When G-d disciplines us, the pain is real—but it is born of love. When He gives freely, we feel His kindness. When He withholds or corrects, His love is less visible—but in truth, it runs even deeper.
Read the full story »Vayetze: Food for Thought at your Dinner Table
Sunday: Its all in the Mind
There are two levels of prophecy. The higher level is divine revelation. The lower level is divine communication. Our sages taught that G-d does not reveal himself to prophets in the diaspora unless they first merited at least one revelation in the holy land. This …
Toldot: Food for Thought for your Dinner Table
Sunday: Abraham and Isaac
“These are the progeny of Isaac son of Abraham, Abraham begot Isaac.” That Abraham is the father of Jacob is mentioned twice in this verse, albeit in slightly different styles. In the first half of the verse Isaac is mentioned first, suggesting that he was the more …
Chayei Sarah: Food for Thought at Your Dinner Table
Sunday: the Joy of Giving
Sarah lived one-hundred and twenty-seven years. Our sages taught that she was as beautiful when she was one-hundred as she was when she was seven. At the age of seven we might seem cute or adorable, but not yet beautiful. Beauty tends to settle in with …
Vayera: Food for thought at your Dinner Table
Sunday: When did it Happen?
Abraham was visited by three angels, who told him that his son would be born “Lamoed Hazeh,” during the next holiday. According to all opinions this next holiday was Passover, however the date on which this promise was was was disputed by our sages. Some held …
Lech Lecha: Food for Thought At Your Dinner Table
Sunday: Self Discovery
Abraham could not truly discover his true nature till he divested himself from all outside influence. Till G-d instructed him to, “Go to you, from your land, your birthplace and your father’s home.”
Tweet
Noach: Food for Thought at your Dinner Table
Sunday – Ritual Mitzvot and Social Mitzvot
“The end of all flesh has come before me for the earth has filled with violence.” The “end of all flesh” is a euphemism for the prosecuting angel, who presents our misdeeds before G-d and demands that He punish us. When this angel appears …
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.
Tweet
Rosh Hashanah: Loving Silence
Does He Answer?
Rabbi,” she said, “The Torah states that G-d responds to our prayers and grants the favors we request, yet he has ignored my prayers. (1) I’ve been praying for months and my condition hasn’t improved.”
Tweet
Parsha Insights »
Naso: The Path To Permanent Recovery
Success
It is often said that the difference between success and failure is the willingness to go the extra mile. The decision to go the extra mile can only be made when we have already traveled the entire conventional route. We reach the end of our trail, but the successful seek out …
Yearly Cycle »
Passover: Freedom in Captivity
The First of Nissan
The Pascal Lamb was offered in celebration of our ancestors’ liberation from Egypt, yet it is curious that G-d gave the instructions for this Mitzvah while our ancestors were still enslaved in Egypt. (1)
Tweet
Concepts »
Mishpatim: Sift and Sort
The Torah portion that follows the awe-inspiring story of Mount Sinai, presents formulaic monetary laws and laws of personal injury. Why should the resolution of petty squabbles be the first subject to follow the Sinai event, which surely placed our ancestors on a higher plane? Many answers have been offered, …
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 …
