Purim: When G-d wakes Up
The Megillah tells the story of King Ahasuerus, who could not sleep in the middle of the night. He asked his servants to read the palace chronicles to him, and they read about Mordechai saving the king’s life. He immediately ordered Haman to reward Mordechai by …
This You Call a Dilemma?
Just the other night I found myself in discussion with a student who argued that weighing an argument from the perspective of Torah without giving equal credence to chemistry, science and nature is short sighted. I agreed with him, but insisted that considering science and chemistry …
The Prophetic Chain
Do you believe in prophecy? G-d is infinite, we are infinitesimal. Does He really deign to talk us?
This was the big question that Jews faced when they approached Mount Sinai. They knew Moses was a man of G-d and believed that G-d listened to him, but they were …
The Sukkah Paradox
For eight days I abandon the comforts of home and move into a backyard hut, a temporary shelter called a Sukah. My Sukkah is buffeted by wind and chilled by the cold, yet as I sit inside, I am happy. I lift my eyes and behold the panorama …
Hateful Speech
Elon Musk has purchased Twitter and pledged to allow free speech within the limits of the law. Many people are upset about this and believe that any speech that makes someone feel uncomfortable should be curbed. They argue that unfettered speech on Twitter, will open the door to hateful …
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 …
