October 3, 2023

Yom Kippur: Remembering Why

נעילה Now is the time. Over the last month we have spent a significant amount of time preparing for this final moment. We have reached the climax of the יום כיפור service. We fasted all day, prayed all day in preparation for the last תפילה we will now say together […]
October 3, 2023

The Prayer of Rosh Hashana

Tfilat Hannah: A Model of Thanksgiving I’ve always been struck by the profound impact of a particular prayer on Rosh Hashanah, one that we don’t actually recite ourselves but rather find in the haftarah portion – the prayer of Hannah, תפלת חנה. Hannah’s story is a testament to unwavering faith […]
October 3, 2023

Parshat Shoftim: Spheres of Prayer

עגלה ערופה is a strange halacha. Instructions are given for a governing body, not directly related to the welfare of the people of the town to come atone for the sins of the members of the city. An unidentified cadaver was found within a short distance of the town. The […]
October 3, 2023

Parshat Ekev: Recipe for Love

Love is complicated. Let us attempt to address what we really mean when we discuss loving someone. Some forms of love are much easier to explain than others. Some forms of love can cynically be simple biological imperatives or evolutionary developments: we love our children, we love our parents. It […]
October 3, 2023

Parshat Pinchas: Transition of Shevet Levi

ספר במדבר is also titled ספר ספרות or the Book of Countings, referring to the two times the Jewish people were counted in the Book, once prior to the חט המרגלים where the דור יוצאי מצרים were counted and once after where their children, the generation that was imminently entering […]
October 3, 2023

Parshat Korach: The Journey

This week I spent some time thinking about when do we commemorate events that happened to the Jewish people in contrast to American legal holidays. Juneteenth celebrates the last slaves in America learning that they were freed. Both holidays, quite logically, celebrate the conclusion of an event. We often don’t […]
October 3, 2023

Parshat Shelach

When we ponder upon the legendary figures in military history, there are two exceptional commanders who come to mind. These extraordinary individuals possess the charm and brilliance to rally legions of followers, inspiring unwavering loyalty. Their troops would willingly lay down their lives for the chance to serve under their […]