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 »Behar Bechukosai: Fool Yourself
Do you ever fool yourself? The answer is likely yes because we all do. Every time you something wrong and find a circuitous argument to justify your behavior, you fool yourself.
The Torah forbids defrauding others in business. When you sell or buy from your fellow, do not wrong him. If …
Emor: Are Humans Good?
The other day, I asked several youngsters which is the most important species on earth. One raised his hand and suggested that we, humans, are most important. Another objected and said, that we are the worst offenders on the planet. Humans, she insisted are a horrible species.
I was taken aback …
Acharei Kedoshim: Cancel Culture
Cancel culture is a craze in our times. The airways and streets are ablaze with political correctness and groupthink. This isn’t the first time that cancel culture has taken hold. In my own lifetime I watched groupthink take hold several times and history books are replete with such examples. My …
Tazria Metzora: The Pivotal Moment
This week we will learn about the power of a moment. A metzora is one who contracted a skin condition called Tzaraas in biblical times. This condition is often confused with leprosy because the metzora was quarantined, but this was not a medical condition. These lesions appeared when a Jew …
Semini: Kosher Fish
Kosher fish have fins and scales. In the Torah’s words, “Any [creature] in the water that has fins and scales, those you may eat.”[1] Though fins and scales merely indicate that a fish is kosher, there must be a reason G-d chose these two indicators. Why do fins and scales …
Passover and Mashiach
Passover commemorates the first redemption of the Jewish people from exile. I am sure it was fun to celebrate Passover while we enjoyed the fruits of that redemption, while we were living in Israel, free and independent in our land. But sadly, our people have been exiled again several times …
Passover: Matzah and the Forbidden Fruit
Matzah and the forbidden fruit? Most people would be surprised to learn that the two are linked, but that is because most people believe that the forbidden fruit was an apple. Our sages argued over the identity of this fruit, but no one thought it was an apple.
Rabbi Meir said …
Vayikra: The Contract
G-d signed a contract with King David and through David, He signed it with the Jewish people. David asked G-d to preserve him, and G-d replied, if you look after my commandments, I will look after you.
Our sages offered a parable: One man owned a vineyard in the Galilee, and …
Parsha Insights »
B’har: The Nature of Shabbos
Shabbos – The Crown of the Week
“When you come into your land… the earth shall rest a Shabbos for Hashem. For six years you shall sow your land but the seventh year shall be…a Shabbos for Hashem.” (Our Parsha, Leviticus 25, 2-4) This verse begins with a discussion of Shabbos, …
Yearly Cycle »
Purim: G-d Wants To Be Chosen
The Happiest Day of the Year
Purim is arguably the happiest day of the year. I say arguably because it is in close competition with Simchat Torah, the day we complete our annual reading of the Torah. I am not sure which is happier, but I will say this, if they …
Concepts »
Shlach: Boots On The Ground
Ritual
I’m often asked how to make ritual exciting. It’s sad, but true that many Jewish children are raised with a ritualistic form of Judaism that lacks spirit and it is difficult for them to be inspired by meaningless rituals that feel repetitive and redundant. My answer is always the same. …
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 …
