For millennia it was believed that the world is human centric, but science has slowly chipped away at this assumption.
From the day the first astronomer focused his gaze on the distant stars, humans postulated that our planet sits at the center of the universe and serves as the focal point …
Devarim: Family Unity
Family unity is the most important part of Judaism, and the most elusive. Why is that?
What are the Jewish people? We aren’t a race since there are Jews from all different races, white Jews, black, Jews, Hispanic Jews, etc. We aren’t a nation since there are Jews from all different …
Matot Masei: Your Daughter
Your daughter is born, and you rejoice. You revel with your wife, children, family and friends; there is a new addition to the family. Right? Well only in part. Your daughter is yours, but she is also part of a different family.
The Torah tells us about the daughters of Zelophehad, …
Pinchas: A New Generation
A new generation had emerged in the desert as Moses neared the end of his life. His siblings Miriam and Aharon had passed on. His nephew Elazar was now high priest and Elazar’s son, Pinchas, had joined the ranks of the priesthood. Shortly after Aharon’s passing, we notice signs of …
Balak: Shabbat and the Week
Shabbat is a twenty-five-hour break from the world. It is a wonderful time to unplug and relax. We enjoy quality time with children, family, and friends. We luxuriate in endeavors of the soul such as song, contemplation, study, prayer, and discussion. Unplugging from our phone’s constant pinging, our constant attraction …
Korach: The Selfie
Selfie pictures are all the rage these days. There are all kinds of tricks to get just the right angle. You can get an arm extender to help you to get the best shot. I saw reports that one of the hottest sale items last year was a pocket-size selfie …
Shelach: A Talit Meditation
The Talit is a shawl that we wrap around ourselves during prayer. It has four corners, from each of which, hangs eight fringes. Everyday, before we wrap ourselves in the Talit, we separate each fringe from the others and tighten the knots that bind them to the Talit.
As we run …
B’haalotcha: The Individualized Collective
An individualized collective is a collective that doesn’t require its members to surrender their individuality before joining the collective. On the surface, this sounds patently obvious; everyone ought to agree with it, right? Wrong. In real life it is very difficult to find the balance between the two. The great …
Naso: Give Your Fellow A Lift
Lift is an interesting word. In America, you give someone a lift, when you drive them to their destination. In England, it refers to an elevator. The British meaning makes more sense. A lift should lift you vertically; not transport you horizontally.
The concept of vertical lift is the subject of …
Parsha Insights »
Balak: Wear Religion on Your Sleeve
Jewish Pride
The idea that anti-Semitism is precipitated by our outward Jewish appearance began to percolate in the Western European Jewish community during the eighteenth century. They surmised that if they would adopt a secular European appearance, they would be accepted by the nations as equals. Thus came the clarion call, …
Yearly Cycle »
Purim: The Divine Curveball
The Curveball
Can you believe its almost April? With the baseball season only days away, my mind turns to my non existent curveball. You see, the curveball is one of the many reasons I will never be a pitcher. My curveball just doesn’t curve. I can throw it straight, fast or …
Concepts »
Famil Life: Laws of Family Purity
Disclaimer: There are
myriads of laws that govern the many dimensions of Family Purity and
they are beyond the scope of this presentation. The intention here is
to to offer a brief glimpse of the Family Purity life style.
During the period of menstruation husband and wife should refrain from intimacy together.
After a …
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 …
