Redeeming Relevance: Vayetzeh: Why Ya’akov DIDN’T Pray
Ya’akov did not pray for Rachel to conceive because he did not believe in "forcing God’s hand." He asks, “Am I instead of God? God knows best whether to give children or not. All I can do is ask.”
Parshat Toldot
Leaders often have to make difficult decisions of critical importance.
Seeing Greatness
We are what we make ourselves.
Love Will Conquer All
A man is approaching. Do I smile and nod, or do I look the other way? He’s looking at me; do I turn my head to respond or do I look out at the trees?
Mirrors
Reflections on "mirror images"
What our Negotiators can Learn from Yitzchak
It is unwise to see contemporary events as exact replays of Biblical history, but it is valuable to recognize that Torah and tradition offer narratives of hop--as well as gloom--about Jewish national relationships
The Greatness Of The Avos
Sarah Imeinu was a strong, emotionally stable woman. She had unshakable bitachon, having lived through many trials and travails.
Say Little; Do Much
A dog that barks much is never a good hunter. -Proverb
The Jewish Journey
Avraham and Sarah ended up in the land of Canaan. Canaan? The most debased and decadent society! Yet, there Avraham and Sarah build their destiny and shape world history. Canaan actually held the key to Avraham and Sarah's redemption.
Redeeming Relevance: Chaye Sarah: The Advantage of Disadvantage
Yishmael’s challenge was whether to come back at all. Having been so clearly rejected, why would he want to have anything more to do with his father Avraham?
The Prison Cell Of Laziness
That understanding is enough to evoke terror in any man’s heart, and we can certainly understand why he didn’t move.
Punishment for Undue Credit
Arrogance and the punishment of Angels
Lot as an Orthodox Mirror
Religion must face the question of how its followers should behave while members of a corrupt society. How should they relate to the norms of that society, especially when those norms are embodied in law?
Wings of Desire
Who are these beings? Why do they play such important roles in the stories of Genesis? Why are the stories of the beginnings of humanity so rich with characters so unfamiliar?
Emunah Matters!
There are many potential spiritual hazards. How can we survive?
Gedolim Are Human
Avram’s father was not impressed with the cleverness of his son. In fact, he was so unimpressed that he took him to Nimrod the king, who pronounced him an enemy of the state and attempted to execute him.
Growth Through Shabbos
The commentators agree that Hashem is the beloved and Shabbos is the bride. But why is Shabbos called a bride? Who is she marrying? And what do we mean when we invite Hashem to greet the Shabbos bride with us?
Abraham and Martin Luther King
When we are driven out of our complacency by a wrong we don't know what the perfect world will look like. We only know that we can't allow the world as it stands to continue. The need to leave home is clearer to us than our destination. Lekh Lekha.
Avraham’s Empty Altars and the Need to be Selfish
The benefits of sacrificing-but not TOO much
The World is Waiting for Us
In the first conversation HaShem had with him, Avraham was told to live in Israel, or in modern terms, make Aliyah.
The Parsha Take-Home Message
The purpose of the mabul was to recreate a world that had been infected with man's evil. After the flood, that changed and the world was no longer affected in the same way by man's actions.
Bitachon And Effort: Finding The Balance
Our hishtadlus (efforts) and our bitachon (trust in Hashem) have to be balanced.
Noach and Global Warming
But the question of Noach and global warming can be understood as a theological rather than a factual question: Are there any circumstances under which G-d would allow the human race to be destroyed?
Your Gashmius Is My Ruchnius
What possible comparison is there between this simple mitzvah of leaving a portion to the poor man and the colossal mitzvah of bringing all of the sacrifices on each holiday?
A Tale of Two Noahs
Adam's two Fermatas resonate in the two Noahs, and the notes continue to reverberate in our souls as we struggle to retain our connection to the Garden,
Finding Just the Right Gift… for God
Rather than keeping it only to herself, Chava showed her love for her husband by sacrificing her own consumption of the fruit, allowing him to eat part of it instead.
You Can’t Help Me; You Can’t Harm Me
You’ve never stared down the barrel of a gun before – at least not a real one.
Tefillah: A Meeting With Hashem – Do Mitzvos With Joy!
This is the perfect time to practice really enjoying mitzvos.
The Sukkah and Exile’s Positive Side
Sukkot is a holiday that brings a unique inner peace – a peace that would seem to resemble the messianic era, a universal acceptance of God’s moral and spiritual order; an order that is best advanced by helping the Jewish people serve God and further educate mankind.
Believe It
During the subsequent Days of Penitence, we prepared for the awesome and holy day of Yom Kippur, begging our Father and King to grant us a tabula rasa, so that we can begin anew.