Articles tagged with: Love
Emor – The Ironic Act Of Love
The Blasphemer
When he lost his case in Moses’ court, the blasphemer pronounced the ineffable name of G-d and cursed; bringing life in the desert to a standstill. No one knew how to respond; they had never imagined that this egregious sin would be committed and had ever contemplated its punishment. …
Bo: The Secret of our Continuity
The Silver Lining
We had spent the afternoon ensconced in our warm home hardly aware of the wintery conditions outdoors. As Shabbat ended we ventured outside and encountered a heavy snowfall. I groaned inwardly envisioning slush filled roads and back breaking shoveling, but was taken aback when a woman behind me …
Vayechi: Leave No Word Unspoken
Eternal Regret
A common regret expressed by bereaved family members are the words that were left unspoken. I remember one man, whose father passed away at a younger age than most, who regretted not having expressed his love for his father more frequently. I recall another whose loved one passed away …
Vayigash: O’ The Circuitous Trail Of Love
A Perplexing Concealment
Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery. Unbeknownst to them the sale worked to his advantage when remarkable circumstances led to his appointment as viceroy of Egypt. Under Joseph’s guidance Egypt collected vast storehouses of foods and was well prepared when a terrible famine struck the region. …
Vayeshev: Responsible For A Nation
The Case of the Hidden Item
The Talmud relates a story about a man who deposited jewelry with his fellow for safekeeping. When the owner came to retrieve the jewelry the custodian confessed that he had placed it in a hidden place for safekeeping and was not able to find it. …
Shelach Valor Of Discretion
The Shared Etrog
I came across a delightful story related by Dov Greenberg about Israeli Nobel Laureate and novelist S. Y. Agnon. Agnon encountered his neighbor, an elderly Rabbi, in a neighborhood Etrog store on the day before Sukkot. Jewish law ordains that Jews obtain an Etrog (citron fruit) before Sukkot …
Emor: Win Them With Love
The Problem
We live in an age of twenty-four hour news cycles. The need to fill the air with constant news serves to lower the journalistic bar. The media used to award at least a measure of privacy to public figures. That age is long gone; today outing a prominent politician …
Mishpatim: The Baby’s World
Early Months
The moment my daughter emerged from the womb and took in her new surroundings was magical for us as parents. We were enamored with her and clutched her close to our hearts, but she was oblivious. She never acknowledged her parents, she simply slept. Over the last few days …