By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
Rav Eliyohu Mann of Bnei Brak would speak with Rav Chaim Kanievsky daily, and people who had questions or sought brachos from Rav Chaim would often call him. One day, a rebbi contacted him.
“I need your help,” he said. “Out of the clear blue, my young son suddenly began to suffer from psychotic episodes. I made a cheshbon hanefesh to try to determine why Hashem would punish us in that way. I suspect that it may be a punishment for me telling my class that Rav Chaim Kanievsky was not especially smart when he was young, but because he dedicated himself to studying Torah, he became wiser and wiser the more he learned, until he became a gaon and the gadol hador.

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
One day it was Purim, and all around the world Jews were celebrating. The next day, it was Tisha B’Av. The celebrations were forgotten. Purim was a distant memory.

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
Most real estate solicitations begin the same way: “I found this great building/project/development. The past owner didn’t manage it properly, so I can get in at a low price as the income is not where it should be due to his delinquency. With not much effort or investment, I can fix it up, put in a new roof and boiler, renovate the apartments/offices/homes as they become vacant, refresh the outside, spruce up the landscaping and parking lot, and voila, we will have a quick turnaround. Rents will go up and we will be making money in six months.”

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
Purim will live on for eternity as a day of joy and festivity. After the arrival of Moshiach, the other Yomim Tovim will no longer be celebrated, other than to be remembered as part of the golus past.
Even estranged Jews appreciate the awe of Rosh Hashanah and listen to the cry of the shofar, but they have a hard time with Purim. They wonder how this can be a holiday. And what is the deal with the alcohol, the clowning around, and the lack of decorum?

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
Those who would know say that Vladimir Putin is a changed person. Never a big tzaddik, last week he delivered an irrational and delusional speech denying that Ukraine is a country with its own long, torturous, history. He said that the Ukrainians are not a people. The whole thing is a lie. It is an artificial republic. He told his nation and the world that he was being forced to undertake a special military operation to rid the appendage to his west of its pro-Nazi government and demilitarize it. He needed to act forcefully to ensure that Ukraine would stop its genocide of Russians.

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
This week in Parshas Vayakhel, the Torah continues with the discussion of matters concerning the construction of the Mishkon. Though these topics have been discussed in the past few parshiyos, there are many lessons contained here, relevant to us in our daily lives.
The posuk (Shemos 35:27) states that the Nesi’im donated the precious stones that were needed for the Eifod and the Choshen. Rashi cites the Medrash Rabbah, which says that the Nesi’im were the last to donate to the Mishkon. They reasoned that they would wait until everyone else had made their donations and they would bring what was lacking.

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
Parshas Ki Sisa contains apexes of glory and splendor, depths of catastrophe, and a cataclysmic blow, followed by the greatest message of forgiveness in the Torah.
The tragic error and climb back to teshuvah resound through the ages.
The Bnei Yisroel were counted, and they learned of the ketores and its powers. Hashem told Moshe that he had selected Betzalel to construct the Mishkon, its keilim, and the bigdei kehunah. The gift of Shabbos was granted to us, and Moshe was presented the luchos that Hashem had written.

Shlomo Riskin, controversial rabbi of Efrat – who, among other things, has led a group of “Orthodox” rabbis who advocate for increased partnership between Christians and Jews – has had his controversies over the years, and now he’s back, this time advocating for the Kosel to be open to mixed prayer.
Riskin made his feelings known in an opinion piece in the Jerusalem Post titled “The Western Wall is for all Jews.”

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
The Chofetz Chaim would invest much effort into choosing the right people to raise funds for his yeshiva. He would explain that the posuk in last week’s parsha states, “Veyikchu li terumah,” meaning that the appointed people shall collect contributions to the Mishkon. It doesn’t say, “Veyitnu li terumah,” that the people should donate to the Mishkon.
This is because the Jewish people are generous and understanding, and they respond to appeals for financial assistance. What is needed are proper, qualified, trustworthy, and energetic people to collect money from the masses.

By Ira Stoll
A New York Times headline claiming a synagogue fired a teacher who “criticized Israel” is being faulted for inaccurately describing the issue in the case.
The two-sentence New York Times headline said: “A Jewish Teacher Criticized Israel. She Was Fired.”