1310 essays
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Essays on the weekly Torah portion, the holidays and Jewish thought.
Parsha Mishpatim – Tripod Every culture has an ethical system. Torah provides us with a three pronged system. This three knotted system is guaranteed not to unravel. Parsha Mishpatim – Tunnel Vision Probing beneath the surface of our personalities can yield surprising and painful results. One can either stop digging or dig even deeper to find the treasures of goodness in the deepest recesses of our personalities. Parsha Mishpatim – Unity and Diversity Too often people have viewed faith and reason as enemies; unity and diversity as opposites. The Sinai experience demonstrated the fallacy of these perceptions Parsha Mishpatim – Who Do We Demand of to Redeem Us? We like to complain. But our complaints have to be directed to the right source. Our most potent prayer is for Moshiach. His petition needs to be directed to the right address. Parsha Mishpatim – Widows and Orphans Programmed into the Jew’s psyche is compassion for all of G- d’s creatures, especially the downtrodden; the widow and the orphan. Included in the widow and orphan is our internal widow and orphan. Have compassion for the internal, widow and orphan Parsha Mishpatim – When One Plus One Equals Three There is good and there is good. What is the test that our goodness is the more sophisticated and pure variety? Parsha Noach – A Logical Flood and a Flood of Logic We are accustomed to the two categories of rationality and irrationality. In truth, there is a third category of Supra- rationality. This dimension informs our rationality and guides it in the right direction. Parsha Noach – A Piece of Peace Is Not Enough Peace comes in various forms. True peace is when they stem from a single source. Parsha Noach – Are You a Raven or a Dove? Personalities are not etched in stone. People can and do change. Never give up on a human being! Parsha Noach – Be Fruitful and Multiply Humans are the problem and they are the solution. We contribute to the realization of the Divine plan for the world by just showing up. We actually transform the world through utilizing the world’s resources to serve G-d. Parsha Noach – Eyes on the Goal There are two approaches to life: The first is to have a singular focus. The second is to accumulate a multitude of experiences. Even when following the second approach, we must never lose sight of the goal. Parsha Noach – From Generation to Generation A generation can be understood as a segment of time within each individual’s life. When we change our personality, focus etc. we have lived in several generations. We were created to live life to the fullest in each of these changes/generations, Parsha Noach – G-d Loves Animals G-d created animals and that includes the animal in us. This does not imply that we should allow the animal in us to dominate. It suggests that we allow the animal do contribute its passion to our spiritual growth. Parsha Noach – From Minimalist to Maximalist Noah was a minimalist and Abraham a maximalist. Both have a place in our lives. The minimalists do the right thing; the maximalists focus on what more and better they can do. Parsha Noach – In Your Face Praise of others is always a positive exercise. Praise enhances their overt qualities while it helps them to actualize their hidden traits. But even praise has its limits. Parsha Noach – It’s How You Drink! Imbibing alcohol has always been a societal scourge. However, the metaphor of drinking wine to elicit Divine secrets has always been the deeper reason for the role of wine in our religious rituals. Parsha Noach – Le’chaim Some people drink to forget; some drink to remember. Some drink for life. It is far better to live for life than to drink for it. When we say le’chaim-to life, we should emphasize the spirit of life than the life of spirits. Parsha Noach – Noach and Menachem: Easing and Comforting All forms of life exist within the human being. What we do with and to ourselves affects these elements. When our own moral lives are improved it removes the curses that exist within nature. Parsha Noach – Noach and the Fur Industry Question: Why was Noah, a most righteous man, not the first Jew? Answer: He was a Tzadik in a fur coat… Parsha Noach – Noach’s Ark and Haman’s Gallows Where evil sees opportunity to destroy, the forces of goodness see opportunity to save. Where evil sees decline, G-dly forces see the seeds of rebuilding.