Monthly Archives: June 2012
The Sacrifice at Golgotha
I am hoping you will be able to resolve a very important issue confronting the very foundation of Christianity. God’s way of testing Abraham by calling for the sacrifice of Isaac…and then the abrupt staying of the knife…was intended to … Continue reading
Chukat: The Chutzpah of Entering Fire
This is the Torah (law): A man who dies in a tent… -Numbers 19:14 The Torah is only acquired by those who kill themselves for it in the tents of study. -The Zohar It happened in the winter of 1798 … Continue reading
Seeking Out a Greater Imagination
“Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought.” -Matsuo Basho Rabbi Sholom Ber of Lubavitch used to say that if the hedonists would know the ecstasy of mystic union, they would instantly drop … Continue reading
Being Married to the Girl with the Jewish Soul
“To get to the point, our daughter has informed us that she has fallen in love with a non-Jew, and that they intend to marry. We have tried everything to dissuade her, but our arguments, appeals, threats and tears have … Continue reading
The Elusive, Invisible, Tzaddik
The tzadik is one with G-d. We recognize him because within each of us is also a tzadik who is one with G-d. -Rabbi Tzvi Freeman “The Tzaddik” Based on letters and talks of the Rebbe Rabbi M. M. Schneerson … Continue reading
When Christians Do Good
We are seriously getting love aimed at us by a little church nearby. Out of the blue, the pastor had contacted me wanting to know if some of their members could do anything for us and he wouldn’t take no … Continue reading
Grandmother of Valor
Rav Moshe Aharon Stern, zt”l, explains that determining who has attained true greatness is no simple matter. “There is no middle way when dealing with the absolute truth. Either something is true or it is false. But how can one … Continue reading
Finding Peace in the Waves of Chaos
True peace is not a forced truce, not a homogenization of differences, not a common ground that abandons our home territories. True peace is the oneness that sprouts from diversity, from a panorama of colors, strokes and textures. From the … Continue reading
Struggling with the World, Part 2
From the anthropological perspective on the problem of evil, therefore, the prime concern is not so much to defend the notions of divine justice and power. It is rather, as in other personal relationships, to determine what measure of continuity, … Continue reading
Korach: Who is Speaking to Your Heart?
In the Torah portion Korach we read how Korach led a band of 250 men in a rebellion against Moshe and Aharon. Underlying their revolt against Aharon’s High Priesthood was the charge: “All the people in the community are holy … Continue reading
