"He's an old grandfather and he's still sitting in yeshiva," the small children said of Reb Elya when, having passed the age of eighty, he was still at the helm of the yeshiva in Kfar Chassidim teaching Torah and mussar.

From Our Archives

The Many Dimensions of Rabbi Nachman Bulman by M. Samsonowitz In the past two weeks, we told the life story of Rabbi Nachman Bulman, the great rav, educator, counselor and guide. This week, we will deal with the ideas and broad themes that animated Rav Bulman's life.

Opinion and Comment Challenges of the Modern World: Keeping Too Busy by Mordecai Plaut Not all of the challenges raised by modern life to Torah living are new. Some were familiar to earlier generations. Unfortunately, the extensive collective experience we have with them does not make them easier for us to meet.

It is All for Our Benefit by Mordecai Plaut Near the beginning of his sefer that explains the basics of life, Derech Hashem (I,2), the Ramchal explains very clearly Hashem's point in creation: "The purpose of the Creation is to benefit others with His Goodness, may He be blessed. And He is not satisfied with doing a minimal amount of good, but only with benefiting with the maximum good that created beings can receive. This maximal good cannot be found anywhere but in Him, and therefore His wisdom decreed that the true benefit [that He will give to His creations] will consist in giving His creations an opportunity to cleave to Him, may He be blessed."

The Call To Freedom: Understanding Mitzvas Shofar by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis "You shall sanctify the Yovel (fiftieth) year [with the blowing of the shofar], declaring emancipation of slaves throughout the land" (Vayikra 25,10). On the Yovel year a shofar blast signals the freeing of all Jewish slaves. Three times a day a Jew prays in Shemoneh Esrei, "May You blow the great shofar for our freedom." The shofar will once again be used as an instrument to proclaim freedom at the end of days with the advent of Moshiach and the emancipation of the entire world. What is the connection between the shofar and freedom?

The Intermediate Days: Rosh Hashonoh -- Yom Kippur A compilation of customs from ancient and contemporary periods for these propitious times

Becoming Tohor on Yom Kippur by HaRav Mordechai Gifter The Time of Our Tohoroh Hashem gave yomim tovim to plant certain principles firmly within every Jew's nefesh -- the fundamental idea that each particular yom tov teaches us. Optimal observance of the yomim tovim also involves our knowing and understanding their principal message. The Anshei Knesses HaGedolah therefore laid down a fixed text of tefilloh for each yom tov according to its essence: Pesach, the time of our freedom; Shavuos, the time we were given the Torah; Succos, the time of our rejoicing; Rosh Hashonoh, the day for blowing the shofar; Yom Kippur, a day dedicated to atonement and forgiveness (mechiloh, selichoh, kaporoh).

The Purpose of Affliction: Understanding the Inuyim of Yom Kippur by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis A Complete Rest Day "This shall remain for you an eternal decree: In the seventh month on the tenth of the month, you shall afflict yourselves . . . (Vayikra 16:29). Although Judaism generally frowns upon self-affliction, on Yom Kippur the Torah seemingly designates it as the focal point of the day. In addition to the prohibition against eating and drinking, we are obligated to abstain from other bodily pleasures, including washing, anointing ourselves and wearing shoes.