Articles by Lazer Gurkow
Bechukotai: Labor over Torah
True Labor
The first Mitzvah that the Almighty singles out for reward in our Parsha is that of Torah study.[1] But we aren’t rewarded for the mere study of Torah. We are rewarded for laboring over the Torah. It has been pointed out that this is the only instance where labor …
Bechukosai: The Gender Crisis
Gender Issues
Even if you live in a cave somewhere in the mountains of Tibet, you have likely heard of the North Carolina Bathroom Bill that requires people to use the bathroom of their birth gender. This law has sparked a gender crisis because there are increasingly those who don’t identify …
Behar: Alone In The World
Entebbe
Next month will mark the fortieth anniversary of Israel’s finest hour, the hostage rescue at Entebbe. When the crisis began in June of 1976, Israel firmly believed that the fate of the Jewish hostages was the legal responsibility of France, under whose flag the airplane had flown when it was …
Emor: Your Best Days Are Still Ahead
A Homerun
Something magical happened in San Diego in the spring of 2016. Bartolo Colón, a pitcher of nearly forty-three years of age, proved that his best days are still ahead of him. He became the oldest player in Major League Baseball, to hit his first homerun. Bartolo has terrorized batters …
Kedoshim: The Inner Jew
A Confusion
One thing you could always assume in years past was that holy Jews looked the part. Long beard, wrinkled forehead, sparkling eyes and visage filled with wisdom. Bent over ancient tomes, or lovingly performing a Mitzvah, these people were energetic, learned, pious and driven. Their outer appearance reflected their …
David: For Whom the Sun Always Shone
The world lost a special man last night. A man who walked quietly, but whose tread was heard loudly. A man who rarely addressed audiences, but who love was felt by many. A man who smiled sweetly and suffered greatly. A man who never stopped believing that all is for …
Post Shavuot: The Printing Press
Resolutions
The classic New Year resolution to lose weight is practiced assiduously during the first week. The classic Rosh Hashanah commitment to increase in a particular Mitzvah is also practiced assiduously during the first few days. After the first week or so, life gets in the way and we begin to …
Acharei Mot: For The People
A Sobering Moment
I remember my first “for the people,” moment. I was officiating at my first Bar Mitzvah as a rabbi. The sanctuary was filled to the brim and my aim was to impress. I offered a wonderful introduction to the Bar Mitzvah boy and a flowery reflection on his …
