One of the puzzling incidents in the Purim story is Esther’s asking King Achashverosh to invite Haman, the arch enemy of the Jews, to a banquet. Ostensibly, she asked for a party so that she could plead with the king to have the decree against the Jews rescinded, but why would she invite the anti-Semite […]

The Torah reading this week gives the instructions for building the Mishkan (Tabernacle), a portable synagogue in the midst of the desert; it was the place where the Almighty’s Presence would rest wherever the Jews happened to be. They took it with them throughout their 40 year stay in the desert and rebuilt it in […]

Linguists are at a loss to find an origin for the word “bribe.” It is first used in 14th century old French but it means “steal.” By mid-15th century its meaning had shifted to “gift given to influence corruptly.” No one knows where “bribe” came from or how it ultimately came to have the meaning we use […]

From the time we are children until we reach old age, freedom is something we all desire. Small children want the freedom to go to sleep when they want to as well as choosing their diet, i.e. mostly junk food. Teenagers complain there are too many rules at home and school; middle aged people talk […]

How should we react when we see or hear of our enemy’s demise? Thousands of years ago King Solomon advised:Do not rejoice at your enemy’s downfall, and when he stumbles let your heart not be joyous, lest the G-d see and be displeased and turn back His anger from him [to you] (Proverbs 24:17-18).This statement tells us […]

One of the great consequences of the Jews being liberated from Egypt was that they would now be able to make decisions. A slave’s life is dictated by his master-when to eat, sleep, work, where to work, and everything else in the day is determined by the master. The Hebrew month of Nissan, the month […]

Imagine if you were miraculously given superhuman power and had the ability to confront an evil monarch, someone who has persecuted, oppressed and murdered tens of thousands of people. How would you approach him? Would you address him in a respectful way or would speak in an insulting and degrading fashion? Whether it was Ivan […]

If you want to know how power effects even our most mundane choices, you need go no further than the “Cookie Monster Study,” done by Dr. Dacher Keltner, professor of psychology at Berkeley. Here’s how he describes it. We bring three people to the lab, and we randomly assign one person to the role of leader. […]

Jacob is on his deathbed and is ready to give his final blessings to his children and grandchildren. When Joseph brings his two sons (i.e. Jacob’s grandsons) for a blessing, Jacob makes the following cryptic remark.And now, your two sons who were born to you in the land of Egypt, until I came to you, […]

Ad Vingerhoets is a professor of psychology at Tilburg University in the Netherlands. The thing that makes him unique is that he is an expert on crying and has spent over twenty years “studying when and why we cry, and how the study of crying may help us obtain better insight into human nature.” According […]

Joseph was asked to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams but then offered him the advice.So now, let Pharaoh seek out an understanding and wise man and appoint him over the land of Egypt. (41:33)This is strange; Joseph was asked to interpret Pharaoh’s dream but no one for his opinion about what to do about the interpretation. Why did […]

How do you deal with the ethical challenges in your life?       ·         Should I take home some office supplies from the school I work at; no one will miss them?       ·         Should I be faithful in my marriage even though my spouse really irritates me or should have an affair with someone at work who understands me?       ·         Should I take […]

 If you’ve never heard of the Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, don’t feel bad, he’s not the Rembrandt of this generation. But this past weekend, he created a work for art elites from all over the world who converged on Miami for Art Basel, a global platform connecting collectors, galleries, and artists. Cattelan went to a […]

After Jacob married Leah, she had three sons. When she gave birth to her forth, she called him Yehuda (Judah), which is derived from the Hebrew word “thanks.”And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time, I will thank G-d. Therefore, she named him Yehuda… (Gen. 29:35).Leah was a prophetess and knew […]

Finally, after much hardship, Isaac and Rebecca were expecting a child. Just as Isaac had been transmitting Abraham’s teachings, ideas so profound that they would eventually lead to the creation of the Jewish people. The expectation was that Isaac and Rebecca’s child would be the next one to carry the torch. As such, Rebecca was […]

