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 …
Our sages were fence builders—not in the conventional sense, but metaphorically. The Torah presents many prohibitions, and our sages built fences around them to ensure we do not step over the line. For example, the Torah tells us not to write on Shabbat, and our sages prohibited even holding a …
This week, we read about Abraham’s hospitality, a story that offers many beautiful lessons.
Let me begin by pointing out how profound this Mitzvah is. Abraham was visited by G-d Himself when the angels showed up. Abraham did not know they were angels; to him, they looked like ordinary humans. Yet, …
The Shared Etrog
I came across a delightful story related by Dov Greenberg about Israeli Nobel Laureate and novelist S. Y. Agnon. Agnon encountered his neighbor, an elderly Rabbi, in a neighborhood Etrog store on the day before Sukkot. Jewish law ordains that Jews obtain an Etrog (citron fruit) before Sukkot …
Springing the Well
Wellsprings are G-d’s gift to the world. Arid climates become fertile when wells are discovered. Parched and thirsty souls find life, salvation and hope with the discovery of a well. A well discovery is cause for celebration and certainly a reason to praise G-d. It comes as no …
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 …
