The Torah teaches that every mitzvah is vital, yet all of Judaism rests upon a single stem— faith in G-d and in the truth of the Torah. If that stem remains alive, everything else can grow from it.
Read the full story »Noach: Heaven and Earth
Regret and Comfort
G-d created man and then placed him on earth. But when man rebelled against morality G-d had second thoughts and brought about the flood. In describing these second thoughts the Torah uses the word “Vayinachem”, a Hebrew word that has two meanings, (a) he regretted, (b) he was comforted. …
Ki Tavo : The art of gratitude
Many Helping Hands
Ben Zoma used to say,”How many labors Adam carried out before he obtained bread to eat! He plowed, he sowed, he reaped, he bound, he threshed and winnowed and selected the ears, he ground, and sifted, he kneaded and baked, and then at last he ate; whereas I …
Ki Tetze : The Struggle to Improve
The Wayward Son
He was a glutton for meat and drank alcohol to excess. He disobeyed his parents at every turn, mocking their pleas and their attempts at discipline. He refused accept instruction. Instead he sought to instruct his parents.. He demanded that they pay for his excessive habits, and when …
Shoftim : A Refuge from Sin
Should we Forgive?
He is usually a considerate and loving husband but this time was different. During a heated argument he lost his temper and hurled vicious insults at his wife . He was in the grip of rage but never meant to be hurtful. He quickly stopped himself, apologized and …
Re’e: The Loan, the Escort and the Attachment
Remembering the Levite
In the course of this Parsha, the Torah exhorts us no fewer than six times to share our blessings with the tribe of Levi. We are reminded not only to share with the Levites but also to remember them and, furthermore, never to forget them. It is uncommon …
Masei: Same Sex Marriage Part Three
This essay is not related to the Parsha of the week but is posted here
because the subject has recently become a household topic of discussion
[Part Three of Three]
Same Sex Marriage
Part Three
A Question of Definition
The debate on same sex
marriage has focused in part on the distinction between same sex
marriage and same …
Eikev : Transforming our Desert
Miraculous Oasis
The desert that our ancestors traveled was arid and infertile, inhospitable to all forms of life. Despite their forty-year sojourn in the desert our ancestors survived and even thrived. G-d provided Manna, fresh water and a protective canopy of clouds, thus creating a miraculous oasis, a rare climate for …
Balak: Slander and Narcissism
Bilaam
Bilaam was a narcissistic megalomaniac. He would have made an interesting case study had he been analyzed by modern psychologists. He was a master manipulator who tried to bend everyone to his will. He even attempted to manipulate G-d! (1)
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Parsha Insights »
Vayeshev: You Are A Gem
Two Names
G-d appeared to Jacob and said, “Your name is Jacob. Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.”[1] Nevertheless, the Torah continues to make repeated use of both names, Jacob and Israel, in every following chapter until Jacob’s death. This is because the …
Yearly Cycle »
Tetzaveh Purim: The Connection
The Jew and the Olive
The first verse of our Parsha reads, “And you (Moshe) shall instruct the children of Israel and they shall take olive oil to you.” Why must we take our olive oil to Moshe?
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Concepts »
Passover: A Mashiach Perspective
On the last day of Passover, we celebrate the coming of Mashiach—the ultimate liberation of our people from exile. This tradition was revealed by the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Chasidism, and has since gained momentum in Jewish communities around the world.
The highlight is the festive meal at the end …
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 …
