Do Not Shame: Tamar’s Righteous Lesson
Tamar realizes Judah has no intention of giving her his last son. Now trapped-an agunah-she acts
The Cup Of Hope
Pesach represents the start of the great journey of Jewish history – from slavery to freedom, Egypt to the Promised Land.
The Universality Of Sukkot
Sukkot is the most universalistic of all festivals. At the same time, however, it is the most particularist of festivals. When we sit in the sukkah, we recall Jewish history
The Egyptian March Of Folly
There is a fascinating moment in the unfolding story of the plagues that should make us stop and take notice. Seven plagues have now struck Egypt.
Six Heroic Women
six heroines, six courageous women without whom there would not have been a Moses.
Two Sides Of The Same Coin
During The Three Weeks between 17 Tammuz and Tisha B’Av, as we recall the destruction of the Temples, we read three of the most searing passages in the prophetic literature, the first two from the opening of the book of Jeremiah, the third, next week, from the first chapter of Isaiah.
The Necessity of Asking Questions
Judaism believes it’s a religious duty to teach our children to ask questions.
Eternal Israel
Without belief in the covenant, there would be no State of Israel or any significant Jewish history after the Holocaust. Jews kept hope alive; Hope kept the Jewish people alive.
Listening to the Prophetic Voice: Tisha b’Av 5778
Wishing you a Tzom kal (an easy fast)
The Poet And Mystic Vs. The Philosopher
Amongst the greatest disagreements in Judaism is the understanding of the 1st of the 10 Commandments
The Gift Of Giving
Why did God command Israel to make a sanctuary for Him? Shouldn't it be unnecessary? The Golden Calf
Beauty In The Service Of God
The idea that one might worship “the work of men’s hands” was anathema to biblical faith. More generally, Judaism is a culture of the ear, not the eye. As a religion of the invisible God, it attaches sanctity to words heard, rather than objects seen. Religious art is never “art for art’s sake.” Unlike secular art, it points to something beyond itself.
Sages And Saints
There was an ongoing debate between the Sages as to whether the nazirite – whose laws are outlined in this week’s parshah – was to be praised. Recall that the nazirite was someone who voluntarily, usually for a specified period, undertook a special form of holiness. This meant that he was forbidden to consume wine or any grape products, to have a haircut, and to defile himself by contact with the dead.
To Lead Is To Serve
If having a king is a good thing, why does God say that it means that the people are rejecting Him? If it is a bad thing, why does God tell Samuel to give the people what they want even if it is not what God would wish them to want?
Against Hate
We believe that God created each of us, regardless of color, class, culture or creed, in His image.
In Search Of Jewish Identity
As Jews became defined by religion, Christians could work to convert them--You can change your religion but you cannot change your race
We Are What We Do Not Own
Parshat Behar deals with a problem that is as acute today as it was 33 centuries ago: The inevitable inequalities that arise in every free market economy teaching us to ask not, “what can I gain?” but “what can I give?”
Korach: Power Vs. Influence
For the first and only time, Moses invokes a miracle to prove the authenticity of his mission
The Many Names of G-d
In this week's parsha, the Torah is preparing the ground for one of its most monumental propositions: In the darkest night, Israel was about to have its greatest encounter with God. Hope was to be born at the very edge of the abyss of despair.
Faith And Friendship
In this week’s parsha, Moshe reaches his lowest ebb. What is striking is the depth of Moses’ despair, the candor with which he expresses it, and the blazing honesty of the Torah in telling us this story.
Improbable Endings And The Defeat Of Despair
Parshat Vayeshev has the form of a Greek tragedy. Judaism is the opposite of tragedy. It tells us that every bad fate can be averted and that despair is never justified; today’s curse may be the beginning of tomorrow’s blessing.
The Sin Offering
Why should unintentional sins require atonement at all? What guilt is involved? Had the offender known he would not have done what he did. Why then does he have to undergo a process of atonement?
How to Give
These stories all have to do with the mitzvah of tzedakah whose source is in this week’s parshah.
To The Third And Fourth Generations
If we parents fail to honor responsibilities then society’s children will pay the price for our sins
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: The Power Of Art
The name Bezalel was adopted by the artist Boris Schatz for the School of Arts and Crafts he founded in Israel in 1906, and Rav Kook wrote a touching letter in support of its creation. He saw the renaissance of art in the Holy Land as a symbol of the regeneration of the Jewish people in its own land, landscape and birthplace. Judaism in the Diaspora, removed from a natural connection with its own historic environment, was inevitably cerebral and spiritual, “alienated.”