PARASHAT SHOFTIM The Profound Duty of Witnessing In this week’s parashah, Shoftim, we encounter a significant exploration of justice, governance, and the critical role of witnesses in a just society. The Torah states in Deuteronomy 19:15: לֹא-יָקוּם עֵד אֶחָד בְּאִישׁ,… Read More »
The Sacred Art of the Small Stuff & the Minute Detail The opening verse of Parshat Eikev states: “וְהָיָה עֵקֶב תִּשְׁמְעוּן אֵת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים הָאֵלֶּה” – “And it shall be, because (eikev) you hearken to these ordinances…” (Deuteronomy 7:12) Rashi, with… Read More »
Shabbat Nachamu – Two Pathways to Comfort This Shabbat, the first after Tisha B’Av, is known as Shabbat Nachamu, the “Sabbath of Comfort,” named for the opening words of the Haftarah from Isaiah: נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ עַמִּי, יֹאמַר אֱלֹקֵיכֶם – “Comfort,… Read More »
Telling Old Stories, Rebuilding Our Lives Parshat Devarim opens with a powerful act of sacred storytelling. Moses gathers the next generation—the children of those who left Egypt—and begins to retell the story of their people’s journey through the wilderness. But… Read More »
Possessions and Priorities—Reuben, Gad, and the Ethics of Wealth In Parashat Matot, as the Israelites prepare to enter the Promised Land, the tribes of Reuben and Gad, blessed with abundant livestock, make a surprising request: to settle outside the Land… Read More »
The Daughters of Tzelophchad — The Power of In the System, Principled Petition Parashat Pinchas introduces us to one of the most remarkable episodes in the Torah: the case of the daughters of Tzelophchad. Five women — Machlah, No’ah, Hoglah,… Read More »
PARASHAT BALAK “Hearing God’s Voice in Unexpected Places” When was the last time you received guidance that seemed to come out of nowhere—but felt deeply, undeniably right? Maybe it was a stranger’s comment in a checkout line, a child’s innocent… Read More »
Happy Fourth of July to all! As we celebrate our nation’s independence, we remember the ideals and virtues that gird our freedom, as well as the great risk it took and sacrifices that were made to ensure the American independence.… Read More »
The story of the spies sent to scout the Land of Israel is not only a pivotal moment in the wilderness narrative of the Israelites, but a mirror held up to the human soul. Twelve leaders were chosen, each a… Read More »
PARASHAT BEHA’ALOTEKHA “And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you shall be remembered before the Lord your G-d, and you shall be saved… Read More »