About the Author


Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair

In 1972, Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair opened SARM Studios the first 24-track recording studio in Europe where Queen mixed “Bohemian Rhapsody”. His music publishing company, Druidcrest Music published the music for The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1973) and as a record producer, he co-produced the quadruple-platinum debut album by American band “Foreigner” (1976). American Top ten singles from this album included, “Feels Like The First Time”, “Cold as Ice” and “Long, Long Way from Home”. Other production work included “The Enid – In the Region of the Summer Stars”, “The Curves”, and “Nutz” as well as singles based on The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy with Douglas Adams and Richard O’Brien. Other artists who used SARM included: ABC, Alison Moyet, Art of Noise, Brian May, The Buggles, The Clash, Dina Carroll, Dollar, Flintlock, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Grace Jones, It Bites, Malcolm McLaren, Nik Kershaw, Propaganda, Rush, Rik Mayall, Stephen Duffy, and Yes.
In 1987, he settled in Jerusalem to immerse himself in the study of Torah. His two Torah books The Color of Heaven, on the weekly Torah portion, and Seasons of the Moon met with great critical acclaim. Seasons of the Moon, a unique fine-art black-and-white photography book combining poetry and Torah essays, has now sold out and is much sought as a collector’s item fetching up to $250 for a mint copy.
He is much in demand as an inspirational speaker both in Israel, Great Britain and the United States. He was Plenary Keynote Speaker at the Agudas Yisrael Convention, and Keynote Speaker at Project Inspire in 2018. Rabbi Sinclair lectures in Talmud and Jewish Philosophy at Ohr Somayach/Tannenbaum College of Judaic studies in Jerusalem and is a senior staff writer of the Torah internet publications Ohrnet and Torah Weekly. His articles have been published in The Jewish Observer, American Jewish Spirit, AJOP Newsletter, Zurich’s Die Jüdische Zeitung, South African Jewish Report and many others.
Rabbi Sinclair was born in London, and lives with his family in Jerusalem. He was educated at St. Anthony’s Preparatory School in Hampstead, Clifton College, and Bristol University.


Parsha: Allegiance To The Monarch

Last year was the Shmitta (Sabbatical) year. When the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) stood, at the end of the Shmitta year during the festival of Sukkot, the king would read from the Torah to the entire nation. This mitzva symbolized his kingship. Is it mere coincidence that the year of the coronation of King Charles III coincides with this mitzva?

 

Charles III -The Last Circumcised King?

Hitler said, "Conscience is a Jewish invention. Like circumcision it mutilates man..." What is the connection between conscience and circumcision?

Parsha: It's Not What You Say...

Apparently, the Chafetz Chaim zt"l, was not a brilliant orator, however he was extremely compelling to listen to. What gave him this power?

 

As Lovely As A Tree

The Torah prohibits planting trees in the Beit HaMikdash, the Holy Temple. Why?

Parsha: The Apprentice

In the ancient world, when grieving for a dead person, idol worshippers would make a bald spot in their hair between the eyes. The Torah explicity forbids this practice in Parshat Re'eh. Why?

Parsha: Big on the Little Things

The whole human frame stands on the tiny heel bone, so too our relationships "stand" on the little things.

Parsha: The Power Of Prayer

Praying every day isn't easy. But if you've ever prayed well - even once - it leaves you a different person.

Parsha: Respect Yourself - Respect Others

The tragedy of Tisha B'Av begins with the sin of the Spies and their lack of self-respect.

Parsha: The Cancel Culture (Three Weeks)

"Sinat Chinam" - Dislike of the Unlike - is the cause of the destruction of the Jewish People throughout the ages. The cancer of the 'cancel culture' is still well and alive today. It's easy to respect people when they think and behave exactly the way we do, but true respect means respecting people even when they are wrong.

Parsha: A Man Of Spirit

An artist may be able to create without knowing how to teach others how to create. That doesn't make him less of an artist. But even if an artist is not a great teacher, given a pupil of spirit, that pupil will flourish with very little instruction. Yehoshua's was like the Moon. Because he was 'a man of spirit', he shone from the inspiration of his teacher Moshe.

 

It Takes A Lot Of Faith To Be An Atheist

When opening up their morning newspaper, why do atheists turn to the horoscope page?

 

The Blue Beyond

The 'tzitzit' - the fringes that a Jew wears on a four-cornered garment give us a glimpse of infinity.

 

Psst! Wanna Fake Rolex?

Is it true that "You can't always get what you want?"

 

We Are Family

The Jewish People are like one soul in many bodies.

 

Like The Stars

Why are the Jewish People compared to the stars?

 

There Are No Limits

When Roger Bannister ran the first mile in less than four minutes, he broke a lot more than a record.

