Do you peddle in relative truths, or are you a stickler for the absolute truth? This essay examines the two types of truth and posits that G-d’s truth is absolute.
Read the full story »Vayera: The Importance of Objectivity
What Really Happened?
Back in the early part of this decade when the war of terror was in full swing I would frequently ask visitors from Israel if the situation was as bad as the media made it sound. They were never surprised by my questions; they knew that as a …
Lech Lecha: The Jewish Flu
The Shot
Would you knowingly invite a friend to your home if s/he had the flu? As a parent I am always grateful when invited guests beg off because they have the sniffles. I have children at home and would never expose them to a communicable disease; not even the common …
Noach: Tolerate or Love
Tolerate or Love
Which is the better model, to tolerate or love? Tolerant people respect everyone’s right and wish to do as they please, loving people get involved in the lives of their beloved. They will be right up there in your face, but with love. The others will watch you …
Sukkot: Our Wholesome Oneness
The Thatched Roof
The Sukkah is the ultimate equalizer. The prosperous and the impoverished, the knowledgeable and the ignorant, the righteous and the ruffian; all sit in the same Sukkah. And all Sukkahs are alike. It is true that some are adorned and others plain, some plush and other simple, some …
Rosh Hashanah: The Shofar Cries; A Nation Journeys
The Cry
Its plaintive sound sets the heart throbbing; its haunting cry like the sob of a young child. It’s Rosh Hashanah, the Day of Judgment, and the sound we speak of is the call of the Shofar. Tekiah, the long plain blast, is the drawn out howl a child emits …
Nitzavim: We Cannot Lose
The Day
The Torah portion chanted on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah opens with, “Atem Nitzavim Hayom Kulchem Lifnei Hashem Elokeichem,” you stand [firmly] all together today, before G-d your lord. (1)
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Ki Tavo: Faith and Trust
The Last Sermon
Shortly before his passing Moses addressed the nation: “You have seen all that the Lord has done before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, to all his servants, and to all his land; the great trials which your eyes beheld and those great signs and wonders. …
New Year Greeting 5771: Unity
On November 7th of this year our community will join with communities across the world in a global day of learning; a showing of unity through the study and discussion of our common heritage. The event celebrates the conclusion of Rabbi Adin Steinzalt’s mammoth project, the translation and annotation of …
Parsha Insights »
B’haalotcha: The Individualized Collective
An individualized collective is a collective that doesn’t require its members to surrender their individuality before joining the collective. On the surface, this sounds patently obvious; everyone ought to agree with it, right? Wrong. In real life it is very difficult to find the balance between the two. The great …
Yearly Cycle »
The Festival and Shabbat
Sanctity and Joy
When a Jewish festival falls on Friday, it merges directly into Shabbat. This gives us pause as we reflect on the differences between the festival and Shabbat.
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Concepts »
Nitzavim: Get Out Of Jail
Two Poles
The Torah section that we read each year on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah, begins with the words “You all stand this day before the Lord, your God, the leaders of your tribes, your elders and your officers, every man of Israel, your young ones, your women, and your …
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 …
