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.”

In a column in Yated Ne’eman, columnist Avrohom Birnbaum addresses the increasingly popular frum public hotlines, some of which are the greatest blessings, but some of which, he posits, can be damaging.
“Organizations such as Kol Halashon and the like can reach hundreds of thousands of listeners,” he writes, “offering shiurim and inspiration on virtually every area of Torah and chizuk. This explosion of harbotzas haTorah for men, women and children, and perhaps especially to women who cannot get out as easily as men to attend shiurim or other learning opportunities, is a tremendous blessing.”

Dear Editor@Matzav.com,
Since your website is an integral part of so many Torah homes today, I feel it is an appropriate place to raise this issue.
Boruch Hashem, I have many children residing in a thriving Jewish town, most in developments where tens of young, frum couples just like them live side by side in rows of townhouses or even single homes. This may seem idyllic in some ways, and indeed it is. There is a built-in beautiful frum atmosphere. There are great neighbors and friends for the kids.

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
As this week’s parsha of Terumah opens, Hashem tells Moshe to speak to the Bnei Yisroel and tell them “viyikchu li terumah,” to collect donations for the construction of the Mishkon. Rashi explains that the extra word “li” is there to delineate that the donations should be given “lishmi,” which ostensibly means lesheim Hashem, that the donations should be given for the sake of Hashem.