Articles by Lazer Gurkow
A Shlemiel
A shlemiel is a clumsy person who always stumbles and unwittingly finds his way into mishaps. It is Yiddish slang that is meant to be a play on the word shlimazel, another Yiddish aphorism. Shlimazel is a compound of two Hebrew words, shelo-mazel, without luck. A luckless person who always …
The Whip
The whip is usually an instrument of punishment, but it can also be a gift. Teachers of old used the whip to administer corporeal punishment. However, the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, once wrote about a teacher that was beloved by his students. This teacher never used the …
A Rebel in The Torah
Korach was a rebel. Not just any rebel, but one who rebelled against the preeminent Jewish leader, Moses. Yet rather than living in infamy, an entire Parshah of the Torah is dedicated to him and even named after him. Why, couldn’t we find a better name for this Parshah? Must …
My Business With G-d
Every morning before I don my talit, I contemplate my business for the day. By tradition, I separate out each of the thirty-two strings that constitute the tzitzit—fringes on my talit. The purpose is to ensure that they are not entangled or knotted and that they are all intact. However, …
Off The Derech
Off the derech means literally off the path. It is a common adage in observant circles to describe people who were once observant but had since taken a different path. It is so common that it has its own acronym in our acronym crazed days, OTD. It is not intended …
Bestow Blessing
Every Jew has the power to bestow blessing. If you see a friend in need of a blessing, bestow blessing and don’t hide behind the illusion that you are too ordinary. Don’t be too humble and don’t be too stingy. Bestow blessing and let G-d worry about how to deliver …
Shavuot: A Gift of Self
A gift of self is a thrilling gift. There are many kinds of gifts, but we almost never give away our very selves. We reserve our self exclusively for us. Weddings are the only exception. They are thrilling occasions because bride and groom give each other the gift of self.
Our …
The Minyan Effect
Minyan is a quorum of ten and it is a Jewish tradition to pray with a quorum. In fact, the holiest parts of prayer, the sanctification of G-d’s name and the chanting from the Torah, may only occur in the presence of a minyan. We believe that our prayers have …
