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…
Tag: blood
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses – Achrei Mot-Kedoshim – אחרי מות־קדשים
So, this is it. Two parashiot that are read this Shabbat in Diaspora mark the end of the year since my father’s passing. I don’t have the words to talk about this, so I am going to talk about the words in the text that resonate with me, and with this event – a turning point of sorts…
Freedom!?!
Freedom! I don’t really want you I don’t really need you Yet, I’ve chosen you. Freedom from the pain Freedom from the sadness Freedom from the doubt Freedom from illusion Freedom from the mockery of LOVE. Free to make decisions Free to go or stay Free to cry whenever Free to die or not. I…
A Few Verses Before Passover
Just a few verses combining the events of the day. The life of this world never seizes to amaze, both in good and bad ways. Oh Egypt, “how the mighty has fallen”! Egypt, the giant of old With your gold and your gems, with you valley of kings Where does your golden queen cry…
Shakespeare in my Heart
Today, when the world, the weather, and my soul are squeezed with pain and cold, I am reminded of my favorite Shakespeare sonnet. I would say it myself, but why? He wrote it so much better I could ever do. I would only add the word “blood” in every line of his, though: Tir’d with…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses – Lech Lecha
There are two very significant points for me in this week’s Parshah לֶךְ-לְךָ Lech Lecha. First comes from an amazing shiur of Rabbi Sacks, the former Chief Rabbi of Great Britain. He argues that if we look closer at the text of the previous Parshah: וַיִּקַּח תֶּרַח אֶת-אַבְרָם בְּנוֹ, וְאֶת-לוֹט בֶּן-הָרָן בֶּן-בְּנוֹ, וְאֵת שָׂרַי כַּלָּתוֹ, אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָם בְּנוֹ;…
