• Jewish Pain and Unity in War

    This week, I am traveling to Israel with a group of 15 rabbis through the Rabbinical Council of America and Yeshiva University. I go as a representative of our community and, along with the other rabbis, as messengers of the Jewish people in the diaspora. We are going in order to express, through our presence,…

  • Living Together: The Torah’s Call to Support the Stranger

    There was a time, recorded in this week’s Torah portion, Chayei Sara, when we were the stranger, the minority, dwelling in the Land of Israel.  As Abraham says to Ephron at the beginning of the Torah portion when he buys land to bury Sarah, “I am a stranger and a sojourner among you, give me…

  • The Passing of a Divine Tradition

    This week’s Torah portion, Chayeh Sara, “The life of Sara”, begins with Sara’s death which follows the story of the akedah, binding of Isaac, at the end of last week’s portion.  Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, known as RASHI, a famous 11th century French commentator on the Torah is bothered by the strange juxtaposition of the almost…

  • Eliezer’s Sign and the Role of Divine Guidance

    In this week’s Torah portion, Chayeh Sarah, Avrohom’s wife has died.  Avrohom buries her, and then sends his servant Eliezer to the eastern side of the Jordan River where Avrohom is from, to look for a wife for Yitzchak.  Eliezer famously makes a deal with God, a sign by which he will know the right…

  • How Law and Narrative Shape Our Tradition

    In this week’s Torah portion, Chayei Sara, Sarah dies and Avraham then appoints Eliezer – his servant – to find a wife for Yitzchak. The Torah describes in great detail the trip Eliezer takes and how he finds Rivka for Yitzchak. Rash”i is bothered by the long detailed depiction of Eliezer’s trip, and then the…

  • Jewish Unity: The Antidote to Antisemitism

    This past Shabbat, the Jewish community experienced the largest killing of Jews on American soil; murdered because they were Jews. We know well from Jewish history that whether or not we see ourselves as one, those who want to kill us certainly do. If we fight among ourselves, reject each other as illegitimate, or demonize…

  • How the Torah Tells the Jewish People’s Story

    In this week’s Torah portion, Chayeh Sarah, Sarah dies and Avrohom then appoints Eliezer his servant to find a wife for yitzchak.  The Torah describes in great detail the trip Eliezer takes and how he finds Rivka for Yitzchak.   Rash”i is bothered by the long detailed depiction of Eliezer’s trip and then the almost verbatim…