 

The Promise Of The Land

"As long as Yisrael does not dwell on its Land, the Land does not give her fruits as she is accustomed. When she will begin to flower again, however, and give of her fruits, this is a clear sign that the end — the time of the Redemption — is approaching when all of Yisrael will return to its Land.” The Maharsha

 

Inventing Religion

If you're going to make up a religion, you'd better not make promises you can't keep. Parshat Behar contains a huge promise that only the Creator could make.

 

Saving Life With One Word

A drop of encouragement may seem like a drop in the ocean, but sometimes it can save a life from drowning in sadness.

 

Do You Hate Shabbat?

Is your Shabbat an out-of-this-world spiritual experience? Here's how to make it one.

 

Is There A New Israel?

In the Purim story, Achashverosh, Ahasuerus, dresses himself as the High Priest in the Holy Temple. What did he hope to gain by doing this?

 

Do Jews Have Horns?

Michaelangelo may have been the greatest sculptor who ever lived, but his knowledge of Jewish anatomy was a bit off.

 

A Jewish Woman's Power

We often refer to God as "He" - but God's presence on earth, the "Shechina" is a femine noun. "He" is "She."

 

Sticks And Stones – The Power Of An Insult

"...but words can never harm me." Why do words hurt so much, they're nothing more than puffs or air with a sound wave attached, aren't they?

 

You Are Someone's Lifeline: A Hassidic Tale of the Holocaust

How the Rabbi of Bluzhov and his friend were miraculously saved from death.

 

Mystical Worlds

Why is the word for a 'thing' in Hebrew - 'davar' - from the same root as the word for 'speech' - 'dibbur? As solid as 'things' seem, they are no more than God 'speaking' them - keeping them in existence by His word.

 

The Great 'Blander'

If you had your choice, would you choose to live in a world with the potential for great good but the danger of great evil, or a blend of the two resulting in a great blandness?

 

Weapons Of Mass Distraction

If the original sound of the giving of the Torah never fades, how come we don't hear it anymore?

 

How The Japanese Saved The Jews

During World War II some 40,000 Jews found themselves under Japanese occupation in Manchuria, China and countries of South East Asia. Virtually all of them survived the war, but the Germans repeatedly pressured the Japanese to implement their "Final Solution." This is a famous story of how The Amshinover Rebbe, zt"l dissuaded the Japanese from complying with Hitler's dictate.

 

Is Gene Editing Playing God?

The current Covid pandemic has a silver lining: It has accelerated research into Gene Editing techniques that promise to put an end to many lethal hereditary diseases. But should Man interfere in the work of God?

 

What's Wrong With Amazon's Kindle?

 

Seeing Is Believing

It's all to easy to go through life without actually seeing what is all around us.

 

Are The Jews Traitors?

A common accusation against Jews is that they hold a divided loyalty. This is true but it's not the divided loyalty that most people think.

 

Boycott Israel?

 

Empowering Others

Paul O'Neill's tenure at ALCO Aluminum Company as CEO from 1987 to 2000 increased the value ofthe company's shares five times, and its market capitalization by $27 billion. How did he do it?

 

The Runaway Train

Sometimes people can be as destructive as a runaway train. How do you stop them? An insight based on Parshat Vayeshev.

 

Silence And Solitude

Positive role models can only take us so far in our search for maturity. How do we step into the shoes of our mentors and become role models for others?

 

Holy Children In A Toxic World

Bringing up normal, well-adjusted, and hopefully holy children, in our day and age seems to be a daunting task. How can we succeed against a world glitter and selfishness?

 

Reach For The Sky

Learning about the lives of great people can be inspiring – but it can also be depressing when we see the enormous gap between their achievements and our own. How can we use their example positively and learn to 'reach for the sky'?

 

Why Is It So Hard To Be Good?

If being close to God is the ultimate pleasure. Why did He make it so difficult?

 

The Chosen

Why God will never abandon the Jewish People.

 

Catch The Wind

If we have a spirit inside us, why don't we see it?

 

Was It Worth Creating The World For Me?

Rosh Hashana is the anniversary of the creation of the first man. It's also the day on which God judges the whole world. What is the connection between the two?

 

Leaving the Comfort Zone

Changing and becoming more than we are is one of the most difficult things in the world.

 

Why Jews are the People of the Moon

What is the deeper meaning behind the small moon looking as big as the vast sun?

 

Burning Books and the 17th of Tammuz

A hallmark of all repressive regimes is burning books. The burning of the Torah is one the tragedies that happened on this fast day.

 

Is Circumcision Mutilation?

Why do Jews circumcise their sons?

 

The Hidden Light

At the beginning of time there shone a light called the "Ohr Haganuz." With this light you could see from one end of the world to the other - meaning you could see the connection between cause and effect. God hid that light away after 36 hours but there are still times when you can still catch its glow.

 

Why The World Hates The Jews

Recent events in Israel show that antisemitism is rife not just in Gaza, Akko, and Jerusalem but in the civilized capitals of the world. Why won't anti-Semitism go away?

 

"A Real Jewish Princess"

A magical parable about Shavuot based on Parshat Nasso

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