I was walking home after services on Friday night and passed someone who raised his arm and screamed, “Free Palestine”. I said nothing in response but thought, “I hope Palestine is free, dear chap now that you’ve done your part. And I hope you sleep well, dear chap now that …
Read the full story »Bamidbar: Does Being Chosen Make You Uncomfortable?
Being Chosen
People always say, never let a compliment get to your head. But what does that mean? If the compliment is true, shouldn’t we own it, take pride in it and let it boost our self esteem? The obvious answer is that we don’t mind owning it. We mind growing …
B’har Bechukotai: Grassroots Jews
Is It You?
Every movement likes to call itself “grassroots” because that means it arose from the people. It is better to lead a movement that everyone wants than a movement whose momentum is artificially generated. Grassroots means that the people’s desire generated the movement. When the desire generates a movement, …
Bo: In The Corner
The Apex
When I was in kindergarten, teachers usually sent misbehaving children to the corner. Modern pedagogy has since rejected the corner, but the business world still embraces it – everyone covets the corner office. The corner, a symbol of shame in grade-school, is a symbol of power at the office. …
Acharei: Be Upfront
Mind Games
Too many people like to play mind games. They won’t be upfront and tell you that they are in hospital, but then they’ll complain when you don’t visit. They won’t tell you that they are in crisis, but will complain that you didn’t ask. They talk in riddles and …
Tazria: Vulnerability
Vulnerability; the Hallmark of Growth
Growth is only possible if you subject yourself to vulnerability. If we never leave our comfort zone, we will never discover new experiences or new facets of ourselves. But vulnerability is uncomfortable. It takes courage to embrace it. If we want to grow, we must be …
Shmini: What to Say on a Shiva Visit
Awkward
A Shiva visit can be awkward. Should you sit quietly or say something wise, should you offer to help or just offer a comforting hug? Most people don’t know what to do and devise creative solutions. Some give the mourner a quiet hug and a grave sigh before retreating to …
Festival Shabbat: Show Respect
United Airlines
Social media is abuzz with the terrible story that occurred on United Airlines several days ago. Dr, Dao, a 69 year old physician on a flight from Chicago to Louisville, was physically dragged off a plane after being beaten by three police officers. The physician’s crime was refusing to …
Passover: Chad Gadya
A Conflagration
Although the Chad Gadya is not part of the Chabad tradition, the melody holds universal appeal. In fact, one of my earliest Passover memories is learning this classic. My Bubbie’s Haggadah had beautiful illustrations and I spent many hours pouring over the pictures of the kid, cat, dog, stick …
Parsha Insights »
B’har: Unity in Action
Shemitah and Sinai
Our Parsha outlines the laws of shemitah, agricultural sabbatical. “Six years you shall sow your crop and on the seventh the field shall lie fallow.” During the seventh year all produce that grows spontaneously must be equally shared among all people. There may be no private ownership of …
Yearly Cycle »
New Year Greeting 5761: The Passage of Time
A Year in London Ontario
As the New Year approaches it is time
to sit back and reflect upon the past twelve months and all that has
transpired therein. From a personal perspective, Basie and I look back
to a wonderful period of settling in, meeting new friends and being
warmly accepted into the London …
Concepts »
Matot Masei: Your Daughter
Your daughter is born, and you rejoice. You revel with your wife, children, family and friends; there is a new addition to the family. Right? Well only in part. Your daughter is yours, but she is also part of a different family.
The Torah tells us about the daughters of Zelophehad, …
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 …
