Hashem’s Tefillin and the Tiferet of Jerusalem

The Gemara Berachot (6a) famously makes a fascinating and astounding assertion. HaKadosh Baruch Hu “wears” tefillin that contain verses referencing Klal Yisrael’s unique greatness. Just as we don our tefillin which contain chapters that declare Hashem’s unity and greatness, God in turn “dons” tefillin that declare, “who is like Your nation Yisrael, one nation in […]

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The Arzei Levanon of Jerusalem: Rebbe Yishmael Kohen Gadol

Last week, we discussed the martyrdom of Rebbe Shimon ben Gamliel, the first of the asarah harguei malchut. Hazal tell us (Otzer Midrashim, Asarah Harugei Malchut) that the brutal beheading of Rebbe Shimon occurred in front of Rebbe Yishmael, the great sage and high priest in Jerusalem, as he himself awaited his execution. Rebbe Yishmael […]

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The Arzei Levanon of Jerusalem: Rebbe Shimon ben Gamliel

We famously commemorate the ten great martyrs, known as the asarah harugei malchut, every Tisha B’Av and Yom Kippur. These giant Torah sages, likened to towering cedar trees, were cut down by the Romans in brutal fashion. As we near the Three Weeks and the period in which we mourn Jerusalem’s destruction, I thought it […]

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The Bizarre Holiday of Rome

The Gemara (Avodah Zarah 11b) tells us of a curious holiday that was celebrated in Rome every seventy years. In a bizarre ritual carried through the thoroughfares of the city, a limping man was forced to carry a healthy man on his back. The healthy and complete man would wear the clothing of Adam HaRishon […]

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