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March 16, 2024 – 11:20 pm | Comments Off on Purim: A Nation United41 views

The die was cast. King Achashverosh granted Haman a genocidal license against the Jewish nation. Mordechai was one of the first to learn of the plot and he appealed to Queen Esther for help. Esther explained that it was dangerous even for her to enter the king’s chambers unbidden. Mordechai …

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Articles tagged with: repentance

Shoftim: Saved by the Law

August 11, 2023 – 6:36 pm | Comments Off on Shoftim: Saved by the Law423 views
court-ruling

This week, our Torah portion outlines the laws that govern a Jewish court. Jewish trials are not tried by a jury. Jewish trials are always tried by a panel of judges. One of the fascinating laws of Jewish jurisprudence is that if every judge on the panel finds a defendant …

Sukkot: Repentance Again?

September 17, 2021 – 12:03 am | Comments Off on Sukkot: Repentance Again?6,726 views
repentance-innerstream.ca

I sit in my study late at night after breaking the fast of Yom Kippur. As I do every year, I feel euphoric. The day was so intense, we invested so much effort, and the Divine dividends that will be paid out over the year will surely be generous. We …

Shabbat Shuvah: Jewish Guilt

September 4, 2021 – 11:02 pm | Comments Off on Shabbat Shuvah: Jewish Guilt1,440 views
guilt-innersteram.ca

Have you ever heard of Jewish guilt? Well, of course. If you have a Jewish mother, you know about Jewish guilt. But the truth is that Jews have little to do with guilt. In fact, the Catholics claim to have cornered the market on guilt. Considering the Catholic doctrine of …

Chukat: An Available Tool

June 13, 2021 – 11:22 am | Comments Off on Chukat: An Available Tool1,203 views
available-tool

This week we read the Torah portion that delineates the laws of the Red Heifer. Jews who contacted a dead body were deemed ritually impure. The process of purification was lengthy, but one of the steps was for the impure person to be sprinkled with a mixture of water and …

Ki Tisa: Lift the Head

March 8, 2020 – 2:19 pm | Comments Off on Ki Tisa: Lift the Head1,350 views
lift-your-head-innerstream.ca

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 …

Rosh Hashana: Are You on The Pill

October 1, 2016 – 11:30 pm | Comments Off on Rosh Hashana: Are You on The Pill2,592 views
pill-innerstream.ca

Can I have A Pill?
Have you ever heard of the man who went to the doctor and asked for a prescription? When the doctor asked, what’s ailing you, the man replied, nothing. I just want to be sure I don’t get sick. The doctor explained, “you don’t need medicine sir, …

Nitzavim: Get Out Of Jail

September 24, 2016 – 11:18 pm | Comments Off on Nitzavim: Get Out Of Jail5,411 views
jail-innerstream.ca

Two Poles
The Torah section that we read each year on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah, begins with the words “You all stand this day before the Lord, your God, the leaders of your tribes, your elders and your officers, every man of Israel, your young ones, your women, and your …

Simchat Torah: Festival Of Transformation

October 12, 2014 – 12:28 pm | Comments Off on Simchat Torah: Festival Of Transformation2,565 views
on foot - innerstream

The Million Dollar Question
Everyone wonders about this. Why do we rejoice with the Torah at the end of the High Holiday season if the Torah was given in the late spring, on Shavuot? Should we not dance and rejoice over the Torah on the day it was given?
The obvious answer …