The Talmud teaches that King Solomon wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes after he saw prophetically that his kingdom and the Temple that he worked so hard to build would be destroyed. Imagine what a devastating realization that must have been to know that what you invested your entire life will …
The name in the Torah that has been translated as G-d or Lord is Adonai. The word Adonai means “Master.” In Jewish law, whatever a servant owns actually belongs to his master; the servant has no possessions whatsoever. This law also governs our spirituality: G-d is our Master, and in essence we own …
Jealousy, that dragon which slays love under the pretence of keeping it alive.–Havelock Ellis In this week’s Torah portion Korach, a member of Moses’ tribe the Levites and other communal leaders challenge Moses’s leadership and the appointment of priesthood to Moses’ brother Aaron. Motivated by envy toward Moses and Aaron they …
“And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will …
Once upon a time, when my son Nuriel was five years old, he asked me: “Where is God?” I told him that God is everywhere. He, however, insisted that I was wrong, and that God was up there in heaven. So I then asked him, “Where are we?” That was …
The LORD spoke to Moses in the Tent of Meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt. He said: “Take a census of the whole community of Israel by their families and households, …
After the miraculous Exodus from Egypt, the Jewish people traveled in the desert for 49 days until they reached Mount Sinai on the 6th day of the Hebrew month of Sivan. There they experienced the ultimate revelation and communion with Hashem. They encountered Hashem face to face, heard the voice …
Some years ago, a friend of mine asked me if I could spend some time preparing his son for his Bar Mitzvah. Now quite frankly, teaching thirteen-year-olds is not my forte; I love them but I am a teacher of adults. Still, my friend asked, so I agreed. I sat …
“These are the appointed holidays of G-d, holy convocations, which you are to proclaim in their appointed times.” — Lev. 23.4 Henny Youngman, the comedian, once said, “I tried being an atheist, but I gave it up. There were no holidays.” What is a holiday really about? Is it the …
After reading this article, you’ll never look at yourself — or others — the same way again. The actor Kirk Douglas, z”l, once told me that when people compliment him on a performance, they often tell him how great he was at losing himself in the part. “You just became …