Torah Thought

The Medrash tells us about a man named Yosef Meshisa. The context of the Medrash makes it sound like he lived at the time of the Greeks. He was what we would call a traitor. He joined the Greeks, adopted their culture, and assisted them in military strategy. When the...

With the blessing and urging of both father Isaac and mother Rebekah, Jacob leaves home. Indeed, he flees. There are two reasons for his hasty departure: Esau’s wrath and the need for a proper bride. The complex and conflicting dynamics in the household of Abraham’s...

You are putting your children to bed, and the transition is made easier for them by the soothing ritual of the bed-time story. Perhaps a bit restless, you attempt to modify the oft-told tale, but your children bring you up short. “No, Daddy, tell it the right way!” We...

Noah was not destined to be the father of the Jewish people, nor the founder of our faith. Though the most righteous one in his corrupt generation, he failed to reach out and save human lives besides those of his own family. Thus, the rabbis who were aware of Noah’s...

With the High Holy Days 5776 soon upon us, how reflective of their grateful spirit and challenging thrust is this Parasha! The Israelites are taught that re-entering the Promised Land is more than a physical act. At the core of this great adventure is a spiritual...

We are now near the beginning of our annual rereading of Sefer Devarim, the Book of Deuteronomy. Engaged Jews agree that the Bible presents a clear and distinct message: that there is One God, Creator of all, Who reaches out to all of us, and Who has become known to...

When I lived in Australia I knew a man named Tom. He could be difficult to deal with, but everyone had patience for him because they knew that his shortcomings were not his fault. He had been through the Holocaust. One thing that Tom did that was completely out of...

“…the big and fearful wilderness of fiery snake and scorpion and thirst, where there isn’t any water…” (Deuteronomy 8: 15) “I remember the loving-kindness of your youth, the love of your honeymoon times, when you followed Me in the Wilderness, in a land unsown…” (...

Few Torah readings underscore the limitations of human nature—even those of our greatest leaders—as does Parashat Beha’alotekha (Numbers 8 through 12), read last Shabbat. A literary analysis of chapter 11 especially shows us Moses in all his flawed and very real...

It seems like just yesterday that we were all going to synagogue for Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and all of the holy days associated with that time of year. Now, we are past Pesach, headed towards Shavuos, and starting the book of Bamidbar, the book of Numbers. This...

One of the most difficult things a rabbi or cantor has to do is to look into the eyes of a 12-yearold child and tell him that, because of the bar mitzvah date his parents chose two years earlier, his Torah portion will deal with topics such as scaly white skin...

This year, Passover coincides with the 150th anniversary of the conclusion of the fighting in the American Civil War. The sesquicentennial ought to prompt us to reflect on our dual identity as American Jews, on the high cost of freedom, on the lessons to be learned...

The Torah portion, Parashat Pinchas, refers back to a singular act of zealousness occurring at the end of the previous parasha, that of Balak. After many Israelites had strayed away from the God of Israel and involved themselves in religious rituals of the Moabites,...

WASHINGTON (JTA)—Until recently, I thought of Ruth, the heroine of Shavuot, as a positive role model, a woman who made good choices, was strong and fulfilled. But lately I’ve been focusing on the strange dynamics of what appears to be an unhealthy, possibly abusive,...

FALLS VILLAGE, Conn. (JTA)—Judaism is designed to be a person’s operating system, the platform on which other areas of one’s life functions. But for many Jews, religious practice sits on a shelf alongside theater subscriptions, gym memberships and soccer practice,...

I was recently teaching a class at William and Mary. I asked the students how many days until the end of school. One student immediately yelled out, “23 Days and 12 hours left.” Another student said, “I don’t have to take many finals, so for me it’s only 20 days.” It...

At this sacred season of reconsecration to recollection, we are poised between Yom Ha’Shoah’s monumental burden of sorrow and Yom Ha’ Atzmaout’s transforming joy. We pause at this great twilight oscillating between the helplessness of Yeoush and Hatikvah’s...

For me, it was at summer camp. I was able to find a connection with the divine under the trees and in the hills of Northern California, with other young, liberal Jews. I felt like I belonged; that the universe was safe; that I could touch something almost magical in...

I have a brother who spends an extraordinary amount of time at the Kotel Hamaaravi (the Western Wall). Before he was married he even brought each of his dates to the Kotel. Despite the presence of a Mechitza, my brother managed to make these dates meaningful by...

Rabbi Moshe Alshich (1508– 1593) notes that Mordechai could easily have justified his decision not to bow down to Haman. The king ordered that “the king’s slaves posted at the gate (court) of the king” were to bow down to Haman. Although Mordechai was posted at the...

These weeks, we are reading the Torah portions that narrate the story of the confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh, leading up to the Exodus from Egypt. We are also approaching the annual “Presidents’ Day” celebration. Let’s allow these two realities to speak to...

You are probably familiar with the fact that the Torah contains 613 mitzvot for the Jewish people, but do you know where the first one is? According to the great Torah commentator, Rashi, it’s actually in this week’s parsha. He quotes a midrash by Rabbi Isacc, which...

This Shabbat, throughout the Jewish world we read Parashat Vayyehi, the concluding portion of the Book of Bereshit. However brief it may appear in comparison to other Parashiyot, its importance remains vital to the development of the People of Israel during Biblical...

Chanukah stands out from all other Jewish festivals for many reasons. It is unique in its position as a dated festival; its origins clearly marked in history as the revolt against the Greek Syrian King Antiochus and the victory of the Hasmoneans. The events leading up...

It is my belief that, contrary to popular suspicion, we Jews are looking for much, much longer services. I understand that such a belief seems to smack in the face of common sense. If you were to ask any 10 Jews at random, they would express the opposite opinion, but...

Noah was not destined to be the father of the Jewish people, nor the founder of our faith. Though the most righteous one in his corrupt generation, he failed to reach out and save human lives besides those of his own family. Thus, the rabbis who were aware of Noah’s...

For many years, I enjoyed the Yiddish song, Di Grine Kuzine (The Greenhorn Cousin) without knowing more than the first stanza of the song, and so I misunderstood it completely. Here is the first stanza, in translation: “A girl cousin arrived, a greenhorn, Beautiful as...

My teacher, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, of blessed memory, addressed the issue of Moses’s reticence to accept the mission God wished to entrust to him. It took many days of persuasion at the episode of the burning bush, our sages say, before Moses could be induced to...

The Israelites are taught that re-entering the Promised Land is more than a physical act. At the core of their great adventure is a spiritual drama calling for giving thanks through a heartfelt thanksgiving, to the God who led Israel from diverse confines of Egypt’s...

An end of summer to do list: 1. Put away beach and vacation gear 2. Buy school supplies 3. Plumb the depths of the relationship between your immortal soul and God in hopes of rekindling the spiritual passion in that relationship* 4. Return “summer reading” books to...

We are now in a period of time known as “the three weeks” ( the Yiddish expression, drei vochen, may be familiar to some readers). This refers to the three weeks between the 17th day of the month of Tammuz and the ninth day of the following month, ‘Av. It is a sad...

Sometimes I just don’t understand the reason I’m being asked to do something. My initial reaction is to refuse, at least internally. Why should I do it, if I don’t see the value in its doing? God gave me a discerning mind and free will, so it should be my inalienable...