by Rabbi Yisrael Rutman Recently, I came to the door of a friend and overheard the following parental moment: “Don’t whine at me! I said ‘No’ and that’s it!” The little girl had been tearfully pulling at her mother’s skirt for more chocolate. Now, that’s real parenting. As I once heard, every time a parent
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by Rabbi Yisrael Rutman “One who reads the Megilah (the story of Esther), backward, has not fulfilled his obligation.” That is the law, but it’s a peculiar notion. Why would anyone think to read it backwards? Some interpret the mishna homiletically: that we should not regard it as mere history, which holds no relevance for
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