Category: Articles

Purim celebrates the salvation of the Jews from the wicked Haman’s scheme to exterminate all the Jewish men, women, and children living in the Persian Empire in the year 357 B.C.E., which essentially meant all the Jews in the world. Some of the commandments of Purim, such as hearing Megillat Esther, which recounts the Purim story, and enjoying a festive meal, are obvious ways to commemorate this deliverance.

Other commandments and customs have no apparent connection to what happened on Purim. Why are we required to give charity to the poor, send two food items to a friend, and get so drunk that we do not know the difference between Haman, the villain, and Mordechai, the righteous hero of the story? (This last commandment, I understand, is very rigorously kept in college dorms all year round.)

There are times when we are simply exploring the philosophical meaning of pain. And then there are times when we are personally in pain and struggling to understand why. When we are merely discussing pain then we can find a philosophical understanding of pain. But when we are in pain, we must accept that there really are no satisfactory answers.

According to Jewish Tradition, as soon as the Hebrew month of Adar begins we must increase our joy because the miracle of the Purim Story happened on that month. Purim celebrates the salvation of the Jews in the year 357 BCE from the wicked Haman’s scheme to exterminate all the Jewish men, women and children living in the Persian Empire, which meant all the Jews in the world at that time. In the Purim story, however, there were no miraculous divine interventions. There were no supernatural plagues and no splitting of any seas. In fact, G-d’s name is not even mentioned once in the entire Purim story recorded in the Book of Esther (Megillat Esther).

“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. …

One of the most important lessons of the Torah is that each and every one of us has a Divine purpose and mission on earth. There is a universal mission that we are all obligated in. However, there is also a unique mission for every nation — United States, England, …

Life is an endless journey. And it is really all about the journey. There’s so much life and value in the process, so much growth and awareness in the journey, as difficult as it may sometimes be. It’s all about improving, building, and accomplishing. It doesn’t always seem so wonderful. …

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 …

Latkes, jelly donuts, dreidel and lighting Chanukiot are fun and often become the central focus during the holiday of Chanukah, but don’t forget to Light up YOU!