• The Jewish Journey Through History and Holidays

    What are the Jews?  Not a religion, for there are many who would say they are Jewish but are not religious; not a nation, for a nation is identified with its land and shared culture and Jews have not had a land for most of their history and do not share cultural identities such as…

  • The Dual Identity of the Jewish People

    The Jews are an enigmatic people.  We are not a religion, for there are many who would say they are Jewish but are not religious; we are not a nation, a nation is identified by its land and Jews have not had a land for most of their history; and we are not a culture…

  • Blessing and Curse: Seeing the Divine Life Force in All Things

    This week’s Torah portion Re’eh-“See” begins “See I place before you today blessing and curse, the blessing that you will listen to the Mitzvot….”  The Midrah on these verses quotes the two additional verses to bring to bear on our portion, “The mitzvah is a candle and Torah is light” and “The human soul is…

  • Finding the Balance Between Nature and the Divine

    In this week’s Torah portion, Shoftim, we find two commandments about trees.  (1) Do not cut down a fruit tree even in war, and (2) Do not plant  an ashera trees near the altar. The commandment not to cut down a tree is a warning against wanton destruction which in jewish law is forbidden by…

  • Love Your Neighbor: A Call to Action in a World Full of Tragedy

    What should our response be to living in a time in which we are aware of so many tragedies around the world as they happen?  The seminal book of Musar, Misilat Yisharim, writes that we must always ask, “Mah chovati baolami”, What is my obligation in this world?”  Everything which happens is a test for…

  • Beyond Social Distancing

    We are blessed with a community that is vibrant and diverse.  Many Shuls would be overjoyed to have the liveliness that hundreds of young professionals bring to a community, the wisdom of dozens of accomplished thinkers and politicians, and the commitment that many vatikin, those who have been members of the community for decades, bring.…

  • Human Dignity and the Door to Repentance

    The Talmud tells the following story in tractate Berachot 10a: “There were hooligans in Rabbi Meir’s neighborhood who caused him a great deal of anguish. Rabbi Meir prayed for God to have mercy on them, that they should die. Rabbi Meir’s wife, Berurya, said to him: What is your thinking? On what basis do you…

  • The Golden Calf and the Freedom Found in Limitation

    In this week’s Torah portion, just 40 days after receiving the Divine Revelation at Mount Sinai, the Jewish people become anxious that Moses their leader will not return from on top of the mountain and they make for themselves a golden calf.   In the midst of their sensual, noisy, Dionysian worship of the calf…

  • The Joy and Opportunity of the High Holidays

    It is almost Rosh Hashanah and we all approach the High Holidays with different feelings and perspectives.  Some are worried about the coming year and hope that prayer will secure a healthy and prosperous year for them.  Others want to fulfill their chivuvim – obligations and mitzvot – by praying, hearing the shofar and fasting. …

  • Building Community Through Exile and Renewal

    This week’s parsha, Ki Tavo, begins with the first fruits.   The Torah tells us that the farmer in the Land of Israel must bring a basket of the first fruits of the orchard to the Temple, give them to the Kohen to wave, and make the following declaration:  “An Aramean tried to destroy my…

  • The Call of Elul: Listening as the First Step to Return

    We are currently in the month of Elul, the Hebrew month preceding the days of awe.   This is the month spent cultivating tishuvah.  Tishuvah is often translated as repentance but literally means return.   The Torah portion this week speaks of blessings and curses.  The Jewish people are promised blessing if they listen to…

  • The Transformative Journey of Yom Kippur

    It is almost Rosh Hashanah and we all approach the High Holidays with different feelings and perspectives.  Some are worried about the coming year and hope that prayer will secure a healthy and prosperous year for them.  Others want to fulfill their chivuvim -obligations and mitzvot – by praying, hearing the shofar and fasting.  Still…

  • Teshuvah Through Love: Transforming Faults into Merits

    The Talmud states that teshuvah done from fear renders one’s sins, even if they were done intentionally, as if they were committed unintentionally, but teshuvah from love actually transforms intentional sins into merits. How is this possible? I think the answer lies in the nature of love itself.  Love results in some degree of unity…

  • Simchat Torah in Exile: Embracing Life and Possibility

    A well known verse in this Parsha states: “…I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse, -and you shall choose life,(u’vacharta b’chaim)-in order that you and your offspring shall live. (30:19)” Why do we need this verse?  Don’t we know we are supposed to choose the path of goodness and life?  Has…

  • Neilah’s Call: Embracing the Heart of Prayer This Yom Kippur

    Rabbi Joseph Solovetchik explained that there are different forms of prayer. We fulfill an obligation to pray three times a day, we pray in order to take the place of sacrifices, we pray in times of great need. Maimonides says that an integral part of the process of teshuvah, of repentance and return, is prayer,…