A great future was foreseen for the young Yitzchok, even by the melamdim of Lemberg. "Your son is sure to be a godol beYisroel one day," they told his glowing parents.

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Opinion and Comment Days Of Awe: A Shmuess for Rosh Hashanah by HaRav Sholom Schwadron zt'l Our Name for This Period The Yomim Noro'im -- Days of Awe -- and the period of mercy and forgiveness are almost upon us. Let's think what the term "Days of Awe" means. There must be a good reason why all of Klal Yisroel refers to these days by this name. It appears that the name arises from the special quality of these days and their ability to impart yiras Shomayim.

Opinion and Comment ". . . To Envision the Punishments [of] Gehennom" by HaRav Nosson Wachtfogel, ztvk'l, prepared by a student The disaster that took place in the U.S. two year ago at this time came to us vividly in photos and films. The differences between this and other acts of murder were many, but one of the lesser noted aspects was the fact that everything was captured on a live broadcast and transmitted to the four corners of the earth. All the terrible disasters that take place are covered fully in the media, and the horrifying details are laid out before us.

Opinion and Comment Ki Sheva Yipol Tzaddik Vekom by HaRav Chaim Kaufman Every person has higher and lower moments when it comes to serving Hakodosh Boruch Hu. One's success is largely dependent on his ability to overcome a specific middoh, and to take hold of himself once he has stumbled. If one succeeds in strengthening himself at a down moment, one can then utilize the opportunity of a mistake as a building block for the future. Let us attempt to partially explain the ways of avodas Hashem so that we can strengthen our weak points and aspire to great spiritual heights.

Opinion and Comment Sefer Zechuyos -- and Zeman Simchoseinu by HaRav Mattisyahu Salomon Each and every year as the yemei rotzon between Rosh Hashonoh and Yom Kippur come around, we invest great effort into our tefillos, praying that Hakodosh Boruch Hu inscribe us for a good year. Our requests of "Ovinu Malkeinu" are divided into several short tefillos, the shortest one being "Ovinu Malkeinu kosveinu BeSefer Zechuyos."

Opinion and Comment Pleasure-Seeking and Simchah on Succos by Mordecai Plaut If the cultural leadership of the Western World in New York and Hollywood were to organize a Time of Happiness, it would probably take the form of many huge gatherings at which there would be freely available vast quantities of food, intoxicating beverages, public performances of all forms of modern music and entertainment -- and, certainly not least, a relaxing of whatever restraint is left in modern society. All the celebrants would seek to "have a blast" as they sought to overwhelm themselves with whatever carnal pleasure attracts them most strongly.

Opinion and Comment Bais Medrash Elyon Monsey - Bais Medrash Elyon Bnei Brak by Elozor Halpert (Based on an article by Rabbi Yerachmiel Censor) The Beginning Today, the Jewish community in Monsey, NY is a flourishing Torah metropolis which is known throughout the world. Boruch Hashem, its fertile soil has produced a bumper crop of yeshivas, botei medrash, kollelim, etc., as well as a burgeoning population, bli ayin hora, of Torah-true Yidden.

Opinion and Comment The Lesson of Luxuries FICTION by R. Schreiber Rav Tzadok Klugman, who gave the daily shiur in Kfar Petachya, was well liked by all of the shiur's members, while he, in turn, was very attached to them.