freed nation of slaves numbering in the millions.

The Rabbis explained that the miracle of Kriyas Yam Suf - Parting of the Sea was much more spectacular than what we have been told. The Medras… Read More »

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How do we approach the Madoff scandal from a Jewish - Law Perspective?

Mordechai Z. Hecht

  
This discussion in no way reflects my personal opinion or any authoritative ruling of any present day Jewish court, rather a re-view of the facts on the ground. 
  
Answer? 
First and foremost it is so important that before we ever jump to judge someone, especially when based on governmental indictments and Media frenzies, that we "Judge everyone with the benefit of the doubt". 
  
Secondly.  before we go on a tantrum about him and him alone we must discover if these allegations were done by him and him alone. And if his actions we… Read More »

 BS”D

Tzedakah & Children

Top 10 reasons to have kids &

young adults give tzedakah, Daily.

__________________________________________________________________________

by MaZeH

1) “Tzedakah outweighs all other Miztvot[1]”.

Although children under the age of bar/bat mitzvah are not generally obligated in giving Tzedakah (unlike other mitzvot) none the less as part of Chinuch[2], we educate children to do so earlier on in life in order to accustom them to this pivotal mitzvah (and all mitzvot of Gemilas Chasadim in general as well)[3].

2)”Great is the power of Tzedakah because it brings closer the Geulah”[4].

We all ask Hashem multiple times a … Read More »