[This week was Yahrzeit of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, former Chief Rabbi of England. The Dvar Torah below is based on an article he wrote in 2011]  A Jewish Hero: Dignified and Satisfied Who is the central character of the story of Judaism? In both of the other Abrahamic monotheisms (Christianity or Islam), the answer is […]

Kindness Explained This week’s Parsha begins with the sad tiding of Sara’s death. Abraham goes through a complicated negotiation in order to purchase a burial spot for her as well as delivering a eulogy. The Midrash applies a verse to these kind deeds: He who pursues charity and kindness will find life, charity, and honor. (Proverbs 21:21). […]

Living in a Fishbowl Imagine yourself out of town on business. You want to work out in the local gym but don’t have a membership and they don’t sell one day passes. You might say, “I’d like to ask for a special favor. I’m not a member but could you be kind enough to let […]

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 […]

Imagine yourself out of town on business. You want to work out in the local gym but don’t have a membership and they don’t sell one day passes. You might say, “I’d like to ask for a special favor. I’m not a member but could you be kind enough to let me use the facilities […]

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 […]

A Jewish Hero: Dignified, Satisfied, and Serene One of the most striking features about Judaism in comparison with, say, Christianity or Islam, is that it is impossible to answer the following question: Who is the central character of the drama of faith? In both of the other Abrahamic monotheisms the answer is obvious. In Judaism, […]

One of the most striking features about Judaism in comparison with, say, Christianity or Islam, is that it is impossible to answer the following question: Who is the central character of the drama of faith? In both of the other Abrahamic monotheisms the answer is obvious. In Judaism, it is anything but. Is it Abraham, […]