Articles in Free Choice
Vayera: The Importance of Objectivity
What Really Happened?
Back in the early part of this decade when the war of terror was in full swing I would frequently ask visitors from Israel if the situation was as bad as the media made it sound. They were never surprised by my questions; they knew that as a …
Toldot: Why Evil?
A Child is Robbed
Helpless and betrayed, my brother and I stood alone in the pre dawn hours. We were children; he was a teenager and I was perhaps ten. We had set out on an exciting journey: we would take the train to the plane and the plane to our …
Korach: Turn the Other Cheek
Taking Offense
Have you ever noticed that it takes years to gain maturity and only moments to discard it? I have witnessed grown men and women regress to childlike behavior, when thrust into an argument. Barbs are exchanged, passions rise; before you know it otherwise balanced adults carry on like children. …
B’chukotai: Personal Freedom
Edicts and Rewards
Judaism is replete with divine edicts and commands, some of which we understand, many of which we don’t, but all of which we are required to fulfill. Judaism certainly emphasizes providing for G-d what is important to him, but does it also look out for our best interests? …
Shemini: Freedom to Eat
The Buffet Dilemma
You are standing in front of a heaping buffet bursting with mouth watering delicacies. Your appetite is stimulated and your juices are flowing. The host grants you the freedom to indulge to your heart’s delight.
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Balak: Manipulating G-d
A Strategy of The Spirit
The Moabite king Balak was afraid of the Jews. Its newly formed military recorded incredible successes against overwhelming odds and Balak feared for his country.
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Mitzora: The Duel of Life
Body and Soul
Life, according to Torah, is a duel between two forces, the body’s gravitation towards self benefit and the soul’s attraction towards fulfillment and meaning. This body / soul dynamic is the crux of the human experience. It is the duel of life.
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Toldot: Inner Conflict
The Warring Nations
“There two nations are in your womb and two regimes from your innards will separate”. The ethos of these words, told to our Matriarch Rivkah with regards to the twins she was carrying in her womb, echo across generations with the clarity of prophetic vision. Every Jew struggles …
