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Essays on the weekly Torah portion, the holidays and Jewish thought.
Parsha Chukas – The Rational Irrational Person Which is more rational? The belief that the Jewish People’s survival through thousands of years of persecution was a coincidence, or that it was due to the fact that they were chosen by G-d to carry out a special mission, and that it was our stubborn adherence to the Torah that gave us our strength Parsha Chukas – The Role of the Tzadik Chassidic thought teaches that true tzadikkim have risen above sin. Nevertheless they too are “human” in that G-d causes them to experience temporary lapses in order for them to advance spiritually. When one falters and experiences a setback they can then leap to an exponentially higher level. Parsha Chukas – The Torah’s Response to the Kkk The three letters kuf (equivalent to the English letter k) corresponds to the three words that we exclaim in our prayers in praise of G-d: “Kadosh, kadosh, kadosh-Holy, holy, holy.” According to the Zohar these three forms of holiness that are vested within each and every Jew is an inheritance from Parsha Chukas – Three Human Conditions: Three Perspectives As we stand ready to greet Moshiach and the final Redemption we sometimes second-guess ourselves and question our worthiness to be redeemed. We might think of ourselves as undeserving. We must realize that we have beautiful garments that are woven together from all of the positive thoughts, words an Parsha Chukas – Touched by Transcendence When G-d is consistent we are in touch with and touched by an aspect of G-d that conforms to our level. When, however, we encounter a paradox and accept it as G-d’s will, we then access a “higher” and more essential aspect of G-d that transcends human comprehension. Parsha Chukas – Washing the Dust Off Our Feet Idolatry is not merely the worshipping of pagan g-ds made of wood and stone. According to the Talmud there are other far more subtle forms of idolatry, such as an inflated ego or anger. Parsha Naso – An Uplifting Torah With the revelation of G-d at Mount Sinai, every commandment — whether prescriptive or proscriptive — is endowed with equal holiness, When a Jew thus desists from working on the Shabbos, it is nonetheless a mitzvah, which means both commandment as well as connection. Every time a Jew refrains from a Parsha Naso – Coming in Second Through Torah study one is empowered to leave the stifling atmosphere of our world and travel into an environment of spiritual “weightlessness,” where we are not weighted down by the gravitational pull of the material world. Parsha Naso – Consistent and Persistent Words A person who is careful to keep his or her word is a person whose speech carries much more weight and credibility in all areas of life. When a person is known for the integrity of his or her speech, he or she is trusted and respected. This pays off with immediate dividends with greater success in bu Parsha Naso – Dancing with Myrtles Irrational and destructive behavior can undermine our marriage (both the literal human union and the figurative marriage with G-d). We can also engage in supra-rational behavior to enhance our relationships and take it to an incredibly high level. Parsha Naso – Getting There Is Half the Fun! When one is focused on the goal, all the prepatory work acquires the status and stature of the final end. Parsha Naso – Infinite Blessings Even when our destination throughout our long journey in exile was not clear—“koh-so”—we knew that we will always be accompanied by G-d, and we will ultimately return whole. The blessings that we receive from G-d through the Kohain convey the message that even when our future appears uncertain, and Parsha Naso – Jump Now, Ask Questions Later When one approaches the service of G-d from a Nachshon perspective, there is no need to find meaning and symbolism in each detail of one’s mission. For a Nachshon personality it suffices to know that this is what G-d would want. Parsha Naso – Long Haired Men: A Jewish Perspective The inner strength it takes to resist temptation and to control one’s passion is far greater than the strength it takes to conquer a city. Parsha Naso – One Who Laughs Last Laughs Best To appreciate the value of the soul and its pre-eminence over the body and its needs, it takes a person who is future oriented and not concerned exclusively with the here and now; to accentuate the needs of the soul over the needs and wants of the body Parsha Naso – Repeat Performance G-d does not create anything that does not have a purpose. The fact that He created us with different personalities and potentials is an indication that our differences are important. Parsha Naso – Returning Home For close to 2,000 years we have been waiting for the coming of Moshiach when the soul will finally return home and no longer feel alienated. However, we must first acknowledge that the soul exists, that it feels out of place and that its resources have been squandered for the wrong purposes. Once w Parsha Naso – Spreading Out the Hand Moshiach transcends other souls because he is G-d’s messenger to inspire and activate all of the five levels of the soul including the one called Yechidah; the essence of the soul. When this level is revealed, there can be no obstacles or walls of separation between G-d and our world, or between one Parsha Naso – The Jewish Theory of Relativity One way of preparing for Moshiach and the ultimate Redemption, is to view others with the three approaches alluded to by the three Priestly Blessings: We ought to see the essential bond every Jew has with G-d. We must also seek the beautiful, intrinsic qualities the other possesses. At the very leas Parsha Naso – The New Math Psalm 119 contains 176 verses describing the beauty, grandeur, depth and joy of Torah. King David’s greatest love and passion was Torah study and conformance with its commandments. Every single one of the 176 verses is profound praise and gratitude to G-d for the gift of Torah.