Torah
Have you ever wanted to stop time—to freeze a moment before it slips away? That impulse feels deeply human. We crave certainty in an uncertain world, stability in the midst of constant change. But time doesn’t pause. Even what appears solid and still is, according to physics, always in motion.…
I’m sure you’ve had this experience. A child asks you for something and it often sounds like this, “Can I have some more lemonade?” And our standard answer, most often, sounds like this, “Sure. What’s the magic word?” “Can I PLEASE have some more lemonade?” We teach our…
Devarim: Just Say Yes Well, it’s the beginning of the end. No, not in our culture, though you might feel that way. I mean in our weekly Torah reading. This week we read Parshat Devarim, the first selection in the 5th and final book of the Torah, Deuteronomy. The entire…
It’s the final Shabbat before Rosh HaShanah, and our deepest opportunity to look within and ask ourselves if we are ready? Are we ready to change? Are we ready to return to our essential selves, to the sparks of holiness in our innermost soul? The word teshuvah, which we…
Children can be frustrating. They are a wonder and joy, and, we must admit, also a challenge. And this is not just a contemporary phenomenon. Apparently, our Israelite ancestors struggled with unmanageable kids, and, in this week’s Torah portion, they prescribe what seems like a rather harsh solution to…
Devarim: Just Say Yes Well, it’s the beginning of the end. No, not in our culture, though you might feel that way. I mean in our weekly Torah reading. This week we read Parshat Devarim, the first selection in the 5th and final book of the Torah, Deuteronomy. …
In your Shabbat bulletin you will find a list of my 30 favorite verses in the Torah. I started off with a goal of 10, but the list quickly expanded. I am happy to share with you privately what I love about each of the ones I chose. Some of them are…
The book of BaMidbar picks up where Exodus left off. Our Israelite ancestors escaped from slavery in Egypt, successfully passed through the red sea, and received the Torah at Mount Sinai. The story is interrupted by the entire book of Leviticus, describing the responsibilities of the priests as they establish…
This week’s Torah portion, B’Har addresses issues of economic justice and social equality, environmental stewardship – the sabbatical and Jubilee years. All of these are meaningful and important and worthy of a full and rich sermon. And none of them are what I’d like to address right now. Instead- I…
After perhaps too much preparation, we find ourselves in the midst of our Passover celebration. Perhaps the message of “Dayenu” has found its way into our hearts? Instead of spending all of our time shopping and cooking and cleaning, what if, instead, we shifted our perspective on Passover and understand…