One of the famous passages of the Rosh Hashanah liturgy is, “I remember the kindness of your youth, the love of your nuptials, you followed me into the desert, a land that is not planted” (Jereimah 2:2).
This is our way of invoking the trust and devotion to G-d we demonstrated …
Elul, Nitzavim »
It Is Time for Your Spiritual ECG
After several bouts of dizziness and lightheadedness, I was booked for an ECG and given a Holter Monitor to wear for 72 hours. This was my first experience with an ultrasound of my heart, and I had all kinds of questions. I hope I wasn’t a nuisance that morning, but the technician was thankfully patient.
It occurred to me that I was measuring my heart’s functionality during the month of Elul, a time when we assess our behavior and spiritual integrity. As we approach Rosh Hashanah, the day of judgment, we take our own measure. We assess ourselves during the past year and determine what to correct and how to improve. G-d, for His part, helps us “cleanse our hearts” (Deuteronomy 30:6). This way, when Rosh Hashanah arrives, G-d prescribes us a good, sweet year. Read the full story »
Are You A Parasite?
Parasites live inside or on organisms of other species and feed off them. This is why parasitism is the ultimate insult. It means that you don’t provide for yourself, let alone contribute to others. You steal from others for your very existence.
In a sense, we are all parasitic. Every living …
Cancelling Cancel Culture
We are told not to judge a book by its cover, but most of us do. In their inimitable way, our sages tell us, “Don’t look at the cask; look at the wine. Aged casks can be filled with new wine, and new casks can be filled with aged wine” …
Have You Changed?
We have a large crabapple tree in our backyard; it has been there for decades. Over the years, its beautiful branches have served as climbing apparatus for many young hands and feet, and its wonderful leaves have provided pleasant shade for many a gathering or a book reader.
Its spring blossoms …
When Good people Do Nothing
On Wednesday, August 21, more than a hundred Jewish institutions across Canada received bomb threats. More emails went on the next day. Thank G-d, the threats were empty. The police responded with alacrity and determined that the buildings were safe. The police continue to investigate to identify the IP address …
Count Your Blessings
Eikev: Protect A Nation
It is natural for Jews to bless G-d. We are raised from childhood to see G-d’s hand behind everything that happens in life. So, when good things happen, we thank G-d, when bad things happen, we pray to G-d. We bless G-d before we eat, and after, …
Finding G-d
This week we marked the anniversary of the destruction of the first and the second Holy Temples in Jerusalem. This is without question the saddest day in the Jewish calendar. On this day, on the ninth of Av, we reflect on our exile and the many troubles we experienced. We …
Be An Unselfish Star
Shortly before his passing, Moses translated the Torah into all the extant languages of his time. The Torah could now be read and understood in Egyptian, Hittite, Assyrian, Aramaic, etc. This was considered a good thing. Many years later, the Greek King Ptolemy commissioned seventy-two Jewish sages to translate the …
Israel’s War is My War
“Will your brothers go to war while you sit here?”
After our ancestors conquered the lands on the East bank of the Jordan River, the tribes of Rueben, Gad, and half of Manasseh, asked for permission to settle there. The wide-open grasslands were perfect for pasture and these tribes were shepherds. …
Parsha Insights »
Tazria: Holier Than Thou
Tazria: Holier Than Thou
Holier than thou is an expression that connotes false piety. It describes those who pass themselves off as holy when they aren’t. For example, those who give generous donations when others are looking, but nothing at all when no one takes notice. Or those who make sure …
Yearly Cycle »
Hamas College Takeovers
Over the past week, we have seen anti-Israel college takeovers with protestors openly declaring their desire to kill Jews and to render Israel—from the river to the sea—Juden Rein. The brazen tactics and bullying have left many Jewish students and faculty members afraid to venture onto campus. As we approach …
Concepts »
Beshalach: Beneath the Mighty Sea
The Gardens
Seeking an escape from the fast pace of the big city, I used to visit the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. Strolling along quiet lanes, I would breathe in the fragrance and enjoy the scenic beauty. Sitting peacefully by the pond, I would close my eyes and try to leave the city …
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 …
