G-d created the world through speech, and the words with which He created us are very much like flames. “Behold, my words are like flames” (Jeremiah 23:29). Flames don’t burn unless they have fuel to consume. The same is true of G-d’s words. “For G-d your G-d is a consuming …
Read the full story »Re’eh: Charity
Rewards
Charity is an obligation and even an investment. In some ways it is also a gift, but to the giver, not the recipient. The Talmud speaks of a righteous man called Benjamin who fed a poor woman and her seven daughters during a famine. Shortly thereafter, Benjamin fell ill and …
Ekev: Study First
Study and Practice
To be a fully engaged Jew, one must study the Torah and practice its commandments. Torah study enables us to explore G-d’s mind, as it were. This draws us closer to Him, nourishes our souls and informs our spiritual mindset. Practicing the Torah’s commandments marries theory to reality …
Ekev: Habitude of Gratitude
Grace After Meals
If you have even a nominal Jewish education, from day school, summer camp or home, you know that Judaism is a habitude of gratitude. When we awaken, we share words of gratitude, before and after we eat, once again gratitude. Before we go to sleep, some more gratitude.
Yes, …
Olympians Defy Game Spirit and Embrace Human Spirit
When Soul Trumps Sport
The world media loved it. The LA Times ran a headline “Runners Abbey D’Agostino, Nikki Hamblin are the real winners in Rio.” Indeed, they are the real winners. They really did win gold.
Here is how it happened.
Long distance runner Abbey D’Agostino, of Topsfield, Mass., collided with Nikki …
Vaetchanan: Pay Attention
Shema Yisrael
The best known verse in the Torah is the declaration of Jewish faith, Shema Yisrael, “hear O’ Israel, G-d is our Lord G-d is one.”[1] It is part of our liturgy and is recited four times a day. It is the verse with which countless Jews faced their death …
Vaetchanan: A Woman’s Comfort
Comfort
Just before I sat down to write this essay, I tucked my daughter Rochel into bed. As I walked into her room, she was struggling with pillows, blankets and a comforter that were way too large for her to maneuver. I offered to help, but she declined. I realized that …
D’varim: How Good Is Good?
When More Is Less
There is an old saying, “if good is good, is better not better?” Contrast that with the saying, “everything is good, but only in moderation.” Which is true?
Ice cream is good, but too much of it gives you a stomach ache. Vacations are good, but too much …
Devarim: It Is Not About You
Olympics
Two things drastically different events are taking place this week. Jews around the world are mourning the Temple that was destroyed in 69 BCE and Olympians from around the world are competing for gold medals. What is the connection between them? Both have learned the secret to life: It is …
Parsha Insights »
Can you Guarantee My redemption?
This week, we read about Judah’s encounter with Tamar. On the surface, it looked like an intimate rendezvous on the side of the road. On a deeper level, something historical and fundamental occurred. Judah, the leader among his brothers, fathered the ancestor of King David and Mashiach. Our sages saw …
Yearly Cycle »
Extracting Sparks from Stones
G-d created the world through speech, and the words with which He created us are very much like flames. “Behold, my words are like flames” (Jeremiah 23:29). Flames don’t burn unless they have fuel to consume. The same is true of G-d’s words. “For G-d your G-d is a consuming …
Concepts »
Masei: The Wandering Jew
Wandering
Why is the Jew always wandering? We left Egypt and spent the next forty years wandering in a dessert. Throughout our exile, our people have wandered. Even today, Jews who live in stable countries, don’t remain in the same place for long. Even Jews in Israel, wander away in search …
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 …
