The party begins on Sukkot. The first ten days of the year are somber. Rosh Hashanah is the day of judgement, then next week are the days of repentance, and Yom Kippur is the fast. After the fast, our festivals take a radical turn and we move from the fast …
The Ritual
If you have ever been to the Synagogue during the Priestly blessing, you know it is a celestial experience. The Kohen removes his shoes, approaches the podium his fase hidden behind his prayer shawl. He extends his hands towards the congregation, fingers parted and palms stretched outwards, he awaits, …
Bad Habits
I was in a rush the other day and in my haste made a mess of practically everything I touched. Yet I couldn’t relax. I commented to my wife that rushing never speeds up the process, but I would probably keep rushing anyway till I either hurt myself or …
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 one of three]
The Debate
Same Sex Marriage is a front-page news item debated in North American
media, legislatures and courts. The topic has recently piqued again
because of …
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 …
