If I had to pick my favorite Jewish superhero, it would have to be Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, aka RaMbaM, aka Maimonides. Maimonides was born in the mid-12th Century in Spain. Forced to choose between conversion, exile, or death by the fundamentalist rulers of the time, young Moses fled
The Torah is filled with bits and stories that our rational sides have trouble coming to terms with. Logically we know a sea could not suddenly split to allow a nation to walk across the bottom sands. Plagues as divine punishment and riches as divine blessing are not easy
This week in the Torah portion we are introduced to one of the most frequent blessings gifted or received in the Jewish community. At weddings, at b’nai mitzvah, at baby namings, at transitional moments, you name it – we probably use this blessing during that ritual. The blessing is
If you were to try to define the word holy, without using Google or a dictionary, where would you start? Would you talk about a time in your life where you experienced holiness? Would you talk about God? Would you use high-level words like “sanctity” and “consecrated?” How would
While our tradition may be filled with wonderfully unanswerable questions, our Torah is filled with unasked questions. What happened before God began creating? Why did the citizens of Babel wish to reach heaven with their tower? What was Isaac thinking as his father bound him for sacrifice? What did
This week, we are reminded that external success and internal struggle can, and do, happen simultaneously and are at the core of who we are as Jews and as individuals. For some of us, this is nothing new – we experience professional and social successes (promotions, marriages, kids, etc.)
The story in midrash goes: As Jacob lay on his deathbed, God came to him and showed him a preview of his end. Knowing that his family worried over him, Jacob called them to his side to share with them his revelation. He said to them: “Please, my children,
How much is a dollar really worth? Or an ounce of gold? Or an acre of land? All of us, together, have inherited and become an active part of a system of values. Nearly everything in our world has some sort of value, for better or for worse. But what is value and valuable,
Dear Friends, By the time you read this, the new year will be only a day away. All of the editing, framing, recording, and preparing for worship will be complete. The only thing left to do will be to take a deep breath and let Rosh HaShanah and 5781 arrive. It’s been a
There is a story frequently told about the differences between Rabbis Hillel and Shammai – two wise and scholarly leaders of the early Jewish community. A potential convert comes to both of them stating "If you can teach me the whole Torah while standing on one foot, then I’ll become
