The Torah records that Bilaam, one of our arch enemies, intended to curse the Jewish people but ended up blessing them saying, “Verily, a people that will dwell alone; not recognized among the nations.” Loneliness is a blessing. From the very inception of our nationhood, the Jews have stood alone, …
The Talmud teaches that King Solomon wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes after he saw prophetically that his kingdom and the Temple that he worked so hard to build would be destroyed. Imagine what a devastating realization that must have been to know that what you invested your entire life will …
The name in the Torah that has been translated as G-d or Lord is Adonai. The word Adonai means “Master.” In Jewish law, whatever a servant owns actually belongs to his master; the servant has no possessions whatsoever. This law also governs our spirituality: G-d is our Master, and in …
In this week’s Torah portion Korach, a member of Moses’ tribe the Levites and other communal leaders challenge Moses’s leadership and the appointment of priesthood to Moses’ brother Aaron. Motivated by envy toward Moses and Aaron they argue for equality. We are all holy. How can there be a hierarchy …
The original destination of the Israelites when they escaped their slave masters in Egypt was the Promised Land. The funny thing, though, is that when they were about to get there, they started to have second thoughts. They sent in a group of spies to check it out. This group …
“And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will …
Is the story of life a monologue, where the G-d is like an author talking in many different voices to Himself through us, His characters, and our lives are totally determined? Or is the story of life a dialogue, where we the characters interact with G-d the author and contribute …
The great Chassidic Master Rabbi Nachman of Breslov taught that a person has to be careful to always see the good in her/himself. If you are feeling plagued with low self, doubting your self worth then you need to remind yourself that you are a soul, nothing less than a manifestation of …
God does not expect us to be perfect. If we were perfect, we would not have received the Torah. I will share with you a very strange story from the Talmud. The Sages encoded deep ideas into such stories. This story conveys a profound truth about who we are, what …
“V’liYerushalayim Irecha b’rachamim tashuv,” (And to Jerusalem, Your city, may You return in compassion), “v’tishkon b’tochah ca’asher Dibarta” (and dwell therein as You spoke of). “U’vnei otah b’karov b’yameinu binyan olam” (And build it, soon in our days, into an eternal building). “V’kisei David, maheira l’tochah tachin” (And the throne …