Person in the Parsha: Ki Teitzei

September 03, 2025

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

The spirit of forgiveness is in the air.

Since the beginning of this month, the month of Elul, Sephardic communities have been reciting selichot, prayers petitioning the Almighty for his forgiveness. They have been doing so each...

Person in the Parsha: Shoftim

August 22, 2025

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“TAMIM: PERFECTION OR NAÏVETÉ?”

I begin this column with two distinct goals in mind. On the one hand, I want to familiarize you with the complexity of a brief...

Person in the Parsha: Re’eh

August 15, 2025

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT POVERTY?”

Young Jewish students who are just beginning to study world history are often surprised to learn that early theorists of socialism and communism...

Person in the Parsha: Re’eh

August 14, 2025

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB 

“WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT POVERTY?”

Young Jewish students who are just beginning to study world history are often surprised to learn that early theorists of socialism...

Person in the Parsha: Ekev

August 08, 2025

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“HEEL, HEAL, AND HOPE”

The first verse in this week’s Torah portion, Ekev, (Deuteronomy 7:12-11: 25), presents a difficulty for those who choose to translate each word literally. Indeed,...

Person in the Parsha: Va’etchanan and Shabbat Nachamu

August 01, 2025

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“DISCONSOLATION AND DISCONTENT”

This week, after spending the past three weeks memorializing and mourning the past catastrophes which befell our people over the course of our long history, we...

Person in the Parsha: Devarim

July 25, 2025

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“Words, Mere Words”

I have kept my time-worn copy of Roget’s Thesaurus in my personal library since I was in the seventh grade. It was given to me by...

Person in the Parsha: Matot-Masei

July 18, 2025

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“BREAKING PROMISES”

It was a typical park bench conversation. I hadn’t seen my friend for quite some time, and we both were delighted when we ran into each other...

Person in the Parsha: Pinchas

July 18, 2025

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“SAFEGUARDS AGAINST EXTREMISM”

A story with important implications for our own times is referred to in the opening passage of this week’s Torah portion, Pinchas (Numbers 25:10-30:1).

Person in the Parsha: Balak

July 11, 2025

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“BALAAM AND DOSTOEVSKY”

Frustration. Disillusionment. But also insight and a lifelong intellectual perspective. That is how I would describe the experience I am about to share with you, dear reader.

It all started...