Articles in Yearly Cycle
Shavuot: Ten Commandments of Parenting
The ten commandments of parenting is an appropriate topic to discuss in the days leading up to Shavuot, the day we received the Ten Commandments.
On several occasions the Torah casts us as G-d’s children and G-d as our parent. It therefore stands to reason that by studying the Ten Commandments, …
Emor: Making Space for G-d
Making space for G-d is the name of the game during the season of the Omer. There are forty-nine days between Passover and Shavuot, and we enjoy and savor them all. We count each day as if it were a precious jewel as we prepare for the festival of Shavuot. …
Yom Hazikaron: We Remember
Sweeping vista
Lifeless plane
Victory hollow
Heart of pain
Land mass strewn
friend and foe
Lie forever
Battle throe
Sand storm rising
Sinai beckons
A soul asunder
Wanders, reckons
Patience try
Today on high
Was it worth it
An anguished sigh
A rising wave
A tidal crest
We won the war
We lost our best
Victory sweet
A price so steep
Oh please dear G-d
My brother keep
Sinai captured
Fires cease
Dead, secure
A lasting peace
Will …
Acharei Mot: Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish calendar year. It is unusual to discuss Yom Kippur shortly after Passover, but it comes up this week because the Torah portion of the week describes the Yom Kippur service that was performed by the High Priest in the Holy of …
Passover: Bland Matzah
Have you ever noticed that we eat bland Matzah at the Seder table?
There are no spices in Matzah; we don’t add anything to give it zest because we want it to resemble the poor man’s bread. We don’t even add salt. In fact, we are not permitted to add salt …
Purim: Jewish Identity
Can we deny our Jewish identity? This question was a subject of debate among Jews since the advent of the Jewish enlightenment. Reeling under the burden of antisemitism, many Jews concluded that if they were to conform in dress and behavior to the wider population, they would blend in and …
Chanukah: Light in the Dark
The Chanukah candles usher light into darkness and warmth into cold. They are kindled as the sun sets and they are placed strategically in the window or doorway to catch the attention of passerby. This point is essential to Chanukah candles. After the streets have emptied of foot traffic, one …
Simchat Torah: Pure Joy
For ten days we prayed, self examined, and repented. This introspection reached its zenith on Yom Kippur, when we set ourselves and our comforts aside and focused solely on G-d. We didn’t eat or drink, we rejected creature comforts, and spent the day wrapped up in supplication.
At this point G-d …
