Articles in Bereishit
Vayera: All About Me
News was made last week, when a ninety-year-old Jew in Ukraine elected to be circumcised.[1] Of course, this was hardly the first time something like this occurred. The first time, was when our forefather Abraham did it at the age of ninety-nine.
Beyond the removal of the foreskin, what is the …
Lech Lecha: Israel is Home
When my daughter messaged me that she landed in Israel, I replied welcome home. Later, on the phone, she told me that this was the first time she had landed somewhere and did not feel homesick. My message explained why. Israel is home.
It’s not just me. In honor of Israel’s …
Noach: Inner Peace
How does one achieve inner peace?
To answer this question we must first ask, what factors deprive us of inner peace? There are all kinds of answers to the second question. Inner peace can be hampered by money stresses, family stresses, insecurity issues and many others. But I submit that the …
Vayechi: Our Mother
At The Grave Of A Mother
I was standing in Bethlehem at the grave of our nation’s mother, the Matriarch Rachel. I was praying for myself, my family and our nation. I poured my heart out on this quiet sunny morning, to a mother I had never met. Swept up in …
Vayigash: The True Meaning of Tolerance
Can We Tolerate Tolerance?
Have you ever been in the ironic position where someone accused of lacking tolerance and in the process turned intolerant toward you? Sadly, such occasions are commonplace nowadays. Just think of the riots that swept America post election, when people rampaged and pillaged in the name of …
Vayishlach: Believe In Your Child
Obey Your Parents
This week’s Torah portion introduces us to Esau’s son Eliphaz although our sages already mentioned him in last week’s portion.
When Jacob left his parents’ home to flee his brother’s rage, he stocked up on provisions. His wealthy parents made certain that he had plenty of gold and silver …
Vayetze: Coincidence
Do You Believe In Coincidence?
Albert Einstein famously said that coincidence is G-d’s way of remaining anonymous. What do you think?
Coincidence can be tricky. If I lose a dollar and someone picks it up, I get a Mitzvah. But is the Mitzvah really mine or did it just happen to fall …
Toldos: The Purpose of Wealth
Dividing the Wealth
When Rebeca was pregnant with twins, she went to ask the prophet why she was feeling so much turmoil and pain. The prophet told her that she was carrying two nations and that they would separate from the womb; each in their own direction.
Our sages recorded a conversation …
