Articles tagged with: Love
Ekev: Why Fear G-d?
What is Fear?
Western society has rejected fear. We look back to the pedagogy of previous generations and believe it better to teach our children with love. We look back to the fear based leadership exercised by regimes and monarchies in the past and believe that our tolerant and open approach …
Shlach: On The Fringes of Tolerance
The Shawl
The prayer shawl is a fascinating garment. It is large enough to encompass the body, but is meaningless until it sports four fringes on each of its four corners. You might think the fringes are more important than the shawl, but think again. The fringes too are meaningless unless …
Behaaloscha: Love Your Fellow
When Your Brother Does Wrong
Several weeks ago, on Shabbat afternoon, we had a fascinating discussion. How should we respond when we learn through the media that our fellow Jew has behaved improperly or even immorally? Should we jump to condemn and separate ourselves from the crime lest it reflect badly …
Bamidbar: G-d’s Love
Does He Need A Census?
The book of numbers opens with G-d directing Moses to take a national census,[1] which begs an obvious question. Does an All Knowing G-d require a census to know the precise number of Jews? This question is only amplified when you consider that this was the …
B’chukotai: Are you a Diehard Jew?
Do it For G-d
Are you a fair weather fan or diehard? Growing up in Boston I knew all about Diehard fans. Fenway Park is legendary for romanticizing terrible teams and losing seasons. Fans fill the stands for hopeless contests with the same enthusiasm they muster for sure winners. I’ve never …
Tazria Mitzorah: A Sign of Love
The Walls Know
We love closed doors for the cover they provide; what we do behind them others can’t know and what they don’t know can’t hurt them. We can be irascible, immoral and impossible in private, yet parade in public as amicable, wise and generous and no one will be …
Vayikra: The Power to Please
The Sin Offering
The sacrificial offerings in the Temple secured atonement for the inadvertent sins of their bearers. This prompts a question: To bring such offerings is a Divine commandment, how does fulfilling one commandment atone for transgressing another? If your student failed to do his homework but was respectful during …
Vayakhel Pekudei: The Temple of our Home
To Live is To Remember
Everyone grieves differently. Some work hard to ignore the memories of a loved one because they are just too painful to revisit, others work hard to preserve the memories because without them they lose the gift of the past. Why should our loved one die twice, …
