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Shabbat Hol HaMoed Sukkot – Let’s Keep the Inspiration
A priest pops into one of his new converts on a Friday night, and to his great displeasure, sees the table laid out for Shabbat dinner, replete with chicken soup and gefilte fish. “What?! I thought you became non-Jewish?” he exclaims in question. “No, you misunderstand!” the man responds, “This isn’t Shabbat dinner at all! Why, I […]
Parashat Ha’azinu – Even Greatness Requires Humility
In the opening lines of the song of Ha’azinu, Moshe declares,” The Mighty rock, His deeds are perfect, for all His ways are just.” When we see things in the world that appear to be unjust, we may question Divine wisdom. Moshe, the greatest prophet to have ever lived, asked G-d to reveal to him […]
Rosh HaShanah – Getting High on the High Holidays
A group of Russian peasants are sitting in a bar, discussing how much they admire the Czar and what they would offer him to express the extent of their love. “If I would own a castle, I would gift it to Czar!” says Vladimir. “Ha! That‘s the extent of your admiration? I would have given […]
Parashat Nisabim-Vayelech “In all my days I have never had to look behind me before saying anything“ (Rabbi Yose, quoted in the Talmud)
Slander or gossip is not necessarily untruthful. Our tradition forbids saying something derogatory about a person even if it is entirely true! One of the best and easiest guidelines to decide what you should or should not say is to ask, “Does it make a difference who might overhear it?” If it is something that […]
Parashat Ki Tavo – Leaders Bend Down
Leadership is a service, not a position. The mystical books teaches that it is in the absence of oneself – not the indulgence of oneself – that the greatest satisfaction is found. How does that make any sense, you ask? Consider this: when an “A student” comes home with another “100” on their test – that’s beautiful. A great achievement. But, […]
