“These are the appointed holidays of G-d, holy convocations, which you are to proclaim in their appointed times.” — Lev. 23.4 Henny Youngman, the comedian, once said, “I tried being an atheist, but I gave it up. There were no holidays.” What is a holiday really about? Is it the same …
After reading this essay, you’ll never look at yourself — or others — the same way again. The actor Kirk Douglas once told me that when people compliment him on a performance, they often tell him how great he was at losing himself in the part. “You just became Vincent …
The Jewish Sages gave a spiritual rather than physiological explanation for the disease tsara’as (generally translated as “leprosy”) which affected not only the body but also clothing and the walls of houses. According to one source several sins could possible be the cause: R. Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of …
The first man and woman ate fruits and vegetables—not animals—in the Garden of Eden. It was only later, after the Flood during the time of Noah, that G-d allowed mankind to eat meat. We cannot understand the exact connection between the sins of mankind and the subsequent permission to eat …
Psalm 34 reads, “Taste and see that God is good.” We taste and see God through faith, or what in Hebrew we call emunah. Emunahis not blind faith, indeed it is just the opposite. Most people consider faith a blind, irrational acceptance of unknowable, unprovable religious dogmas. But included in the definition …
Passover commemorates the miraculous exodus of the Jews from Egypt. After 210 years of oppression and cruel servitude, an entire people leave in astounding record time, faster than it takes dough to leaven into bread. We celebrate this event with a festive meal and ceremony called the Seder, during which …
How much of a sacrifice is a sacrifice? When any person of you brings a sacrificial offering to the Lord —– Leviticus 1:2 Take pleasure G-d, our Lord, in Your nation Israel and their prayers; And return the [sacrificial] service to the chamber of Your house and may the fire of …
Passover celebrates the getting out of Egypt as an event greater than just a political emancipation of the Jewish people. It was a spiritual transformation. The Jews were not only physically enslaved but also spiritually enmeshed in Egyptian culture. Egypt was the epitome of egotism and haughtiness. But in truth …
When Moses went up the mountain to receive the Commandments written in stone by G-d the Israelites impatiently waited below. Based on their miscalculation of time Moses seemed to delay in returning and the people panicked. Before Moses came down from Mt. Sinai G-d told him that the Jewish people …
In this week’s Torah Portion we are commanded to bring pure oil to the tabernacle to light the Menorah (candelabra). “And you (Moses) shall command the children of Israel, that they bring to you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.” (Exodus 27:20) The …