Category Archives: Uncategorized

Our sages describe the slavery of Egypt as being so all-encompassing that even our thoughts were no longer our own. Some accounts say that God Himself had to provide us the strength even to  groan in misery–we were no longer capable to cry out and … Continue reading →

I find it extremely sad that most “modern”, “innovative”, “relevant” rewrites to the Haggadah begin with removing “the boring parts”, all the rabbinic teaching that actually makes up the bulk of the liturgy. Indeed, it is exactly these Mishnaic and … Continue reading →

“הַמְחַדֵּשׁ בְּטוּבוֹ בְּכָל יוֹם תָּמִיד, Hamchadeish b’tuvo b’chol yom tamid, Who renews with His Goodness every day, continuously/eternally”, is repeated daily in our morning prayer. קְדשִׁים תִּהְיוּ כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אֲנִי, Kedoshim ti’hyu ki kadosh ani, Be holy because I am holy, (Vayikra 19:2). We’re mandated … Continue reading →

Words are critical. Of all humanity’s many achievements, language is by far our greatest. Dismissing the obvious, trendy and anti-humanistic “observation” that “other animals also employ language”, from the dances of bees to the songs of whales, we’ve never detected … Continue reading →

The to-do list this time of year is always daunting.  Not only do we face the yearly accounting that goes with a thorough house-cleaning (what to keep/what to discard?, what of the “things” I’ve generated, looking back on them, have … Continue reading →

Not all the traditional commentaries are critical of Nadav and Avihu, the two sons of Aaron, the Cohain Gadol (high priest) who perished after bringing their own, uncalled for, incense offering during the dedication of the Mishkan, Sanctuary. There is … Continue reading →

One of the most difficult challenges we each face on a daily basis is to find that space between arrogant over-estimation of our individual power and self-abnegation leading to the equally false illusion of total powerlessness and apathy. The Torah … Continue reading →

Obviously, the observance of Purim is not a celebration of boorish drunkenness, but it is a celebration of intellectual fallibility. The goal we aim at is עד דלא ידע, ad d’lo yada, until you don’t know (the difference between “bless … Continue reading →

………..אנא בכח גדולת ימינך, Ana B’Koach Gedulat Yemincha…., is a poem we recite daily in the morning liturgy and also, very prominently, in Kabbalat Shabbat on Friday nights and during the counting of the Omer between Pesach and Shavuot.  Written … Continue reading →

It dawned on me not long ago that we frequently confuse the secular concept “belief” with אמונה, Emunah, which can also be translated with the word “belief”.  In the secular sense, believing is equivalent to joining a particular religion.  “Do … Continue reading →