Category Archives: Uncategorized

Rosh Chodesh Adar is certainly none too early to begin thinking about Purim.  Although it’s classified by some as a “minor Jewish holiday” and is often trivialized to an excuse to have a costume party, it’s power is huge. It’s … Continue reading →

I recently wrote about relationship.  Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo published, just this week, a very deep article about loneliness, https://www.facebook.com/notes/rabbi-dr-nathan-lopes-cardozo/israels-security-and-the-need-for-strangerhood/339688556063212. Longing creates motivation.  It can also create despair, but despair itself, rather than immobilizing, has the potential to force one, each … Continue reading →

The relationship between Moshe and Yitro, his father-in-law as well as colleague in clergy, is the first successful interfaith encounter.  Avraham’s encounters with Pharoah and Avimelech are disastrous, each almost resulting in Sara being raped.  Yitzchak’s experience with Avimelech mirrors his … Continue reading →

We “religion professionals” talk a lot about Eternity and the Eternal.  It makes me stop to wonder what really is and what isn’t eternal. To begin with, God, of course, is eternal.  Our tradition unequivocally teaches that this is an … Continue reading →

The world, including the Jewish world, seems full of people who are convinced that they know everything.  They presume to know not only what’s right, but what everyone else should do.  The fact is that there will always be infinitely … Continue reading →

What do “the orthodox”, “the reform”, “haredim (ultra-orthodox)”, “hilonim (secular)”, “settlers”, “Tel-Aviv elite”, “conservative Jews”, “reform Jews”, “reconstructionist Jews”, “renewal Jews”, “humanist Jews”, “democrats”, “republicans”, “leftists”, “rightists”, “academics”, “working slobs”, “likud-niks”, “laborites”, “kadima”, “arabs”, “Palestinians”, “Israelis”, “zionists”, “post-zionists”, “anti-zionists”, “rabbis”, … Continue reading →

This brief example from my experience with Rabbi Shloime Twerski zt”l, illustrates a vital and absolutely necessary component of traditional, you can call it orthodox, halacha. Most synagogue weekday services that I’ve ever attended feature someone walking through the congregation with … Continue reading →

I’ve been studying a great sefer lately, Shefa Tal by Shabbtai Sheftel Horowitz, a kabbalist living in Prague about four hundred years ago.  He begins explaining one of the Proverbs of King Solomon, נר אלקים נשמת אדם, Ner Elokim Nishmat … Continue reading →

If I merely wanted to be a gadfly, I can think of many easier avenues for a lifelong vegetarian than supervising the slaughter and processing of kosher meat.  I’m very proud to work with a new company, EcoGlatt, which provides … Continue reading →