Tishrei 5, 5778, 9/25/2017
 Ki Tetsei: TemptationUsually we do not carry out the acts that tempt us simply because of lack of opportunity and not necessarily because of our piety. Seeing correctlyOnly clear vision can lead to wise and correct choices.Re'eh: Sight and visionThe commandments that the Torah enjoins us to observe are a form of corrective lenses to aid us in seeing things clearly and accurately. Eikev: Step carefullyWhat does Eikev represent? Shabbat Va'etchanan - Nachamu: Hope brings consolationThe Jewish people always believe that there are better days ahead. Fake religionThe attempt of the Moslem world to elevate their dispute with Israel into a matter of jihad and holy war has left the world vulnerable to fanaticism and unending violence. Wandering JewsToday's largest Jewish communities are different, but can still work together. Thoughts on the haredi anti-IDF rally in New YorkThe recycling of ideas that have been proven to be mistaken blocks the chance of accepting reality. Behaalotcha: The light of the Temple menorahTorah from the Rabbi of Beit Knesset Hanasi, Jerusalem, noted author and lecturer. Bamidbar: Counting means loveThings of value require counting and cataloging. That is human nature. Focus or vision?One sees only the trees, the other the forest. Jewish do-gooders: Naivete is worse than ignoranceBelieving in the possibility of Utopia on earth when bombs are going off in marketplaces is worse than ignorance. Achrei Mot-Kedoshim: We need the mitsvotJudaism is in the details of observance. Tazria-Metsora: In Jewish life, less is moreWhy and how tsoraat affects three categories of human life and society – the human body, clothing and houses. Deviating from Torah law leads to consequencesThe Talmud states that consuming non-kosher food stops up the hearts of otherwise good Jews.Parshat Tzav and Shabbat HagadolTthe connection between Tzav and Shabbat Hagaol explored and explained. Vayakhel-Pekudei: AccountabilityTransparency and accountability in the parsha. Stuck in the middleReal life dilemmas mirror Israel's situation all too well. Is he a little too Jewish? Is Israel?There is no question as to David Friedman’s abilities or credentials. The problem with Friedman is that he is too openly Jewish for the Reform Movement.Damage controlThe laws and consequences of human behavior. The real test of new Jewish movementsOpen Orthodoxy wants to make Judaism palatable to modern trends. But that is all they are - trends. The paradigm for Jewish survivalThe entire story of the Jewish people descending into Egyptian slavery and then being extricated is essentially supernatural in detail.Crises in Jewish historySome crises are gradual and some sudden. Jacob lives onYaakov recognized the different personalities, qualities and talents of each of his children and grandchildren. Our brother Joseph stands before usIt is hard to change one's mind when it means changing an entire mindset. College campusesWe are back to the days when Jewish students kept a low profile. Are parents responsible for how their kids turn out?The story of the two brothers, Esau and Jacob, is a paradigm. Chayei Sarah: Mothers of IsraelThey are stalwart, loyal and above all, cognizant of the need to create a future for the Jewish people. Unpopular leadersPopularity is a very slippery way to judge the correctness of policies and the competence and temper of leaders who will be judged by history. God's seal is truthThe Talmud describes our world as being “a world of falseness.” Looking at generationsToday many of us have the chance to look at several generations of our family in our lifetimes. Self worthThe Abraham figure as a model for the future. Sukkot perspectivesThe only happiness that is lasting and meaningful is an inner happiness not caused by outside stimuli or fleeting factors. Vayelech: The lodestone of Jewish lifeMoses predicts what will happen. Haredi society in Israel is slowly changingThe slow change in values and lifestyle in that community has already begun. Awesome warningsEverything in its minutest detail did befall us. Seeing the futureThe entire concept of reward and punishment is based on a concept that it is the future that counts most in life. The broadcasterBaseball as a metaphor for life. Thinking correctly and clearlyJudaism is, in its essence, a clear and simple faith. This point is hammered home over and over again by Moses in his grand final oration to the Jewish people.History in VaetchananWe have a different story. Putin and RioThe Olympics are tainted by money, politics and moral pressure. If King Zedekiah would have listened to Jeremiah...The prophet was the realistic one. Looking for ourselves in DevarimThis is the book of perspective, of the long view of events. I don't knowThe title is probably a sentence we all should be saying and hearing more often than we do. Matot (Israel): Conformity or unity?Why have 12 tribes instead of one undivided nation? Counting the JewsWe find it so much easier to memorialize the dead than to inspire and consecrate the living. Rabbinic responsiblityHow far does rabbinic responsibility go? The book of bad behavior: BamidbarMoses' fate is decided in this reading. Korach (Israel): Moses cannot be judged by ordinary standardsWe find it difficult to deal with people who are our peers and whom we feel we can understand and even judge. Irrational, but there it isWhat was the driving force that made the Jewish people resist their entry into the Holy Land? Cause and effectWhat is striking to me about the current Conservative mantra is that apparently nowhere does God appear to be in the picture... Behaalotcha (Israel): What brought on the rebelliions?Wise men should be careful with their words and actions. Selichot the Traditional WayThe traditional selichot prayers, whether Ashkenazi or Sephardi, have secured a place of permanence. The new Israeli version lacks heart and loses the sense of continuing the heritage of generations. Jewish History is Predicted in This Week's Torah ReadingIf there is one portion of the Torah that truly rattles our cage, this week’s Torah reading is certainly that portion. Shoftim: Judicial ParametersIt is possible, if not even likely, to create evil, bias and unfairness by legal means. Fact and Opinion: One and the Same for Israel-HatersThe entire worldwide campaign against Israel and its legitimate right to exist is built upon falsification of facts. Parshat Korach: G-d Threw His Support Behind MosesKorach tried, but G-d is not a populist. |
