Articles tagged with: Torah
Vayakhel Pekudei: Playing Host to G-d
A Wise Host
The host of the party was worried that there were too many people and not enough refreshments. He was sure that not everyone had been invited, but he had to identify the crashers. So, he called for silence and asked, “Will those from the bride’s side of the …
Bereshit: Name Calling
What’s In A Name?
Here is a trivia question for you: Can you name the first scientist in all of history? Here is another question: Is science the work of G-d or does it merely satisfy human curiosity?
If you guessed Adam, you guessed right. If you answered that science is G-d’s …
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 …
Ekev: Study First
Study and Practice
To be a fully engaged Jew, one must study the Torah and practice its commandments. Torah study enables us to explore G-d’s mind, as it were. This draws us closer to Him, nourishes our souls and informs our spiritual mindset. Practicing the Torah’s commandments marries theory to reality …
Bechukotai: Labor over Torah
True Labor
The first Mitzvah that the Almighty singles out for reward in our Parsha is that of Torah study.[1] But we aren’t rewarded for the mere study of Torah. We are rewarded for laboring over the Torah. It has been pointed out that this is the only instance where labor …
Post Shavuot: The Printing Press
Resolutions
The classic New Year resolution to lose weight is practiced assiduously during the first week. The classic Rosh Hashanah commitment to increase in a particular Mitzvah is also practiced assiduously during the first few days. After the first week or so, life gets in the way and we begin to …
Tetzaveh: No Name Brand
When The Ship Goes Down
Do you pay extra for a name brand? Some do, personally, I don’t. If the no name brand is of the same quality as the name brand, I am quite happy with it. The name is for others. The brand is for me. Sometimes the no …
Yitro: An Unpleasant Truth
Unpleasant
What is the difference between Torah truth and scientific truth? By science I mean every branch of human knowledge that isn’t Torah. One is pleasant the other is unpleasant.
The answer is best presented with a joke I’m sure you’ve heard. It’s about the Jew who was caught reading a Nazi …
