Parsha Insights »
Vayechi: Rejoice for Others
To rejoice for others, when they receive the something that you coveted, is difficult. To rejoice for others despite personal disappointment, or loss, displays character, humility, and refinement. It is rare, but every parent hopes to see such virtue in their child.
As the sun sets on Friday and the weekday …
Yearly Cycle »
Vaetchanan: Therapeutic Healing
A Six Day Journey
We come away from the ninth of Av, the saddest day in the Jewish calendar, with a spring to our step and a sense of hope. The six day stretch between the ninth and the fifteenth of Av are a transitional period, a time for healing. Our …
Concepts »
Vayechi: Leave No Word Unspoken
Eternal Regret
A common regret expressed by bereaved family members are the words that were left unspoken. I remember one man, whose father passed away at a younger age than most, who regretted not having expressed his love for his father more frequently. I recall another whose loved one passed away …
Rabbi’s Desk »
Festival Shabbat: Show Respect
United Airlines
Social media is abuzz with the terrible story that occurred on United Airlines several days ago. Dr, Dao, a 69 year old physician on a flight from Chicago to Louisville, was physically dragged off a plane after being beaten by three police officers. The physician’s crime was refusing to …