Torah
I’ve been thinking a lot about the upcoming holiday of Purim, a moment in our calendar characterized by much joy and not a small amount of silliness. Drinking is encouraged, cookies and costumes are an integral part of the celebration, lots of noise and things turned topsy turvy. I’m not…
Check out these coins! Although it is a coin from the State of Israel, the notion of it goes back to this week’s Torah reading. As the parsha, Ki Tissa, begins, God instructs Moses to take a census of the Israelites. Well, really just the men above age 20. Essentially…
Gold and silver and brass. Blue and purple and scarlet. Plus precious stones and fine oil and fabrics and skins. As this week’s Torah portion, Terumah, begins, God presents a long shopping list to Moses. In the chapters that follow, there are pages and pages of construction details. The Israelites…
A commentary on Parshat Vayeitze published in the Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, Nov. 24, 2023 In Genesis 27:13-14 God speaks to the patriarch Jacob in a dream, “This land upon which you are lying, I give it to you and your descendants. Your descendants will be as the dust…
And so it begins again. This week, Parshat Bereshit, we have the opportunity to open our Torah scroll to the very beginning and take it from the top. The creation of the world. The almost immediate expulsion from paradise. The flood, Abraham and Sarah, enslavement and freedom, wandering, entering the…
A Temple Chai member approached me at the nosh a couple of weeks ago with the words, “Rabbi, can I ask you to do me a favor?” I replied, “Of course, anything!” And I really meant it! Knowing this individual as I do, I felt completely comfortable to say yes…
Eliezer has a tough job in this week’s Torah portion. How would you like to be responsible for choosing a partner for your boss’s child? Talk about pressure! Yet, he comes up with a unique way to assess who would make the best wife for Isaac. Eliezer and his entourage…
We all know the story of this week’s Torah portion, how Noah is identified as the only righteous person in his generation, and delegated to build an ark, bring the animals in two by two and save humanity post-flood. Noah dutifully complies and the ark sails away with his family,…
I recently read that “Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” (Carl Bard) To me, this was the perfect reflection on this week’s Torah portion, Bereshit. Following the intensity of the High Holidays and…
Listen to the words of Frank Sinatra’s memorable tune, “My Way.” And now the end is hereAnd so I face that final curtainMy friend I’ll make it clearI’ll state my case, of which I’m certainI’ve lived a life that’s fullI traveled each and every highwayAnd more, much more than this…
- « Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- Next »