_(english).jpg "Taking the Spiritual Dive")
_(english).jpg "Genetic Screening for Breast Cancer Genes")
_(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/
Making Peace
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah portion of Korach describes the most famous dispute in the Torah, in which Korach and his cohorts challenged the leadership of Moses. ...
Praying Against the Evil Inclination
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe incident of the spies is one of the most well-known stories in the Torah and there is much discussion as to how such great men could commit such ...
Humility - The Key to Greatness
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenIn the end of the Torah portion God describes Moses as the most humble man upon the face of the Earth. According to the Torah's definition of ...
The Freedom of Torah
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah portion discusses the mitzvah of 'Nezirus', whereby a person takes a vow to abstain from wine, avoid coming into contact with a dead body, ...
The "Sons" of Moses
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenIn its account of the genealogy of the tribes of Israel, the Torah outlines the offspring of Moses and Aaron. The Torah includes Aaron’s sons ...
The Greatness of Innovation
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenIn the midst of the devastating rebuke, God comforts us, saying: "And I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and even my covenant with Isaac, ...
Preventative Action
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"If your brother becomes impoverished and his means falter in your proximity, you shall strengthen him - the convert and the resident - so that ...
Understanding the Omer
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah Portion outlines the mitzvot involved with the Omer offering. On the second day of Pesach we are commanded to bring an offering of barley ...
Understanding the True Meaning of 'Chesed'
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenIn the latter part of the Parsha the Torah enumerates the various forbidden relationships and their punishments. Towards the end of this list the ...
Negative Surroundings
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenBefore detailing the list of forbidden relationships the Torah instructs us: "Do not perform the practices of the land of Egypt in which you ...
A New Start
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenParshas Metzora outlines the purification process for a person struck by tzoraas. (1) One of the essential stages of this process is tevila ...
Purifying Our Speech
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah Portion of Tazria discusses at length the spiritual malaise of tzoraas whereby a person is afflicted with white blotches on his skin. He ...
Who Comes First
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenAmong the list of non-kosher birds in Parshas Shemini is the interestingly named 'Chasida'. Rashi quotes the Talmud in Chullin that explains that ...
The Temptations of Money
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"And God said to Moses, saying; Command (tzav) Aaron and his sons, to say; this is the Law of the burnt offering..." (1) The Parsha ...
Gift Offerings
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Book of Vayikra focuses to a significant degree on the various sacrifices (korbanos) (1) that were to be given in the Tabernacle (Mishkan), and ...
Spiritual Effort
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenAfter the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) was completed, the workmen could not erect it because of its massive weight. Since Moses had not had ...
Shabbos
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Parsha begins with an exhortation to observe Shabbos: "For six days work will be done and the seventh day shall be holy for you, a day of ...
The Punishment Due To the Golden Calf
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe sin of the Golden Calf is one of the most difficult episodes in the Torah. There is much discussion about how the great generation who lived in ...
The Robe and the Incense
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"You shall make the Robe of the Ephod entirely of turquoise wool.... You shall make on its hem pomegranates of turquoise, purple, and scarlet ...
Overcoming Laziness
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah portion begins with God instructing Moses to tell the people to bring the raw materials necessary in order to build the Mishkan ...
Truth and Falsehood
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenTRUTH AND FALSEHOOD (1) "Distance yourself from falsehood.(2)" It is well known that honesty is one of the most important character ...
Listen Up
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenOne of the striking features of Parshas Yisro is the juxtaposition of the portion about Yisro’s advice to Moses with the Giving of the Torah. ...
Persistence
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah tells us that when the Jewish people were preparing to leave Egypt, Moses was involved with in the mitzvah of taking the remains of Joseph ...
Thinking
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenOne of the most distinctive aspects of the Ten Plagues was the persistent refusal of Pharaoh to recognize the error of his ways and accept that the ...
Giving for the Sake of Giving
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"God benefited the midwives - and the people increased and became very strong. And it was because the midwives feared God that He made them ...
Achieving the Right Balance
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe book of Genesis culminates with the eternal blessings that Jacob bestowed on his sons. Each son received a unique blessing which catered exactly ...
Joseph's Proof
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"They went up from Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. And they told him, saying, 'Joseph is still alive' and that he ...
Serving Man or God
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah portion begins with Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams and his subsequent rise to power in Egypt. On close analysis of the ...
Stepping Out of Our Own World
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenTowards the end of the parsha, Joseph finds himself in a hopeless situation, having been in prison for ten years with no prospect of freedom. Then ...
Education Through Encouragement
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThis week's Torah portion ends with an account of the genealogy of Esau. In the midst of this we are told of the birth of Amalek, the progenitor of ...
The Desire For Greatness
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"And God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her, and opened her womb. And she became pregnant and she bore a son, and she said God has ...
The Role of Isaac
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah devotes several entire Torah portions to the lives of Abraham and Jacob. In contrast, only this week's portion focuses on Isaac. And even ...
Kindness With Wisdom
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenAbraham sends his faithful servant, Eliezer to find a suitable wife for his righteous son, Isaac. When Eliezer arrives at his destination he prays ...
Using the Good for Good
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenThe Torah portion begins with the story of Abraham's incredible kindness with the three angels. Abraham goes to great lengths to provide all their ...
Out Of This World
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"And God said to Abraham, go for yourself from your land, from your relatives, and from your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I ...
Noach and Avraham
by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen"These are the offspring of Noach, Noach was a righteous man, perfect in his generations; Noach walked with God."(1) Noach was the ...
The Development of Civilization
by Rabbi Yehonasan GefenAfter Cain's heinous act of murdering his brother Abel, God decreed upon him to be a wanderer around the earth. He was never to have a permanent ...