Abraham had a faithful assistant, Eliezer, who was so competent and trustworthy that he was put in charge of every aspect of Abraham’s household and possessions, and was the only one Abraham could trust to find a spouse for Isaac. Eliezer asks for Divine assistance in this endeavor.And he said, “G-d of my master Abraham, […]

Imagine a high school Physics student winning a national competition enabling him to work alongside Arthur Ashkin, last year’s winner of the Noble Prize in Fphysics. Ashkin tells him that he wants to slow down the electric current in a circuit but then instructs him to increase the voltage in the circuit. This student knows one of […]

Perhaps the most significant existential question ever asked has been, what am I doing here; what significance does my life have? Even if you don’t want to confront this question, it will pursue you throughout life. Did you ever look up from your desk and say, “what am I doing? Does my life have any purpose? […]

Rabbi O’s Weekly: Noach (Genesis 6:9-11:32)Lessons from the Ark and Broken Windows Although the story of Noah and the Ark is one of the most famous in the Bible, for many their first exposure to it was as a child. Most people don’t think it’s important enough to go back and view it as an adult. But this […]

Disclaimer: The essay below presents a Jewish perspective on the age-old subject of marriage. Although that word has become shrouded in controversy affecting politics, religion, economics, psychology, and sociology, since time immemorial Judaism has addressed this topic. The goal here is to show depth and understanding into some of the ancient wisdom as it relates […]

Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: V’zot HaBracha[This Sunday night begins the final days of the holiday season (Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur,Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, Simchat Torah. As such, I have included two different essays; the first is on Ecclesiastes, second from the weekly Parsha, which will be read in Simchat Torah. Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) is a biblical book setting forth King […]

One of the most basic foundations of Judaism is expressed in this week’s Parsha. It is the idea that G-d’s judgements are just.   The Rock [G-d] — perfect is His work, for all His paths are justice… (32:4)This concept is mentioned in the Jewish mourning process when the mourners are required to recite the verse above at […]

 The last mitzvah in the Torah is that every one of us should write-or commission someone to write-a Sefer Torah, a Torah scroll. The purpose is not nostalgia; the Torah scroll is to be used (not only) to learn from, but it will also serve as the primary text Jewish people should be taught. One might […]

 Behold, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil…(Deut. 30:15)Doing good is a choice, but it is not limited to acts of beneficence, it also means that you see the good in your life. Health, family, friendships, sustenance and so many other blessings that many people overlook. We choose whether we […]

Imagine a society whose entire economy revolved around agriculture; what would you do when, after months of hard work, you saw a tiny bud sprouting from your fig tree? It’s not enough just to be happy, we Jews are enjoined to connect with other farmers who have first fruits and travel with them to Jerusalem. […]

An eye-opening article in The Atlantic (September, 2017), Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation, profiles post-Millennials – teens who grew up from an early age with smartphones and tablets constantly present in their lives. It notes how smartphones have led teens to live a more isolated life than any previous generation. Instead of having to worry about teens staying out […]

If someone informed you that you missed a lecture about organic chemistry, you probably wouldn’t have thought you missed anything because the subject matter doesn’t interest you (i.e. if you are like most people). However, if an iconic actor, athlete, or politician, was giving a sold out talk your city and you were not able […]

For a seven-day period you will celebrate before Hashem, your    G-d… for Hashem, your G-d, will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, and you will have nothing but joy.(Deut. 6:15)Are the words “you will have nothing but joy” a commandment? Rashi says no, rather they are […]

There seems to be a very fine line between manipulation and persuasion. Manipulation is generally perceived in a negative light whereas persuasion can sometimes be viewed in a positive, or at least neutral, way. However, both involve convincing someone of something. Ultimately, what is the difference between manipulation and persuasion? Manipulation involves deliberately attempting to […]

We begin the Torah’s final book this week, and it begins by citing the places the Jews traveled in the desert since leaving Egypt. Moses uses the opportunity to give veiled words of soft rebuke to the people. The following verse, relating the incident of the spies, is an example, but it’s not clear exactly […]