Articles in Parsha Insights
Vayetze: Our Purpose
Look A Kippah
When I was growing up in Boston, Massachusetts, few Jews wore their Kippot (head coverings) outdoors. Seeing a man wearing a Kippa on the street always generated excitement: my siblings and I would point in awe and exclaim, “Look, there is a Jew.” We felt an immediate kinship …
Toldot: Why Evil?
A Child is Robbed
Helpless and betrayed, my brother and I stood alone in the pre dawn hours. We were children; he was a teenager and I was perhaps ten. We had set out on an exciting journey: we would take the train to the plane and the plane to our …
Chayei Sarah: Faith and Suffering
Does Faith Leave Room for Grief?
I was once approached by a young lady whose friend’s mother had recently died. She wanted to commiserate and cry, but was concerned that tears of grief would somehow compromise her perfect faith in G-d’s perfect benevolence. Does acknowledging the horror of a tragedy suggest …
Lech Lecha: The True You
Multiple Roles
Countless hours and dollars are spent in therapy by people seeking themselves. I know someone who is a parent of three, a devoted husband, successful doctor, captain of his football team, coach of his son’s little league team, friend of his social circle and if that is not enough, …
Vayera: A Nation of Twinkling Stars
Flickering Flames
The first snow of the winter is always a delight, but not when it arrives in October.
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Noach: Seeds of Light
Oy – A Tzoro
Have you ever been “oif tzoros?” It’s a prominent Yiddish aphorism that means “in trouble.” If your mother gave you shopping money and you lost it in a bad bet then you are “oif tzoros.” If your wife caught you drinking with friends while you claimed to …
Bereishit: The Quick Turn Around
The End of a Time
The High Holiday season has drawn to a close. The drama of Rosh Hashanah, the aura of Yom Kippur, the joy of Sukkot and the dancing of Simchat Torah all passed in a frenzy of activity. There were services, rituals, programs and oh so much food. The …
Ha’azinu – Food for Thought for Your Dinner Table
Sunday: Rain and Dew
“May my teachings flow like rain, my words like dew.” Rain is formed from vapor that rises from earth and after condensing precipitates back to earth. Dew forms spontaneously here on earth when warmer surfaces contact the cooler atmosphere. Rain thus symbolizes the flow of G-d’s blessing …
