Articles in Concepts
Vayishlach: The Self Conscious Jew
The Wedding
What did King David mean when he wrote “I was forgotten from the heart like the dead, I was [remembered] as the vessel went missing?” (1)
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Toldot: On Being a Mentch
Fill Me Up – I’m Famished
Would you find it distasteful if I barged into your home while you were cooking stew, peeked into your pot and demanded, as Esau did of Jacob, “Pour some of that red stuff down my throat; I’m exhausted!” (1)
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Vayera: The Importance of Objectivity
What Really Happened?
Back in the early part of this decade when the war of terror was in full swing I would frequently ask visitors from Israel if the situation was as bad as the media made it sound. They were never surprised by my questions; they knew that as a …
Ki Tavo: Faith and Trust
The Last Sermon
Shortly before his passing Moses addressed the nation: “You have seen all that the Lord has done before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, to all his servants, and to all his land; the great trials which your eyes beheld and those great signs and wonders. …
Elul: A Rose Among Thorns
A Curious Verse
Describing our relationship with G-d, King Solomon, wisest of all men, wrote, “I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me; who grazes among the roses,” (1) a curious statement if ever there was one. The first half of the verse is perfect and symmetrical. I …
Shoftim: Let The Teachers Teach
Leading By Example
“Judges and guards shall you appoint over you at all your gates.” (1) This biblical passage establishes the halachic foundation for a Jewish Judicial system. The two primary players in the system are the judges and the guards. There can be no justice without judges, who issue halachic …
Chukas: You Only Live Once
Mired in Grudge
Imagine a sculpture was formed of your likeness of you when you were young and strong. Forty years later you would look back and see yourself in your prime; frozen in time at the peak of your strength. You would gaze wistfully at the strong lines of your …
Korach: Let’s Have The Truth
I Want It Too
Moses was leader; his brother Aaron, High Priest. The people accepted this arrangement, knowing the selection was made by G-d. Well, actually, not all the people were happy. Korach and 250 of his friends were jealous; they coveted the position for themselves and brought their complaint to …
