The kohen (priest) plays many central roles in this week’s Torah portion. Primary among them is the priestly blessing. G-d endowed the kohen with the power to confer blessing. It is a potent power. Imagine holding the keys to another’s fortune and happiness. If you choose, you can endow them …
Read the full story »Tzav: Until Morning
Until morning is a phrase of promise and hope. The night is dark and desolate, but it won’t last forever. We might be anxious and fearful, perhaps disappointed and bitter, but it won’t last forever. Until morning. When the morning dawns, the fog will lift, the sun will shine, and …
Vayikra: Healthy Distancing
Healthy distancing is a phrase I coined to replace the term social distancing. As I wrote last week, we are distancing for healthy purposes, not for social purposes and we must do out utmost to ensure that our healthy distancing does not result in social distancing.
Jews are careful to avoid …
Vaykahel Pekudei: Social Distancing
Social distancing connotes the two-meter distance that we maintain to prevent the spread of the dreaded Covid-19. Personally, I dislike the term social distancing because it sounds like we are imposing a social distance, when in fact we are only imposing a physical distance. Socially, we must make an even …
Ki Tisa: Lift the Head
G-d instructed Moses to collect a half silver shekel from each Jew for the Tabernacle’s building fund. Before allocating the shekels to the Tabernacle, Moses was told to take a census of the people by counting the shekels. The Torah seems to describe this census awkwardly. Rather than saying count …
Purim: Together as one
Together, we survive. Jews have always been responsive to fellow Jews in need. If a Jew was in debtor’s prison, the community would raise money to pay the debt. If a poor widow was struggling, the community would close ranks around her and help her. Together, is how we survived. …
Terumah: Shalom Aleichem
Terumah: Shalom Aleichem
Shalom Aleichem; peace unto you, is the classic Jewish greeting. It is beautiful, meaningful, and succinct. The classic response, however, is curious. Rather than responding with Shalom Aleichem, we reverse the greeting and say Aleichem SHalom, unto you peace.
Now, Jews like to be contrarian. Next time you are …
Mishpatim: We Matter
When you read the Torah portion that we chant in the synagogue this week, you wonder why G-d even cares. Does the Creator of heaven and earth have nothing better to do with His time than devise laws about the differences between liabilities carried by paid and unpaid custodians? Does …
Yitro: Thought Sins
Thought Sins? Did you ever imagine that the Torah legislates our thoughts? A human police force would never get away with that, but G-d, who made us, can and does.
The Ten Commandments were inscribed on two tablets, five on each. The commandments on the first tablet, belief in G-d, the …
Parsha Insights »
Mishpatim: Learn to Absorb
Absorb It
hortly after giving the Ten Commandments at Sinai, G-d summoned Moses and said, “These are the laws that you should place before them.” He then taught him the Torah, commencing with the laws of slavery, “When you acquire a Hebrew slave…”[1]
Yearly Cycle »
Passover: A Contemporary Tale
Four Redemptions
When G-d informed Moses of the exodus from Egypt he provided four descriptions of the coming redemption. “I will bring them out from under the burdens of Egypt. I will save them from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and I will take you to …
Concepts »
A Shlemiel
A shlemiel is a clumsy person who always stumbles and unwittingly finds his way into mishaps. It is Yiddish slang that is meant to be a play on the word shlimazel, another Yiddish aphorism. Shlimazel is a compound of two Hebrew words, shelo-mazel, without luck. A luckless person who always …
Rabbi’s Desk »
The Passing of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
It has been around a year since the world has lost a great leader with the passing of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. Who will be his successor?
There will be millions beginning with me and you.
Rabbi Sacks was a unique and leading voice among rabbis in our generation. His keen intellect and …
