On The Theory of Evolution

"This will never change, not even if the latest scientific notion that the genesis of all the multitudes of organic forms on earth can be traced back to one single, most primitive, primeval form of life should ever appear to be anything more than what it is today, a vague hypothesis still unsupported by fact. Even if this notion were ever to gain complete acceptance by the scientific world, Jewish thought, unlike the reasoning of the high priest of that notion, would nonetheless never summon us to revere a still extant representative of this primal form as the supposed ancestor of us all. Rather, Judaism in that case would call upon its adherents to give even greater reverence than ever before to the one, sole God Who, in His boundless creative wisdom and eternal omnipotence, needed to bring into existence no more than one single, amorphous nucleus and one single law of "adaptation and heredity" in order to bring forth, from what seemed chaos but was in fact a very definite order, the infinite variety of species we know today, each with its unique characteristics that sets it apart from all other creatures." R' Hirsch, Collected Writings, vol. 7 pp. 263-264

The Institute for German Jewish Heritage

The Institute for German Jewish Heritage has published a number of important volumes on German Minhagim. They would like to publish more but need some funding. If you would like to contribute, click here

Shorshei Minhag Ashkenaz

Vol. 1 (5755), 481 pages

Vol. 2 (5760), 619 pages: Table of Contents | Sample Pages

Vol. 3 (5762), 550 pages: Table of Contents | Sample Pages

Vol. 4 (5764), 595 pages: Table of Contents | Sample Pages

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"Foremost in the effort of Machon Moreshes Ashkenaz during the last thirty years to research, archive, preserve and disseminate the over-one-thousand-year-old, magnificent heritage of Ashkenaz has been the publication of this monumental series, which researches the evolution of German-Jewish customs and traditions, their development, origins and views surrounding them, in a detailed and clear format.These books have become an invaluable asset for anyone with an interest in Jewish customs in general and German-Jewish customs in particular. The series is intended to expand to tens of volumes, and currently includes a wide range of topics such as minhagim of tefillah and shul, Shabbos and Yom Tov, marriage customs, yoledes and bris milah, as well as a variety of other minhagim."

Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita CHEERING UP THE DEJECTED

CHEERING UP THE DEJECTED “And they told him, saying, "Yoseph is still alive," and that he ruled over the entire land of Egypt... and the spirit of their father Yaakov was revived” (45:26-27) Osher’s  daughter  Serach  was  rewarded  by  going  straight  to Gan  Eden in  her  lifetime accompanied  by  600,000  angels for  telling  the news  to  Yaakov, especially since  she  did  so gently and gradually (Targum  Yonoson on  46:17  and Bamidbor 26:46).  In  return  for  reviving  Yaakov’s spirit, she merited eternal life for her own spirit. Similarly, anyone who cheers up the dejected, reviving their spirits, receives eternal rewards for their efforts.

Based on droshos by Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita, raavad of Yerushalayim. To receive these weekly divrei Torah email benipray@netvision.net.il

who thinks?

"5% of the people think, 10% of the people think they think, and the other 85% would rather die than think." ~ Thomas A. Edison

nightmare

The difference between one's child becoming disabled through the whims of nature verses that through the action of an ignorant doctor that a parent trusted is like the difference between a nightmare from which one wakes verses that of a nightmare from which one never wakes.