Articles in Parsha Insights
Acharei: Be Upfront
Mind Games
Too many people like to play mind games. They won’t be upfront and tell you that they are in hospital, but then they’ll complain when you don’t visit. They won’t tell you that they are in crisis, but will complain that you didn’t ask. They talk in riddles and …
Tazria: Vulnerability
Vulnerability; the Hallmark of Growth
Growth is only possible if you subject yourself to vulnerability. If we never leave our comfort zone, we will never discover new experiences or new facets of ourselves. But vulnerability is uncomfortable. It takes courage to embrace it. If we want to grow, we must be …
Shmini: What to Say on a Shiva Visit
Awkward
A Shiva visit can be awkward. Should you sit quietly or say something wise, should you offer to help or just offer a comforting hug? Most people don’t know what to do and devise creative solutions. Some give the mourner a quiet hug and a grave sigh before retreating to …
Vayikra: The Daily Offering
A Little is Enough
If you were a little fly on the wall of the Tabernacle or Temple you would notice a curious aspect of the sacrificial rite, namely the daily offerings. Each morning, at dawn’s earliest light, a sheep offering was made. Every day the same kind of sheep with …
Vayakhel Pekudei: To Carry Forward
To Raise a Child
If we look back on our upbringing, we will note that we are an amalgam of a huge family. We carry traits from our mothers, fathers, and grandparents. Some of our values were taught by our mothers, some by our fathers, and some by our grandparents. Some …
Ki Tisa: Make Light
Shabbat Candles
Don’t make light of Shabbat. Make light for Shabbat.
A child came home from a Hebrew lesson and told her parents that she wanted to make light for Shabbat by lighting candles. The parents agreed to satisfy her whim and lit candles as the sun set on Friday. As they …
Tetzaveh: Hard Work
The Reward
A little girl complained to her father that her chores are too difficult. The father, a chef, invited her to the kitchen and put up three pots to boil. In the first he placed a potato, in the second an egg and in the third, a coffee bean. Twenty …
Terumah: What Is Your Tower
Choose Your Tower
Two Chassidic Rabbis riding in their carriages met in the middle of a bridge. One carriage was pulled by two old horses, the other, by a team of four powerful stallions. The rabbi with the old horses asked the other, why do you need such strong horses? Answered …
