Torah

Mishpatim:  Trust, But Verify Rabbi Bonnie Koppell   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, [...]

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 [...]

Noah and Nakedness Rabbi Bonnie Koppell   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 [...]

Bereyshit- Let There Be Light Rabbi Bonnie Koppell 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 [...]

No Regrets in the Year Ahead Rabbi Bonnie Koppell   Listen to the words of Frank Sinatra’s memorable tune, “My Way.” And now the end is here And so I face that final curtain My friend [...]

Emor:   Good Enough is the New Perfect Rabbi Bonnie Koppell The word “Emor,” the name of this week’s Torah portion, means “speak.”  In the Torah, God gives instruction to Moses to pass along to [...]

Kedoshim- Love Your Neighbor Rabbi Bonnie Koppell   There are, traditionally, 613 mitzvot in the Torah.  Fifty One of them are found in this week’s parsha, Kedoshim.  Kadosh, of course, [...]

Mishpatim:  Friends & Enemies Rabbi Bonnie Koppell We all have people to whom we are naturally attracted, perhaps for reasons that are not even obvious to us.  There is just something about [...]

“I’m Begging You”- Vaetchanan Rabbi Bonnie Koppell   The name of this week’s Torah portion is “Vaetchanan.”  The word can be translated as- “I begged, I pleaded, I [...]

Anger is One Letter Short of Danger- a perspective on Matot/Masey Rabbi Bonnie Koppell There is a lot of anger in this week’s Torah portion.  Beginning with verbal commitments made by women which [...]