1310 essays
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Essays on the weekly Torah portion, the holidays and Jewish thought.
Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – A Wall of Fire Humans are in need of walls that protect and preserve their spiritual integrity. The only solid wall is the invisible one; Torah study and the G-d given commandments. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Above and Within To live life to the fullest one must first rise above the limits of life and instill that heightened view into life itself. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Eating Your Fathers and Sons What makes us fundamentally human is not our intelligence and feelings. Rather it is the interplay between them. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Etched in Stone Torah study is the preeminent influence in our lives. Mitzvos are external; Torah is internal. While Mitzvos make us holy, Torah study defines us. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Ex/introverted Judaism Judaism is all-encompassing. Judaism demands that we have both a public and private involvement with Torah and Mitzvos. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Fair Fear BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Insulation Torah, among all of its other qualities, is also the best insulation from all the negative forces in the world. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – From Confession to Unmitigated Praise and Gratitude Confession of sins is a surgical process. It cannot be accompanied by excuses, even legitimate ones. One must be brutally honest in excising every trace of evil. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Ironclad There are two visions for the Third Beis Hamikdash. The first is that it will be man-made. This symbolizes how all our efforts now are the building blocks of the Temple. The second scenario is for it to descend from Heaven. This symbolizes how G-d will crown our efforts with His unparalleled holines Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – It’s Our Land! Our claim to the Land of Israel is not political, International law or even historical. It was given to us by G-d. Observing the agricultural Mitzvos regarding the Land is our way of highlighting and maintaining our connection to the land. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Let Freedom Ring! (2) Freedom is not defined by the license to do anything we want. Rather, it is the ability to live in accordance with our core beliefs of our soul. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Let Freedom Ring! True freedom is when no barriers remain; whether they are internal or external. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Light, Life and Holiness Judaism focuses on generating light, preserving life and sanctifying the world. These three objectives are fulfilled by women observing three special Mitzvos of lighting Shabbos and Yom Tov candles, family-purity and the separation of Challah. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – No More Victims Torah helps us look for the good in everyone and everything. Even adversity is seen as hidden good. The Messianic Age will change our focus to see all the hidden good fully revealed. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Proud Humility Humility is a virtue. Pride is a vice. Proud humility is perfection. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – Reverse Order Judaism is two pronged: Torah and Mitzvos. While Mitzvos liberate our bodies; Torah liberates our mind. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – The Double Return of the Land There is only one land and one people who enjoy a symbiotic relationship. That is the people and the Land of Israel. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – The Gift of Life Helping the needy is only a complete Mitzvah when you also remove the stigma of poverty from the recipient. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – The Master Plan Contemporary society’s pendulum is swinging from one extreme to the other: On extreme tells us that the Earth is ours to plunder. It deifies man. The other extreme deifies the Earth. Torah insists that we glorify only the one G-d who is the Master of all. BECHUKOSAI BECHUKOSAI Parsha Behar-Bechukosai – The Price of Fish and Mount Sinai Whatever it is we do, there is one question we should be asking: “What is the connection of anything and everything we do with Mount Sinai?” Everything we do should be evaluated in terms of its relationship to the ideal of Mount Sinai. The value of each and every experience should be measured by its