Articles in Concepts
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 …
Passover: Discovering Your Self Worth
Self Worth and Self Esteem
Have you ever wondered about the difference between self worth and self esteem? They sound like one and the same, but according to Dr. Christina Hibbert,[1] there is a subtle difference. And as it is with all subtle differences, once we discover them, we realize that …
Two Girls One Family
This past weekend, two Jewish high-school girls Bracha Katz and Rivkah Moshe from Miami, Florida, joined their classmates on a school trip to Orlando. During the weekend, on Shabbat afternoon, the two went for a stroll, when they tripped and fell into a swamp. They managed to extract themselves from …
Metzorah: Oh No My Home
He Doesn’t Care
Tragedy strikes. You are coming home from work and your house is engulfed in flames. It burns to a crisp and everything is gone. You are inconsolable; Oh no my Home! Your friends comfort you. They point out that no one was hurt and the family survived unscathed. …
Don’t Pass The Puck: Your Children Need You
The other day I went to the blood lab for a blood test. When I presented my paper work (remember I live in the happy world of Socialised Medicine) the technician gave me a long face accompanied by a sophisticated eye roll and a dismissive hand wave. I thought I …
Tazria: Fix Me Don’t Break Me
A Typical Exchange
With more than twenty years in the rabbinate I have seen my share of painful human interactions and have become an observer of human nature. I find that two thigs often happen when people berate each other. First, the berator comes on too strong to be heard. Second, …
Shmini: Bribe Yourself
The Bribe
This scene has probably played out in every family home. You are going to a wedding and don’t want to be late. But your children couldn’t care less and take their merry time getting ready. At your wits end, you do what any desperate parent does; you offer a …
Pekudei: Having A Bad Day?
Looking Up
If your life is anything like mine, then you have good days and bad. Days when you feel like G-d is on your side and days when nothing seems to go right. When you are in the midst of a full blown bad day, you just want to go …
