Over the past week, we have seen anti-Israel college takeovers with protestors openly declaring their desire to kill Jews and to render Israel—from the river to the sea—Juden Rein. The brazen tactics and bullying have left many Jewish students and faculty members afraid to venture onto campus. As we approach …
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I’m not much of a dancer. I don’t like dancing and I’m not good at it. So I often find myself on the side of the dance floor watching rather than joining. You see, the dance pace at a Chassidic wedding is intense but the selection is standard, the hora, …
The Thought Counts
A man once complained to me that his wife never appreciates the gifts he brings home for her. I asked him how much money he spends on himself and how much he spends for his wife. He acknowledged that he spends far more on himself then he does …
Body and Soul
Life, according to Torah, is a duel between two forces, the body’s gravitation towards self benefit and the soul’s attraction towards fulfillment and meaning. This body / soul dynamic is the crux of the human experience. It is the duel of life.
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Three Gifts
The power of circumcision is such that we are promised three rewards for it – manifestation of the divine presence, eternal ownership of the land of Israel and preservation of the patrilineal line of Davidic Descent.(1)
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Priorities
I recently asked a young man if he would like to undertake a particular mitzvah. His reply, “It’s not my cup of tea,” caught me by surprise. It made me wonder if we Jews are limited to a pre-determined direction or if we are really capable of more.
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Egyptian Thorns
In describing the relationship between Jews and Egyptians the Torah says “And they (Egyptians) were as thorns before the children of Israel” (Exodus 1, 12) The Kli Yakar offers two explanations. The first explanation, Egyptians observed the miraculous birth rate of the Jewish people and feared that G-d intended …
Revealing the Date
In this week’s Parsha we learn that Jacob thought to reveal the actual date of his children’s future redemption from Egypt but was prevented by G-d. That Jacob desired to reveal this date indicates that there is value in such knowledge. That he was ultimately barred from doing …
And He Lived
This week’s Parsha describes Jacob’s passing and the events that transpired immediately before and after. Ironically, the Parsha’s name is Vayechi, which means and he lived. Is preparation for death aptly described as living? As we shall soon see, it depends on the kind of life one has …