Av 26, 5777, 8/18/2017
 What Could Have BeenNot everything in the past was perfect. A Golden Calf? Really?No one can really explain satisfactorily how the Jews decided to make a golden calf after the miracles they witnesses. God Demands Our Heart - Even in a Buiilding CampaignThe Torah teaches us that a building or any institution whose purpose is service of God and the spiritual enhancement of human beings cannot be built of human material generosity alone. How Could the Torah Allow Slavery?Many of the great Torah commentators, especially of the last few centuries, have attempted to deal with this issue. The Song of the SeaThe most uplifting message of the song is its timelessness and relevance. The most depressing part of the song is also its timelessness and relevance. The Exodus and Jewish ExclusivityThe question of Jewish exclusivity lies at the heart of a great deal of the internal and external debates regarding Israel and the Jewish people. Pharaoh vs. MosesComplete dominion over others that is based upon a colossal lie of superhuman status eventually is doomed to collapse. It may take centuries for this to occur but history has shown us that it always does occur. There is No King Without a PeopleHow did the ordinary Egyptians feel about the Jews? The Ups and Downs of Israeli Political LifeThere is a pattern that has emerged from all of the previous nineteen elections that have bedeviled us over the past sixty-six years. Jacob's LegacyTorah from the rabbi of Hanassi Synagogue in Jerusalem. Willful Blindness Then and NowJoseph's brothers are not so different in their reaction to his dreams from those who refuse to be confused by the facts. Europe is GoneTo Europe, the noble Palestinians – fomenters of worldwide terrorism, intifadas and recurring wars – are worthy of diplomatic recognition, media support, financial aid and moral justification. This is Europe's revenge on the Jews for surviving.Miketz: Born to GreatnessAchieving greatness requires more than being born with the capability for it. Loose ChangeDesire for change can even eventually justify wickedness, slander, violence and lawlessness in the attempt to facilitate that hoped-for change. The Unfolding Drama in the Second Half of GenesisThis week we begin reading the second half of the book of Genesis. And a drama unfolds.The Jewish People Must Remain True to ItselfThat is what is meant by "the truth of Yaakov". Jews at Prayer - Some ReflectionsThe shameful reactions in Gaza and Europe, in the media and the UN afford us little hope that this is the last atrocity. Hearing the Message from HeavenWe hear God, so to speak, through familiar voices that reverberate within our soul and heart.The Amended Conversion Law: Problems and PitfallsUnderstanding what is wrong with even the now-amended law, just passed in the Knesset. Don't American Jews Realize They Are All Klinghoffer?They just don't get it. A Stiff-Necked PeopleFor good and for bad. Re'eh: Jews in the Eyes of HistoryNot knowing the past always blinds the present and dims the future. Eikev: Don't Tread on Me!There really are no small things or inconsequential acts. This One Feels DifferentThis Gaza War is full of twists and turns. Matot: Vows and CommitmentsThe ability to speak must be accompanied by values. The Terrible Truth About Civilian Casualties in GazaThere is more than one terrible truth in this article. Korach: Inflated EgoWhat made Korach rebel? Praying for Peace in the VaticanWhat makes this entire public event somewhat questionable is the fact that neither Peres nor Abbas are well-known for participating in either public or private religious prayer. Ukraine and UsUkrainian anti-Semitism is a continuation of the legacy of Europe's persecution and hatred of the Jews, but Ukraine is a country with a prominent place in that hatred. Feminism and ChazakaThe area of greatest contention in today’s world regarding these matters relates to what is generally called “women’s issues. Shmini: And Aaron Remained SilentDeath and tragedy are all part of life. Ukraine and UsLike many other countries, ours included, Ukraine has the bad fortune of having to live in a very bad neighborhood. Still Ukraine holds a very prominent place in the sad and unreasonable story of the oppression of the Jews. Sin is a Constant Part of Life.Judaism does not allow for pie-in-the-sky, super angelic portrayals of human life.A Sad, Sad WorldLarge parts of the world and of its billions of people are enveloped in sadness, violence, injustice and death. Jeremiah JournalismIs it that bad? Requiem for a MovementThere is a dangerous trend that exists in the fringes of the Modern Orthodox Jewish world to imitate the errors of the Conservative movement. Simple CourtesyWhy is Yitro's arrival emphasized in the Torah? The Bulbs that Want to be ChangedChange requires inner will and determination to effect it. Jews are particularly subject to drives for change. Promises, PromisesAny voter with a modicum of sense knows or should know not to believe in the promises of political candidates. The Truth of SatireA little clever satire can be a good thing for us. The Land of Our ForefathersWhat is Yaakov’s stubborn attachment to living in the Land of Canaan? Heeding the GA's Call for More Soul in Jewish LIfeIf ignorant and unlettered – tragically, most of American Jewry is in that position with regard to Judaism - are almost automatically precluded from an attachment to their faith. Esau's Legacy: Implacable Hatred?The long dance of Jewish history does not leave Jews unimpaired. Old MagazinesRead the magazines of the Oslo era and weep. Events on the ground truly mock the past wisdom of journalistic experts. What was Isaac Thinking?Why give the blessing to Esau, who was known for being problematic? Background NoiseTorah has its own background melody. Giving Mother Sarah Her DueShe, too, had difficult tests to pass in her life, yet she rose above them. Vayera: Denying LogicRabbi Wein is the rabbi of Hanasi Synagogue in Jerusalem . Ezekiel and the Middle EastThe biblical prophet predicts an awful war of bloodshed in Syria, Babylonia (Iraq), Yemen and Arabia. Libya and Egypt will also be beset by civil war, much bloodshed and death, and economic deprivation. The Beginning of the Saga of the Jewish PeopleThis is where it starts, in this week's Torah portion. And the story is a prototype for Jewish existence. Monumental HubrisHuman beings destroy one another's vain attempts at immortality. After the HolidaysIsraelis use the expression "after the holidays" to postpone doing things during the month of Tishrei and wish one another a "good winter" at the end of Sukkot, whether they are sweltering in the heat or not. The Seamlessness of TorahBereshit and Vezot Habracha are connected. A Permanent SukkahThe sukkah built of Torah and tradition, family and community, is what protected the Jews through the ages. Ego, Shame, Disgrace - So What?A time to look at how public life is run. |
