Here we go again – the call of Gd – go! Where and why? All of us though, somehow hear this call, but do not head it like our father Abraham did. As promised, I am bringing new takes on the Torah to you this year. Today, the d’var comes from Howard Markose, another teacher I…
Category: Torah
The Cycle Continues – Noah / נח
As promised, I am posting the D’var Torah from another teacher, this time Dena Weiss from Mechon Hadar. I hope you enjoy her take on Noah. For me, the eternal question – was Noah a true tzaddik or just better than everyone in that generation, is answered with a strong – true tzaddik! How many times can we stand to…
New Year – New Way of Blogging
Last year, right at the start, I have made a sort-of-promise to write a small something for every Parshah of the year. I did it in memory of my loved ones, and in newly found understanding that some people, actually, are interested in things I have to say, be it Torah, some mini-poetry, or just…
Simchat Torah / שמחת תורה
Holiday time is so busy that I never have time to right, especially that I am really swamped at work. So, again, I resort to someone else’s wisdom that is much deeper than mine, anyway. Below, you will see the D’var from my colleague Dr. Ackerman. I hope you enjoy it and have the best ending…
Roller-Coaster During Yamim Noraim / ימים נוראים
These Days of Awe – ימים נוראים have been very challenging for me so far. Is the Universe trying to tell me something that I refuse to hear? Right after Rosh haShana my body started to give in somehow. Yesterday, I decided to defy the pain and walk to a Community Beit Midrash Kick off at Mechon…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses Ha’azinu / האזינו
This one is a short work week, and with all the holiday cooking and prepping, I do not see a chance for me to write any thoughtful d’var Torah. I have decided to leave you with the words of my colleague, Dr. Ackerman, again, as I don’t think I can say anything better. The only thing…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses Nitzavim-Vayelech / נִצָּבִים-וַיֵּלֶךְ
I am starting this post with tribulation. The reason is that I am not at all sure that the minor event that happened yesterday would be as distressing to my readers as it was to me. I am really curious to see by reactions to this post if I am living in a dreamland, or…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses Re’eh / ראה
This is a Parshah of choices. To go right or left. To live or to die. To walk straight or in curved lines. כו רְאֵה, אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם–הַיּוֹם: בְּרָכָה, וּקְלָלָה. 26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse: כז אֶת-הַבְּרָכָה–אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁמְעוּ, אֶל-מִצְוֹת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם, הַיּוֹם. 27 the blessing, if ye…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses Eikev / עקב
Reading these last parashot of the year, I keep wondering – why did things go wrong after the years of miraculous existence in the desert that should have taught our forefathers all the right things? יב וְהָיָה עֵקֶב תִּשְׁמְעוּן, אֵת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים הָאֵלֶּה, וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם, אֹתָם–וְשָׁמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ, אֶת-הַבְּרִית וְאֶת-הַחֶסֶד, אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע, לַאֲבֹתֶיךָ. 12 And it shall come…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses Vaetchanan / ואתחנן
Fittingly, after the 9 of AV, we are reminded by Moshe Rabbeinu what we have to do in order to stay alive on the “good land”. ו וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם, וַעֲשִׂיתֶם–כִּי הִוא חָכְמַתְכֶם וּבִינַתְכֶם, לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים: אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁמְעוּן, אֵת כָּל-הַחֻקִּים הָאֵלֶּה, וְאָמְרוּ רַק עַם-חָכָם וְנָבוֹן, הַגּוֹי הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה. 6 Observe therefore and do them; for this is your…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses – Matot-Masei / מטות־מסעי
This Shabbat we read the two last Torah portions of the book “Bamidbar / Numbers”. And here’s how they start: ב וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-רָאשֵׁי הַמַּטּוֹת, לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר: זֶה הַדָּבָר, אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה. 2 And Moses spoke unto the heads of the tribes of the children of Israel, saying: This is the thing which the…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses – Pinchas / פינחס
There are plenty of great comments on this Parshah. I am just going to direct you to one of them, from Rabbi Alex Israel. He teaches at Pardes Institute. There are many more if you’d like to read about Pinchas and the census. For me, this Parshah is all about the women, and how they have…
Noshing Across the Nation 