_(english).jpg "Taking the Spiritual Dive")
_(english).jpg "Genetic Screening for Breast Cancer Genes")
_(english).jpg "When Bad Things Happen")
_(english).jpg "Judaism and the 12-Step Program")
+.jpg "Knowledge and Wisdom")
+.jpg "Moshe, Miriam and Prophecy")
+.jpg "Don't Give Up")
About the Author
Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen
Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen is a close student of Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits and a senior member of the Jerusalem Kollel. Rabbi Gefen’s has spent over 12 years of intensive Torah and Talmudic study at Aish HaTorah and the Jerusalem Kollel, and has a degree in history and politics from the University of Birmingham, UK. Rabbi Gefen has written numerous articles for Hamodia and other publications. His writing inspires people across the spectrum of Jewish observance to live with the vibrancy and beauty of Torah.
Rabbi Gefen has recently published his second book, A Light in Time, a compilation of essays on the Jewish festivals and life cycle. Rabbi Gefen’s successful first book, The Guiding Light, a compilation of essays on the weekly Torah portion.
Visit Rabbi Gefen's site at http://rabbiygefen.blogspot.com/
Understanding Complaints
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"The people were like those who seek complaints in the ears of God, and God heard and His wrath flared..." (1) As the Jewish people were ...
The Power of Vision
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenWhen a man will separate himself:…"Why was the section of the Nazir put next to the section of the Sotah? It comes to tell you that ...
Judah and Issachar
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah Portion devotes considerable time to describing the formations of the tribes. They were arranged in groups of three. The commentaries ...
Hurtful Words
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenOn two occasions in Behar the Torah instructs us not to afflict our fellow Jew. In the first instance, the Torah states: "When you sell an item ...
Insights In Rashi - The Joy Of Mitzvot
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenVayikra, 21:1: HaShem said to Moses: Say to the Priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: Each of them shall not contaminate himself to a [dead] ...
Love Your Neighbor
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"Do not take revenge; do not bear a grudge; love your neighbor like yourself." (1) The mitzvah of 'love your neighbor like yourself' is ...
Insights In Rashi - The Two Birds
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenVayikra, 14:2-4: This shall be the law of the metsora on the day of his purification: He shall be brought to the Kohen. The Kohen shall go to the ...
The Benefit of Relationships
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenShemini gives the account of the tragic deaths of Aaron’s two eldest sons, Nadav and Avihu. At the climax of the inauguration of the Mishkan ...
Passover: Defining a Nation
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenOn Passover we celebrate the Exodus from Egypt and express our endless gratitude to God for extracting us from the terrible slavery that we endured ...
The Greatness of Man's Soul
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah Portion begins with the Mitzva of terumat hadeshen, whereby the Kohen must remove the ashes from the previous day's offering. Rabbeinu ...
Sacrifices and Fear of God
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenVayikra enumerates many sacrifices (korbanot), including those that must be given for inadvertent sins (shogeg). Why must a person give a korban for ...
The Value of the Tabernacle
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"These are the reckonings of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of Testimony, which was reckoned at Moses's bidding. The labor of the Levites was ...
One Deed Reflects On Another
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah describes how the people eagerly came to donate their prized possessions towards the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). "The men ...
"Carrying Sinners"
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenAfter the terrible sin of the Golden Calf (Chet Ha'egel) Moses pleads greatly for God to forgive the Jewish people. After granting His forgiveness, ...
Pure Beginnings
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah Portion begins with God's instructions to Moses with regard to the people who would make the vestments that Aaron, the Kohen Gadol (High ...
Pure Intent
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah Portion describes the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and the various vessels that were to serve in it, such as the Aron HaKodesh (Ark), the Menorah ...
Insights in Rashi - Moshe and Yehoshua
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenAnd Moshe stood up with Yehoshua, his servant, and Moshe ascended to the Mountain of God. (Shemot 24:13) And Moshe stood up with Yehoshua: "I ...
Shabbat and Honoring One's Parents
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe highlight of this week's Torah Portion is the Ten Commandments. The fourth mitzvah is to remember the Shabbat,(1) and the fifth is honoring ...
Taking Responsibility
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe splitting of the See of Reeds (known as kriat Yam Suf) is one of the seminal events in Jewish history. The Rabbis and the commentaries derive ...
Long-Term Consequences
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah Portion sees the culmination of the ten plagues which devastated Egypt. The Rabbis tell us that during the Plague of Darkness, the Jewish ...
Learning Responsibility From the Frogs
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenAfter the first plague of blood, Moses warned Pharaoh that if he continue to refuse Moses' request to let the Jewish people leave Egypt, then there ...
