Articles in Life Cycle
Chayei Sarah: Man and Woman
Who Does the Chasing?
Mazal Tov, they’re engaged, soon to be married. When is the wedding? The date hasn’t been set yet; the invitations aren’t even printed. And how did they meet? Actually, he caught a glimpse of her one day and from that very first moment he knew she was …
Ki Tavo: How To Grow A Relationship
An Odd Verse
Many verses in the Torah are difficult to translate, but this one is a real mystery.
“You spoke G-d this day, to be your lord… And G-d spoke you this day to be His people.” (1)
Can you make sense of this verse? If you’re struggling with it you’re …
Ki Tetze: Why Divorce Is Necessary
Two Worlds
Nearly all children dream of marriage, yet nearly half of today’s marriages end in divorce, why is divorce so rampant? Conversely, with divorce so rampant, why do we still marry?
Tweet
Vayikra: When Small Is Great
The Humble Moses
The book of Leviticus begins with the sweeping majesty of Moses’ first entry into the tabernacle. “Vayikra,” G-d called unto Moses and invited him to the Tent of Meeting. Uplifting and inspiring as the moment was, Moses, understood that small is great, received his honor in abject humility. In …
Chayei Sarah: Finding Sacred Space
The Quest
Human beings are full of aspirations and regrets, ambitions and failures, cravings and discipline, obsessions and the ability to control them. We are fractured beings with fragments that pull us in every direction. This is because we are unable to focus; every time we set our sights on a …
Balak: The Power of Birth
The Individual
Billam stood on a hilltop overlooking the Jewish camp. He was brought there to curse the Jews, but as his gaze fell upon their camp he beheld a vista of sanctity, nobility and rectitude. He couldn’t bring himself to curse them. And when he was prompted, he spoke the …
Vayechi: Leave No Word Unspoken
Eternal Regret
A common regret expressed by bereaved family members are the words that were left unspoken. I remember one man, whose father passed away at a younger age than most, who regretted not having expressed his love for his father more frequently. I recall another whose loved one passed away …
Naso: Mourners Kaddish
Empty Shoes
One of the most poignant monuments in the Unites States Holocaust Memorial Museum is the mountainous display of empty shoes. Thousands and thousands of ownerless shoes; old people’s shoes, young people’s shoes, sturdy shoes, torn shoes, large shoes, little shoes and even infant shoes. All are empty; their bearers …
