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Essays on the weekly Torah portion, the holidays and Jewish thought.
Parsha Ekev – High Heels Reaching the 100 mark from 99 can be more dramatic than reaching from 1 to 99! Parsha Ekev – Jewish Pride . The immature always underestimate their potential. Maturity is appreciating your regal nature. A Bar Mitzvah begins wearing Tefillin, the symbol of Maturity and royalty. Parsha Ekev – Longevity Israel exists on two planes: Geographic and Spiritual. The Mezuzah affixed to our homes creates virtual Israel Parsha Ekev – Modernity You can follow all the most recent fads and be old-fashioned. And you can follow the ancient teachings of Torah and be truly modern. Parsha Ekev – No Fast Food Food is a metaphor for spiritual nourishment. However, food itself contains a spiritual dimension. It is just as important to insure that that which comes into our mouth is as pure as that which comes out of our mouth. Reciting the Grace after Meal insures that we capture the spirt of the food and t Parsha Ekev – No Sterile Blessings Life is defined by its ability to reproduce. Our future life as a people hinges on our ability to retain our identities in a sea of other cultures. Parsha Ekev – Now! Wow! Most people live in the past and the future. Torah wants us to live in the present. Teshuvah and Redemption are so powerful because they revolve around the word “now!” Parsha Ekev – Seeing Is Enjoying Light is the physical world’s most ethereal phenomenon. Yet light enhances our physical lives even as it is the ultimate metaphor for spirituality. Parsha Ekev – The Cure for Sterility A sterile mind is cannot produce proper emotions. It is a sign of exile. Parsha Ekev – The Kosher Compromise Compromise is not necessarily a good word because it takes away from truth. However, there are compromises that enable and empower us to reach that truth. The placement of the Mezuzah embodies that compromise. Parsha Ekev – The “Olive Jew” and the “Egg Jew” There is food for the body and foo for the soul. Chassidus teaches us that food for the body can also be food for the soul. Parsha Ekev – The Non-Blessing Blessing The word Jew derives from the word gratitude. Gratitude is not just saying thank-you. It’s about conceding the other’s importance. It is also acknowledging the other’s role in your good fortune. Gratitude is liberating and characterizes Moshiach and the Messianic Age. Parsha Ekev – The Soul of the Heel Relationships that are quid-pro-quo are fine. Relationships that are unconditional are Divine. Parsha Ekev – Torah Study: The Jewish Synthesizer One of the greatest challenges is confronting ecil. Another great challenge is finding the right balance between two good things. Torah is the ideal power of synthesis and balance. Parsha Ekev – What’s the Question? Jews are known to ask a lot of questions. Jews are also known to answer questions with other questions. Why are we so obsessed with questions? Because questions touch raw nerves and produce better results than mere statements! Parsha Ekev – With All Your Might Giving your life for a cause is not necessarily the highest level of devotion. It might actually be an expression of one’s ego. Parsha Lech Lecha – A Pure Mitzvah Doing good, for any reason, is preferable to inaction. We, nevertheless, must strive for perfection. The goal must be to serve G-d with purity of heart, without ulterior motives. The paradigm for this purity is the Mitzvah of circumcision. LECHA LECHA Parsha Lech Lecha – A Light to the Nations Sensitivity to others is a virtue. Judaism, while directed to the Jewish people, also requires of us to be a light to the nations. LECHA LECHA Parsha Lech Lecha – Abraham My Lover Contrary to the identification of Abraham with love; he also possessed other traits when necessary. We cannot be monolithic beings. Mono-dimensional behavior is good for angels and animals. It is neither human or G-dly. LECHA LECHA Parsha Lech Lecha – Abraham’s First Test Dying for a noble cause is not the highest form of sacrifice. Living with and for a higher purpose is the most noble sacrifice. LECHA LECHA