“I Have Arrived!” by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine The Jewish farmer arrived at the Beis Hamikdash with his Bikurim, his first fruits. He had waited for a very long time for this produce. On a personal level, he had spent months nurturing the trees, as well as had months of patience. On a national level, he more »

Escaping the Phantoms by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine The Torah promises tremendous blessing for the Jewish people when they observe the mitzvos. “Blessed shall you be in the city; blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall you be when you come in; blessed shall you be when you go out.” As you read the more »

First Things First The Jewish farmer was really glad. His trees had blossomed beautifully this year, and now a record crop of fruit was ready to be harvested. It was a busy time. But high on his “to do” list was to go to Yerusholayim and fulfill the special mitzvah of Bikurim. He came to more »

Pregnant with Goodness by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine The Tochacha, or rebuke, is one of the hardest sections of the Torah to read. Even the Baal Koreh, with a normally proud and strong voice, suddenly sounds strained and weak as he reads about the exile and the ensuing tragedies. But among the worst, is the statement, more »