Miriam - The Life Giver
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenIn her merit the miraculous supply of water sustained the wandering Jews.
Surpassing Our Potential
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenIn Vayechi, Jacob elevated his two grandsons, Ephraim and Menashe, to the status of Shevatim (tribes). In the course of the process he bestowed on ...
Reunions
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenVayigash is characterized by a number of dramatic reunions between Joseph and his family. It is instructive to analyze the actions and attitudes of ...
Yosef's Greatness
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah portion begins with the account of Joseph's dramatic elevation from servitude in the Egyptian dungeons to the position of Viceroy over all ...
Making Good Intentions Last
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThis week's Torah portion juxtaposes two seemingly unconnected stories - the story of Judah and Tamar with the story of Joseph going down to ...
Reuben - A Model of Repentance
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenJacob's eldest son Reuben seems like an unfortunate figure in the Torah. As the first-born son, his tribe was destined to be the tribe of the ...
Laban - Ignoring the Messages
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenEfforts to amass riches through deceit does not increase prosperity.
Isaac - The Middle Stage in Serving God
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah devotes a great deal of time to discussing the lives of Abraham and Jacob, detailing numerous events pertaining to them. In contrast, ...
Eliezer - Breaking the Curse of Canaan
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenEliezer, the servant of Abraham, is the most featured character in this week's Torah portion. He descended from the cursed nation of Ham and Canaan, ...
Reacting to Success and Failure
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenIt is readily apparent how the Torah portions involving Abraham reflect his greatness in belief in God and kindness. However, on deeper examination ...
Fleeing From Disputes
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenAfter Abraham and his entourage returned from their ordeal in Egypt, a dispute developed between Abraham's shepherds and those of his nephew, Lot. ...
Nimrod - Self Worship
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenOne of the most nefarious characters who appears in the Torah and Rabbinic literature is Nimrod, the sworn enemy of Abraham and the man who led the ...
The First Rashi
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"Rebbe Yitzchak said, '[God] need only have begun the Torah from 'This month shall be to you" which is the first Commandment which Israel was ...
The Numerous Mitzvot
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe very final portion in the Torah contains the first verse that we teach our children; “Torah tziva lanu Moshe, morasha, kehillat ...
Writing Our Own Sefer Torah
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"And now write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the Children of Israel..." (1) The Rabbis teach us that the song referred to in ...
The Choice of LIfe Over Death
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"See I have placed before you life and good, and death and evil(1) ... I have placed life and death before you, blessing and curse; and you ...
The True Source of Joy
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenA great deal of this week's Torah portion outlines the devastating punishments that would befall the Jewish people if they do not follow the Torah. ...
The Power of Habit
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"An Ammonite and Moabite shall not enter the congregation of God …. Because of the fact that they did not greet you with bread and water ...
Judging Favorably vs. Being Naive
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah tells us "You should go with innocence before Hashem, your God." (1) Rashi explains that a person should accept the lot that God ...
Mourning: The Body and the Soul
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThis week's Torah portion outlines certain acts of mourning that were practiced by the nations in those times. Some would make cuts in their body, ...
Fear of God
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"You shall fear HaShem, Your God." (1) The mitzvah to fear God is one of the most fundamental mitzvot in the Torah and is one of the ...
Going Beyond the Letter of the Law
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"And you will do that which is right and good in the eyes of God so that He will do good to you and you will come and inherit the land which ...
Honesty In Money Matters
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"Do not be afraid of any man because the judgment is to God." (1) The Torah instructs judges that they should not be intimidated by ...
Accepting Rebuke
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenWhen the Gerrer Rebbe, the Sfat Emet was a boy, he was looked after by his grandfather, the great Chiddushei Harim, the first Gerrer Rebbe. On one ...
Why God Chose Joshua
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenTowards the end of the Torah Portion, there is the account of Moses' request that God appoint an able successor to lead the Jewish people into the ...
Money and Honor
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe character, Bilaam is considered to be the archetype of a person with bad character traits. The Mishna in Pirkei Avot describes him as having an ...
Activity Versus Accomplishment
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah Portion ends with a history of how the Jewish people came to conquer the city of Cheshbon from the Emorites. It had previously been part ...
The Danger of Mockery
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenWhen one reads the account of the rebellion of Korach he is struck by his seemingly foolish attempt to challenge Moses. Yet it is clear that at the ...
Spying After Our Hearts
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"And they will be tzitzit for you, and you shall see it and you shall remember all the commandments of HaShem, and perform them; and you shall ...
