The Meaning of Sound
What does sound mean to you? Sound plays many roles. It is a vehicle for communication, music, and even distraction, but at its root sound is the simple indicator of life.
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Read the full story »Toldot: Why Evil?
A Child is Robbed
Helpless and betrayed, my brother and I stood alone in the pre dawn hours. We were children; he was a teenager and I was perhaps ten. We had set out on an exciting journey: we would take the train to the plane and the plane to our …
Chayei Sarah: Faith and Suffering
Does Faith Leave Room for Grief?
I was once approached by a young lady whose friend’s mother had recently died. She wanted to commiserate and cry, but was concerned that tears of grief would somehow compromise her perfect faith in G-d’s perfect benevolence. Does acknowledging the horror of a tragedy suggest …
Lech Lecha: The True You
Multiple Roles
Countless hours and dollars are spent in therapy by people seeking themselves. I know someone who is a parent of three, a devoted husband, successful doctor, captain of his football team, coach of his son’s little league team, friend of his social circle and if that is not enough, …
Vayera: A Nation of Twinkling Stars
Flickering Flames
The first snow of the winter is always a delight, but not when it arrives in October.
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Noach: Seeds of Light
Oy – A Tzoro
Have you ever been “oif tzoros?” It’s a prominent Yiddish aphorism that means “in trouble.” If your mother gave you shopping money and you lost it in a bad bet then you are “oif tzoros.” If your wife caught you drinking with friends while you claimed to …
Bereishit: The Quick Turn Around
The End of a Time
The High Holiday season has drawn to a close. The drama of Rosh Hashanah, the aura of Yom Kippur, the joy of Sukkot and the dancing of Simchat Torah all passed in a frenzy of activity. There were services, rituals, programs and oh so much food. The …
New Year Greeting 5769
It is a new year, which of course, reminds us of new beginnings. At this time rabbis are expected to intone somber words about new resolutions in the context of Judaism, but I want to look elsewhere this year. It is much easier to thrive spiritually when we are gifted …
Ha’azinu – Food for Thought for Your Dinner Table
Sunday: Rain and Dew
“May my teachings flow like rain, my words like dew.” Rain is formed from vapor that rises from earth and after condensing precipitates back to earth. Dew forms spontaneously here on earth when warmer surfaces contact the cooler atmosphere. Rain thus symbolizes the flow of G-d’s blessing …
Parsha Insights »
Vayishlach: Wrestling Angels
Disagreements
We all have them, even with the people we love. That no two people can agree on every issue is a fact of life. “Our mindset,” say our sages, “is as unique as our facial features.” (1)
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Yearly Cycle »
Vaeirah: Hiding behind Apathy
Pharaoh and the Frog
In discussing the second of the Ten Plagues the Midrash mentions that every creature plays a role in G-d’s master plan. If not for the frog, says the Midrash, how would the Almighty take retribution against Pharaoh?
Why does the Midrash single out the frog when there were …
Concepts »
Lech L’cha: Are you Bored?
The Cause
We are a society accustomed to stimulation. We grow bored quickly. We surf from channel to channel, web site to web site, job to job and career to career. Hardly anyone still lives in the home of their youth. Most have moved multiple times since their first home. Routine …
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 …
