How to Deal with an Unmanageable Life The Parsha begins with the Almighty telling Moses that He is the same G-d Who appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that He has heard the cries of His persecuted nation and is aware of His covenant with them. Therefore say to the Children of Israel, “I am […]
Messages from 2021
Imagine a U.S. army General telling a soldier on kitchen duty he would like to speak with him after dinner about an important covert mission. Would this soldier need permission from his Sergeant? Whether it is the head football coach changing a play or a CEO overruling a district manager, all understand that no permission […]
Discovering Your Inner Youth It is the end of an era. Jacob has finally been reunited with his beloved Joseph and he lives the final seventeen years of his life in peace, surrounded by children and grandchildren. Joseph had two sons in Egypt and now Jacob, soon to die, talks to Joseph about them. Now, […]
I am Joseph; is my father still alive? (Genesis 45:3)These words are the climax of one of the Torah’s most dramatic stories. Joseph, the second most powerful person in Egypt, reveals his identity to his unsuspecting brothers. Question: Why did he wait 22 years before telling his father (Jacob) that he was safe and thriving in […]
Eric A. Kimmel’s book Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, is a Chanukah favorite for many children; here’s a brief summary.Hershel, a wandering Jew, wanders upon a Jewish village on Chanukah and notices that no one is lighting Chanukah candles. The villagers explain to him that a group of goblins have been tormenting the village during the Chanukah […]
Pharaoh had two disturbing dreams, neither of which could be explained by anyone in his court. Pharaoh’s wine steward had seen Joseph’s ability to explain dreams when the two were cell mates in prison. He suggested that Joseph, a young Hebrew slave, might be able to explain Pharaoh’s disturbing dreams. Desperate for a suitable interpretation, […]
Do you know anyone with these challenges? 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 that piece of cake […]
How to Deal with Anti-Semitic Supermodels (Introduction: After living with his deceitful father-in-law for twenty years, Jacob decided to depart with his family. He was informed that his brother—Esav—was on route with 400 to kill him.) If you were Jacob, what would you do when hearing about the impending danger? He did three things. 1) He […]
And these are the generations of Isaac the son of Abraham; Abraham begot Isaac. (Genesis 25:19)For the past three weeks, the main character in each Parsha has been Abraham. This week, Isaac hits center stage but his appearance is enigmatic. Our first exposure to Isaac’s world is framed by his being the son of Abraham. Both […]
This week’s Torah portion finds Abraham summoning his trusted servant Eliezer to look for a wife for Isaac. This is actually a spiritual matter because Abraham realized that his son would be the one to carry on his teaching of what ultimately would be his greatest gift to the world, ethical monotheism. Not only was Eliezer the […]
Question: Who is the oldest person in the Bible to have been circumcised and how old was he? Answer: Abraham was 99 years old when he circumcised himself. Even though he was in a lot of pain, he was distressed that no visitors were coming his way. Finally, he noticed three people at the entrance […]
Perhaps the most significant existential question ever asked has been, what am I doing here; what significance does my life have? It will pursue you throughout life even if you don’t want to confront it. Did you ever look up from your desk and say, “what am I doing? Does my life have any purpose? I’m going […]
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 story is anything but simple; it contains profound, timeless […]
Introduction: Cain and Abel were sons of Adam and Eve. Each son brought an offering. Cain’s offering, which was from inferior produce, wasn’t accepted by G-d; Abel’s offering was.) Cain was upset at being rejected; G-d asked, …why are you so angry and why has your face fallen? If you improve yourself, you will be forgiven. But if you will […]
And the sons of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab…. (34:8)The men mourned when Moses died but when his older brother, Aaron, died sometime before that, the entire house of Israel cried over his loss, then, everyone, both men and women, mourned his loss. This Parsha occupies itself with the praise of Moses, and […]
One of the most basic foundations of Judaism is expressed in this week’s Parsha. It is the idea that G-d’s judgments 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 […]
Rabbi O’s Weekly: Yom Kippur 5782-2021Why is it So Hard to Change? For Jews, this is the season we talk about repentance. Although that word might entail negative connotations, it is derived from the Latin, and literally means regret. Most people, honest people, look back at their day, week, month, year, or life with some level of regret. […]
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 will feel entitled or blessed. An extreme example of how we choose to […]
In the past, Jewish farmers would bring their harvest’s first fruits to Jerusalem. They would travel there with other farmers, led by oxen whose horns had been coated in gold adorned with olive branches placed on their heads. Flutes musically accompanied the procession; they would travel for only two-thirds of the day, which allowed others […]
When you go out to war against your enemies… (Deut. 21:10)This week’s Parsha begins with various laws concerning warfare. However, our sages tell us that the opening verse hints at another type of war; the war we have with our internal selves. In Judaism it’s called the Yetzer Hara (the evil inclination), our internal negative […]
I don’t think anyone reading this is acquainted with a man or woman who built a pillar and then worshipped it. It might have been common in the ancient world but how is this relevant for a 21st century Jew? Here’s one application important for us. And you shall not erect for yourself a pillar, which […]
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 a promise for those […]
Consider the following:“Clean up the mess you made” (i.e., you made the mess, now clean it up). “Go find the keys that you lost” (i.e., you lost the keys, now go and find them). “Fix the window you broke.” (i.e., you broke the window, now go and fix it). “Throw out the food you burned.” (i.e., you burned […]
The Talmud relates that one day Choni HaMagel (1st century BCE) was traveling on the road when he encountered a man planting a carob tree. How long does it take for this tree to bear fruit? Seventy years. Are you certain that you will live another seventy years? I found ready grown carob trees in the world; as my forefathers planted […]
Jerry Lewis was a 20th century Jewish comedian. During the taping of the last episode of his (about to be cancelled) show, he quoted an old Jewish saying his mother had taught him, gam zu l’tovah, “this too is for the best” (lit. good). The first verse in this week’s Torah portion mentions a hint of the […]
The following incident about the unique training required by the Army’s most elite special forces unit was recorded by Eric Haney in his book Inside Delta Force.I had covered just slightly over thirty miles by now, but still had more than twenty to go. It was getting more and more difficult to do speed computations in […]
When Moses asked G-d to appoint a successor, the Midrash says that G-d answered Before you command Me concerning My children, command My children concerning Me. Moses proceeded to command the Jewish people concerning the laws of the daily and holiday sacrifices. What quality must a Jewish leader possess? When the Jewish people feared that Moses would not […]
He perceived no iniquity in Jacob, and saw no perversity in Israel” (23:21)The Hebrew word amal, translated here as “perversity,” has a second meaning, “toil.” It is an expression for work, especially laborious and exhausting work. Ohr HaChaim (1696-1743) uses this translation to give a unique interpretation to Balaam’s words: “He saw no exhaustion in Israel.” Balaam perceived that […]
There is a belief that the reason why men typically have messier living spaces than women is because men don’t see the same mess that women do. Men and women can look at the same home and the men can conclude that it is messy and the women won’t. A studyconducted almost two years ago debunked that […]
(Imagine) If Warren Buffet befriended you and wanted to live near you, and he gifted you a few acres of land in Omaha, committed to building a house for you, and cover whatever expenses necessary to get you there. You went to check the property and found there were people living there who refused to […]