_(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")
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About the Author
Rabbi Ari Kahn
Rabbi Ari Kahn graduated from Yeshiva University with a BA in psychology, an Masters in Talmud, and rabbinic ordination where he studied with Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik. He is Director of Foreign Student Programs at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, and a senior lecturer in Jewish studies. Rabbi Kahn is Vice President of Migdal Ohr Institutions in Israel, and a senior educator at the Aish HaTorah College of Jewish Studies. He has published numerous books, "Explorations" and "Echoes of Eden" on the Torah, and "Emanations" on the Jewish holidays. Rabbi Kahn combines the mystical explorations of kabbala and chassidism with psychology, literature and Jewish history for a broad-minded approach to Torah study. He has lived in Israel since 1984 with his wife Naomi and their five children.
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The Last Eight Verses
by Rabbi Ari KahnThe Torah comes to its completion with the following verses: So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the ...
The Song of Moses
by Rabbi Ari KahnThis week's Torah portion is one of the last in the Torah. Here Moses takes a different course of action when compared to the other parts of his ...
All For One and One For All
by Rabbi Ari KahnParshat Nitzavim and Parshat Veyelech are read together this Shabbat. You stand this day all of you before the Lord your God; your captains of ...
Joy
by Rabbi Ari KahnAs the Jews are making the final preparations for the imminent conquest, Moses instructs the people: And it shall be, when you come in to the land ...
Going to War
by Rabbi Ari KahnWhen you go forth to war against your enemies, and the Lord your God has delivered them into your hands, and you have taken them captive, and see ...
Justice, Justice
by Rabbi Ari KahnJudges and officers shall you appoint in all your gates, which the Lord your God gives you, throughout your tribes; and they shall judge the people ...
A Blessing and a Curse
by Rabbi Ari Kahn'See! I give you today (a choice of) a blessing and a curse. The blessing, when you listen to the commandments of God your Lord, which I command you ...
Reward and Punishment
by Rabbi Ari KahnIn this week's Torah portion, one of the most seminal ideas of Judaism is articulated -- the concept of reward and punishment, though the term ...
The Prayer of Moses
by Rabbi Ari KahnParshat V'Etchanan contains some of the most important teachings of Judaism. Here we find the Ten Commandments taught for the second time. Here we ...
The Words of Moses
by Rabbi Ari KahnBoth ancient and modern readers of the Book of Deuteronomy have discerned a change in style from the other four books of the Torah. The book starts ...
Reuben and Gad
by Rabbi Ari KahnParshat Matot seems to consist of a number of non-sequiturs. It begins with a discourse on the laws of oaths. The heads of the tribes -- roshei ...
Lover of Peace or Fanatic?
by Rabbi Ari KahnAt the conclusion of last week's Torah portion, we read about the act of Zimri and the response of Pinchas. The episode is described as ...
Balaam's Curse
by Rabbi Ari KahnAs this week's Torah portion opens, Balak, the king of Moab, sees that the Israelites had conquered the mighty Amorites and is frightened. Therefore ...
Death
by Rabbi Ari KahnThis week's Torah portion begins by teaching about the rite of the Red Heifer that purifies those who come in contact with the dead. The rite of ...
Rebellion
by Rabbi Ari KahnIn the aftermath of the episode of the spies, this week's Torah portion begins with a direct full-scale rebellion against Moses, Aaron, and ...
The Spies
by Rabbi Ari KahnGod spoke to Moses saying: 'Send for you men to tour the Land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Children of Israel.' (Numbers 13:1-2) Moses is ...
The Unfinished Book
by Rabbi Ari KahnWhen the Ark traveled, Moses said: 'Arise God! Scatter your enemies, and let those who hate you flee from in front of you. And when the Ark rested, ...
Divine Abundance
by Rabbi Ari KahnThis week's Torah portion describes the continuation of the counting of the tribes with emphasis is on the tribe of Levi. Then various laws are ...
The Nation of Israel
by Rabbi Ari KahnThis week, we begin a new book, the Book of Bamidbar; it begins: And God spoke to Moshe in the Sinai Desert in the Tent of Meeting, on the first ...
The Great Rebuke
by Rabbi Ari KahnThe "style" of this week's Torah portion -- which marks the end of the Book of Leviticus -- departs somewhat from the style of the other ...
A Time to Trust
by Rabbi Ari KahnAnd God spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying: 'Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them, when you enter the land which I am giving to you, ...
Holiness
by Rabbi Ari KahnAnd God spoke to Moshe saying: 'Speak to the entire Community of Israel, and say to them "You shall be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am ...
The Quality of Innocence
by Rabbi Ari KahnThis week's Torah portion begins with instructions given to Moses, which effect his brother Aaron, and all of Aaron's descendants: And God spoke ...
