We will sit down to the Seder this year while our people suffer. Israel faces simultaneous attacks by Hamas, Hezbollah, Yemen, Iraq, and Iran. More than a hundred Jews are still in captivity. Antisemitism is rampant and acceptable again in coffee shops, public squares, public schools, and college campuses.
The saga …
Bo: Linking to the Divine
The Name
The name of the Torah portion that describes the exodus from Egypt is Bo, which means enter. Names of Torah portions comprise messages and instructions. What is the message of this name?
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Vaeira: Helpful Reminders
Bad Habits
I was in a rush the other day and in my haste made a mess of practically everything I touched. Yet I couldn’t relax. I commented to my wife that rushing never speeds up the process, but I would probably keep rushing anyway till I either hurt myself or …
Shemot: There is Always an Option
Only in America
High over the skies of Ohio I engaged my seat mate in discussion. His father is Protestant, his mother is Anglican and he, an earnest family man, wants to join the Anglican church. However, the only young congregation in his neighborhood with facilities for children is that of …
Vayechi: Is Judaism Dogmatic?
Fact or Myth?
Judaism encourages us to think for ourselves and to question everything. We are not meant to blindly accept, but to explore, analyze, debate and conclude. True or false?
Two Names
Joseph had two sons. He named the first one, Menashe because “Nashani Elokim,” G-d allowed me to forget my …
Vayigash: Jewish Leaders
National Pride
The Jewish nation lost its pride nearly two-thousand years ago. I’m not talking about religious pride. I’m talking about national pride.
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Miketz: From Joseph to Joseph
This essay was written shortly after Joe Lieberman was rejected by the Democratic Party and went on to win his senatorial seat in the great State of Connecticut as an independent. At that time, Lieberman held the swing vote in the Senate and because of his reputation for voting his …
Vayeshev: Miracle of Survival
Why?
We Jews have survived the longest and most turbulent exile in history. What inner strength enables our survival? Rejected by host nations, expelled from our homes and reviled by much of society, why haven’t we succumbed?
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Vayishlach: In Fear of his Brother
He was Worried
Hey, brother, can you spare a nickel? A penny or a dime? Jacob didn’t waste his time with such requests. His brother wanted to kill him and Jacob was desperate. He was afraid. He sent messengers asking, “Esau, can you spare a little love?” (1)
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Parsha Insights »
Toldos: The Purpose of Wealth
Dividing the Wealth
When Rebeca was pregnant with twins, she went to ask the prophet why she was feeling so much turmoil and pain. The prophet told her that she was carrying two nations and that they would separate from the womb; each in their own direction.
Our sages recorded a conversation …
Yearly Cycle »
Sukkot: Inside Outside
The Outdoors
In his book, “Inside Outside,” Herman Wouk describes the struggle of living a Jewish life in a non Jewish society. It is a masterful description of living by one set of values at home and encountering a different one on the street.
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Concepts »
Why Doesn’t G-d Make Miracles Anymore?
A Holiday for Every Miracle
Almost every miracle in Jewish history has a holiday. It is an ingenious way of keeping history alive. Jewish children don’t need a history lesson to tell you when G-d gave the Ten Commandments or when our ancestors left Egypt. They don’t need to learn it, …
Rabbi’s Desk »
What Can We Do?
These past two days have been the most difficult for our people in the last fifty years. It was Simchat Torah, a time for rejoicing, yet it was a time of horror. Nearly a thousand members of our family were brutally murdered, more than a hundred were taken hostage, and …
