When G-d disciplines us, the pain is real—but it is born of love. When He gives freely, we feel His kindness. When He withholds or corrects, His love is less visible—but in truth, it runs even deeper.
Read the full story »B’chukotai: Personal Freedom
Edicts and Rewards
Judaism is replete with divine edicts and commands, some of which we understand, many of which we don’t, but all of which we are required to fulfill. Judaism certainly emphasizes providing for G-d what is important to him, but does it also look out for our best interests? …
Emor: Meaningful Choices
Temptation
“He was in love with a Jewish woman. She was as Jewish as he was, but there was a problem. She was a convert and he was a kohein, a member of the priestly family.” (1) When I gently informed him that Jewish law forbids the marriage between a kohein …
Acharei Mot: G-d’s Space
The Holiest Day
The nation had pinned their hopes on two young men. Rising stars of the Levitic tribe, they were hailed as leaders of the next generation. Pious, righteous, passionate and devoted, Aaron’s eldest sons were expected to respectively succeed their illustrious father and uncle.
Tragedy struck. Like a bolt of …
Tazria Mizora: The Priest and the Pariah
Inopportune
There is an ancient tradition by which Jews pledge to charity in the hope of bringing merit to a loved one that has fallen ill. (1) Similarly, rabbis often suggest that performance of Torah commandments stimulates blessing from above.
Doesn’t this rise to the heights of hypocrisy? Is devotion for the …
Shemini: Freedom to Eat
The Buffet Dilemma
You are standing in front of a heaping buffet bursting with mouth watering delicacies. Your appetite is stimulated and your juices are flowing. The host grants you the freedom to indulge to your heart’s delight.
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Passover: A Contemporary Tale
Four Redemptions
When G-d informed Moses of the exodus from Egypt he provided four descriptions of the coming redemption. “I will bring them out from under the burdens of Egypt. I will save them from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and I will take you to …
Tzav: Total Devotion
The Burned Offering
Our ancestors offered many kinds of sacrifices. Peace offerings, sin offerings, guilt offerings and also burned offerings. What is a burned offering? An offering that is burned in its entirety upon the altar.
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Vayikra: Is Animal Sacrifice Cruel?
Is it Condoned?
“Rabbi,” I am often implored, “Please don’t tell me that the Torah condones animal sacrifice.” Many believe that animal sacrifice is immoral and ought to be discarded in the modern, enlightened age. When I reply that animal sacrifice is still condoned and that should the temple be erected …
Parsha Insights »
Behar: Alone In The World
Entebbe
Next month will mark the fortieth anniversary of Israel’s finest hour, the hostage rescue at Entebbe. When the crisis began in June of 1976, Israel firmly believed that the fate of the Jewish hostages was the legal responsibility of France, under whose flag the airplane had flown when it was …
Yearly Cycle »
B’Ha’alotcha: Personal Freedom
A Meaningless Holiday?
In this week’s Parsha we read that several people, unable to participate in the offering of the Pascal lamb, approached Moses a asked for a second chance. Mosesconsulted with G-d thus the 14’th of “Iyar” was consecrated as “Pesach Sheini,” a second Passover.
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Concepts »
Two Girls One Family
This past weekend, two Jewish high-school girls Bracha Katz and Rivkah Moshe from Miami, Florida, joined their classmates on a school trip to Orlando. During the weekend, on Shabbat afternoon, the two went for a stroll, when they tripped and fell into a swamp. They managed to extract themselves from …
Rabbi’s Desk »
What Can We Do?
These past two days have been the most difficult for our people in the last fifty years. It was Simchat Torah, a time for rejoicing, yet it was a time of horror. Nearly a thousand members of our family were brutally murdered, more than a hundred were taken hostage, and …
