1310 essays
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Essays on the weekly Torah portion, the holidays and Jewish thought.
Parsha Rei – Level Playing Field The myth is that evil is stronger than good. The truth is that while evil is in your face good has staying power. Parsha Rei – Living in Both Worlds Living in one world is easy. Straddling the fence between two worlds by compromising each is precarious. The ability to live fully in both worlds is Divine. Parsha Rei – Miracles of the Jordan Miracles are not intended for show. Miracles associated with Israel showcased the unique opportunities and empowerment it possesses. Parsha Rei – Open Your Hands and See Empathy is seeing into the inner sanctum of the other’s heart and soul. Parsha Rei – Peace and Kosher Birds Birds symbolize soaring high and peace. There are multiple ways of flying high, kosher and non-kosher. There is, however, only one definition of peace. Parsha Rei – Right or Left? There is a perennial debate: Which is greater the one who initiates a good project or the one who completes it? The best of both worlds is to link the beginning with the end. Parsha Rei – The Blessed Month Marriage, the theme of the month of Elul, requires following the laws and message of Kashrus to succeed and thrive. Parsha Rei – The Brother of a Poor Man There is no greater poverty than hoarding wealth. There is no greater wealth than sharing it with others. Parsha Rei – The Case Against Negativism Fighting evil even with violence may be a necessity in an imperfect world. The spirit of fighting should never be institutionalized. Good deeds and the spirit that inspires them are intrinsically positive and should become engrained within us. Parsha Rei – The Heel Revisited Elul, the “heel” of the year, is an extraordinary ordinary month. It reflects the extraordinary ordinary (“heel”) Jews of the last (“heel”) generation before the Redemption! Parsha Rei – The Triple Header Some people focus on G-d. Some concentrate on themselves. And some direct their attention to others. Our Sages say: “Reflect on [all] three things.” Parsha Rei – The Value of True Wealth The myth is that the more material goods we accumulate the wealthier we are. The truth is that the more we give away the wealthier we are. That kind of wealth can never be taken away from us. Parsha Rei – Word by Word From our vantage-point we see negativity and we have a need to rationalize it. From G-d’s “perch” there is only blessing. In the imminent Messianic Age we will all see things from His perspective. Parsha Rei – Where Is Jerusalem? Jerusalem is a city and a mindset. Jerusalem is a heightened state of awareness. Both dimensions are elusive and must be pursued. Parsha Tetzaveh – Chanukah in the Month of Adar A teacher or mentor must maintain high standards for himself or herself. But, when inspiring the students, he or she cannot demand purity. The main objective of mentoring is to find the lowest level of each individual and raise it up. TETZAVEH TETZAVEH Parsha Tetzaveh – Chutzpah You can’t live with it and you can’t live without it. We must have genuine respect for others even as we remain adamantly committed, bordering on Chutzpah, to our ideals TETZAVEH TETZAVEH Parsha Tetzaveh – Father Knows Best Our future redemption is achieved by making our connection to the past vitally present. TETZAVEH TETZAVEH Parsha Tetzaveh – Do You Hear? One major challenge of life is to know how to prepare for a momentous and inspirational occasion. A second challenge is to know how to follow up on it. TETZAVEH TETZAVEH Parsha Tetzaveh – Get Some Oil on Your Clothes Nature and nurture are two sides of one coin. While we must always refine our nature, the goal is to ultimately transform it. TETZAVEH TETZAVEH Parsha Tetzaveh – Hackers in the Temple Modern technology is a double edged sword. The positive is that Divine knowledge has become infinitely more accessible. It is a portent of the Final Redemption! TETZAVEH TETZAVEH