Monthly Archives: August 2012
Answering God
Many of us believe we will have an opportunity after our stint upon this earth to stand before a great mahogany desk in the sky and demand of G‑d, “If You are so kind and omniscient, why were You silent?” … Continue reading
Ki Tetzei: Paying Attention
You shall not see your brother’s ox or sheep going astray and ignore them; rather, you should restore them to your brother… And so you shall do with every lost thing of your brother – you may not remain oblivious … Continue reading
Hope and Love
Canon White is not only concerned about the physical safety of the scrolls; he is also dedicated to what’s written on them. “The thing that I really respect about how Jews live is that God is in everything. If you’re … Continue reading
Rise
The memory of a righteous person is a blessing. -Proverbs 10:7 At a family therapy session, one family member said something totally uncalled for, provocative, and insulting to another person. The remark was extremely irritating to me, even as an … Continue reading
The Chavruta Illusion
Study with a chavruta, or partner, is a hallmark of traditional Jewish learning. Together you break your heads on the texts. Two minds applied to a problem are almost always better than one. Each checks and corrects the misconceptions of … Continue reading
Return and Reconciliation
“We will thank You and declare Your praise for our lives, which are entrusted into Your hand; for our souls, which are placed in Your Charge; for Your miracles which are with us every day; and for Your wonders and … Continue reading
God Finds You
One who raises his voice when he davens is among those of diminished faith. – Berachos 24b Raising one’s voice in prayer is considered a demonstration of diminished faith in God. According to Rashi, the reason for this is that the … Continue reading
Questions That Would Cross a Rabbi’s Eyes
Hashem, your God, shall you follow and Him shall you fear; His commandments shall you observe and to His voice shall you hearken; Him shall you serve and to Him shall you cleave. -Deuteronomy 13:5 (Stone Edition Chumash) Yeshua said … Continue reading
Forgiving the Victim
Personally, I am a big fan of forgiveness. I believe that there is no such thing as a transgression so great that it cannot be forgiven. In fact, it’s Elul, the month in the Hebrew calendar not only known to … Continue reading
Shoftim: Walk with Simplicity
Be wholesome (‘tamim’) with G-d -Deuteronomy 18:13 To be ‘tamim’ with G-d means: Walk with Him with simplicity and without guile. Do not seek to manipulate the future; rather, accept whatever He brings upon you wholeheartedly. Then, He will be … Continue reading
