Articles in Yearly Cycle
Chanukah: A Love Fest
The Arithmetic of Light
Every Jewish child masters the Chanukah arithmetic long before graduating from kindergarten. We light one candle on the first night, two on the second, three on the third, till we reach night number eight. In fact every child takes special pleasure in kindling their very own Chanukiah. …
Sukkot: Our Wholesome Oneness
The Thatched Roof
The Sukkah is the ultimate equalizer. The prosperous and the impoverished, the knowledgeable and the ignorant, the righteous and the ruffian; all sit in the same Sukkah. And all Sukkahs are alike. It is true that some are adorned and others plain, some plush and other simple, some …
Rosh Hashanah: The Shofar Cries; A Nation Journeys
The Cry
Its plaintive sound sets the heart throbbing; its haunting cry like the sob of a young child. It’s Rosh Hashanah, the Day of Judgment, and the sound we speak of is the call of the Shofar. Tekiah, the long plain blast, is the drawn out howl a child emits …
New Year Greeting 5771: Unity
On November 7th of this year our community will join with communities across the world in a global day of learning; a showing of unity through the study and discussion of our common heritage. The event celebrates the conclusion of Rabbi Adin Steinzalt’s mammoth project, the translation and annotation of …
Elul: A Rose Among Thorns
A Curious Verse
Describing our relationship with G-d, King Solomon, wisest of all men, wrote, “I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me; who grazes among the roses,” (1) a curious statement if ever there was one. The first half of the verse is perfect and symmetrical. I …
Bamidbar: The Secret of Three
Wherever You Look
As our ancestors journeyed across the desert they were arrayed in four equal groups, each composed of three tribes; the tabernacle at the center and the four groups positioned around it. The grouping of three tribes per group was practical as there were a total of twelve tribes, …
Passover: A Matzah Meditation
What is Matzah?
Almost everyone knows the answer to that one; it is the cracker like bread, round or square, hand or machine made, that we eat on Passover. True enough, say the Jewish mystics, but wrong answer; matzah is bread of faith. (1) How so?
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Shabbat Hagadol: The Humble Rule
Shabbat and the King
The Shabbat before Passover is known as Shabbat Hagadol, the great Shabbat. Among the reasons for this name is that Passover is itself described in the Torah as Shababt, but it is not as restrictive as a full Shabbat – cooking for example is permissible on Passover …
