To Love Fully

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”  How’s that even possible for me to love my neighbor?  I don’t even like him.  I can’t stand his ideas, he talks too much, and his behavior is embarrassing.  Love him?  No way.  At best, maybe I can force a smile when he comes around. …

Jews Don’t Pray

The AlephBeta Academy presents “If God Knows All, Why Do We Pray?” an entertaining video course with Rabbi David Aaron.

Rabbi Aaron suggests that Jews don’t pray because PRAYER involves begging with the goal of changing God’s mind.

Moving from the Oy to the Joy of Being Jewish

Rabbi Aaron shares more of his life story with Yehezkel Lang on Meir TV. A ticket to Israel boosted his spiritual journey and landed him across the desk from a Rosh Yeshiva who refused to speak with him until he cut his huge red afro!  After complying he was still pushed away, fought back and went from one yeshiva to another trying to find the right fit while challenging authority.

He describes a fascinating encounter with Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, as well as being exposed to a variety of spiritual tastes ranging from intellectual, to emotional, spiritual or Zionistic and from knitted to black velvet kippah, black hats and striemels. Continue reading“Moving from the Oy to the Joy of Being Jewish”

Is God a Man?

One day my son and two daughters burst into my study. They had obviously been fighting over something and were very upset. I could see that I was chosen to be the lucky arbitrator to resolve another case of sibling rivalry. They shouted at each other, “You go, you ask …