The Dangers of Ecstasy
by Rabbi Ari KahnIn this week's Torah portion, we find the instructions given to Aaron regarding the service for Yom Kippur. The service is introduced by reminding ...
The Sanctity of Speech
by Rabbi Ari KahnOne of the main topics of this weeks Torah portion is a skin disease called tzara'at, which is often translated as leprosy, but virtually all ...
Life and Death
by Rabbi Ari KahnAnd God spoke to Moses saying: 'Speak to the children of Israel to say to them that when a woman conceives and gives birth to a male, she shall be ...
The Sons of Aaron: Sinners or Saints?
by Rabbi Ari KahnThis week's Torah portion begins with the 8th day of celebration of the consecration of the Tabernacle. First Aaron is called upon to offer a calf ...
Thoughts of Sin
by Rabbi Ari KahnThis week's Torah portion opens with a description of a sacrificial offering called olah, which is entirely consumed by fire. The Sages have a ...
The Idea of Rosh Hashana
by Rabbi Ari KahnIt is common knowledge that Rosh Hashana marks the Jewish New Year. The Mishna in Rosh Hashana teaches us that Judaism actually recognizes multiple ...
Sukkot: The Universal Holiday
by Rabbi Ari KahnThe Talmud relates that in the future, when the pagans will complain to God about His preferential treatment of the Jews, He will tell them that ...
Elkana and Chana
by Rabbi Ari KahnElkana and Chanah (1) On the first day of Rosh Hashanah we read the Torah(2) section describing the birth of Yitzchak, or more precisely, how God ...
Rabbi Eleazar ben Dordaya: A Story of Teshuva
by Rabbi Ari KahnOne of the cornerstones of Judaism is the possibility of Teshuva - return. Man is endowed with a divine spark which is manifest in his free choice: ...
Friends and Family
by Rabbi Ari KahnThe Children of Israel have been drawing steadily closer to their destination, the land of their dreams: the Land of Israel. In the Parsha of Balak, ...
Holiday of Giving the Torah
by Rabbi Ari KahnFor the next few weeks, the Torah portion read in Israel will be different than the Torah portion read in the rest of the world. For the weekly ...
The Twenty Eighth of Iyar
by Rabbi Ari KahnThis week's essay is dedicated to the 28th day of Iyyar the date of the liberation of Jerusalem. The essay is an excerpt from my book ...
The Inner Sanctum
by Rabbi Ari Kahn"God spoke to Moshe after the death of Aharon's two sons, when they approached before God and they died: And God said to Moshe - Speak to ...
Man's Duality
by Rabbi Ari KahnGod spoke to Moshe, saying: Speak to the People of Israel, saying, If a woman conceives, and bears a male child; then she shall be unclean seven ...
Aharon's Silence
by Rabbi Ari KahnIn the aftermath of the tragic deaths of the two sons of Aharon the torah recounts how Moshe approached Aharon apparently in an attempt to comfort ...
The Holy Habitation
by Rabbi Ari KahnWhen the Jews finally take leave of Egypt they rush out quickly; so quickly that the bread doesn't have time to rise, as they are chased out in a ...
Fathers and Sons
by Rabbi Ari KahnThe book of Shmot begins with a word that links it to the Book of Bereishit: And these are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with ...
Conclusions
by Rabbi Ari KahnAs we approach the conclusion of Bereishit an episode that we believed was resolved, returns. And when Yosef's brothers saw that their father was ...
Catch the Bull By the Horn
by Rabbi Ari KahnCHANUKAH 5768 While the story of Chanuka is well known, Rabbinic sources relating to these events are terse and obscure. Other holidays are ...
Comings and Goings
by Rabbi Ari KahnSarah's lifetime was one hundred years, twenty years, and seven years; the years of Sarah's life. Sarah died in Kiryat-Arba which is Hevron, in the ...
The Matzah of Lot
by Rabbi Ari KahnLot, the nephew of Avraham, is a strange and tragic figure. His uncle was the greatest man of the age, yet Lot was unable to get along with him. We ...
Four Against Five
by Rabbi Ari KahnIn this week's portion a new character takes center-stage. His name is Avram. He is told to leave his home, to leave his family, and to go to the ...
Nimrod
by Rabbi Ari KahnIn the antediluvian world, evil abounded. Theft, rape and general lawlessness was the rule. With the waters of the flood, evil was washed away and ...
Be Strong
by Rabbi Ari KahnWith the Parshat Zot Ha'bracha, the Torah reaches its conclusion. While the vast majority of this week's Torah portion contains the blessing which ...
The Straight and Just Path
by Rabbi Ari KahnParshat Ha'azinu stands out from other sections of the Torah due to its form. Parshat Ha'azinu is a song/poem written by Moses and lists the ...