Rabbi's Weekly Message
Perashat Ki Tesse
Friday, August 28, 2015It has been centuries and millennia that the respect of private property has been a concept accepted by all, legislated and protected. Of course, economic and social philosophies of the last century have eroded such respect and protection; where private property has become the property of the government or the masses. ...
Read more...Perashat Re'eh
Friday, August 14, 2015One of the first precious gifts, and indeed the most precious gift, G-d gave mankind is the ability to choose, named philosophically “Free Will”. It took the world several millennia to discover that indeed a human is endowed with the freedom to choose and decide his or her own destiny. It wasn’t until the classical age of Greece, known erroneously as the ‘Cradle of Democracy’ and ‘Western Civilization’, that this was practiced. I say erroneously, because real Democracy and freedom of choice was not really practiced in classical Greece. Only free, white, intellectual, men were able to choose; women, slaves, peasants and other races and people were not part of the democratic process. ...
Read more...Perashat Ekeb
Friday, August 07, 2015Yesterday, I sent an email to the congregation about an article that tried to marvel at the Jews for their disproportionate high achievement and their contribution to the world. The article also tried to explain such a phenomenon. The Jews represent 0.02% of the world population and 2% of the U.S. population, yet they have made such enormous contribution to the betterment of humanity. ...
Read more...Perashat Vaethanan
Friday, July 31, 2015Nahamu: Memoirs of a Comforting Trip Israel is the only place in the world where the Bible comes alive. As I wrote in last week’s newsletter, I indeed commemorated Tish’a BeAb at the Kotel - the Western Wall together with thousands of other Jews and non-Jews alike. It was a very moving and paradoxical experience at the same time. Rabbis, Government officials, soldiers, students, old and young, men, women and children, Jews and non-Jews, were present as we all marked 1947 years of the destruction of the Temple and the exile of our People from the Land. And yet, Jerusalem is under Jewish sovereignty, the Wall is beautifully illuminated, we are free to enter and exit the area; and those 1947 years passed in front of all of us there, as a ‘blink of an eye’.
Read more...Perashat Debarim
Friday, July 24, 2015Standing on the top mountains of Judea and Samaria seeing the Holy Land from north to south and from east to west, reminds me of the passage where G-d tells Moshe to climb up the mountain Nebo and see the land that “I have given the Children of Israel and you will not go there”. I am sure it was a beautiful sight from Mt. Nebo as it is a beautiful sight from the mountains of Judea and Samaria. The only difference is that, Moshe saw it from outside the Land and we can see it from inside the Land. One may say, that’s not much of a difference since the view is very similar. However, the feeling is different and the sanctity is different. ...
Read more...Perashat Matot-Masei
Friday, July 17, 2015In this week’s perasha, we read about the request made by the two tribes of Reuben and Gad to receive their portion on the eastern side of the Jordan river rather than in Eres Yisrael proper with the rest of the tribes. Initially, Moshe Rabbenu refuses their request, arguing that it is not fair for them to settle this land while the rest of the tribes have not yet conquered the land that they are to receive west of the Jordan river. The tribes of Reuben and Gad counter by promising that they will build pens for their animals and cities for their families and then go out to do battle with the rest of their brethren before returning home to their families on the eastern bank of the Jordan. [Bemidbar 32:16-19] At the end, Moshe Rabbenu did grant their request; however, as Rashi explains [Bemidbar 32:16], Moshe Rabbenu points out to the leaders of Reuben and Gad that their priorities are confused. First, he says, you must take care of your families, and only afterwards tend to your animals. ...
Read more...Perashat Pinhas
Friday, July 10, 2015The famous song “Turn! Turn! Turn!,” released in 1965 by the group The Byrds says: “To everything there is a season, and there is time to every purpose under Heaven”. Of course, this song is based almost word by word on King Solomon Ecclesiastes 3: השמים תחת חפץ לכל ועת זמן לכל – everything has a season, and there is a time for every purpose under Heaven. This also applies to people. We all have our moment and purpose in life. At times we can find our moment early in the early part of our lifetime, and at times we find it later. However, there are also people amongst us who live their entire life and without ever recognizing their moment to shine.
Read more...Perashat Balak
Friday, July 03, 2015So important is the influence of one’s speech that King Solomon, the wisest of men, teaches us that, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” [Prov. 18:21] Indeed, our rabbis teach us that speech is a very powerful thing and that we must use it wisely and carefully. Any misuse can result in sin and severe consequences. Rabbi Y. Frand points out that Perashat Balak contains an incident which teaches us a tremendous ethical lesson in the area of speech. This incident involves the heathen prophet Bil’am, who wielded magical power in the manipulation of his speech. Whoever he blessed was blessed; whoever he cursed was cursed. ...
Read more...Perashat Hukkat
Friday, June 26, 2015In this week's perasha, we read about the sin of Moshe and Aharon at "Mei Merivah" - the "Waters of Strife". Rather than speaking to the rock to provide water to quench the people's thirst, as he was commanded, Moshe Rabbenu struck it instead. As a result, it was decreed that both Moshe and Aharon would perish in the wilderness and not lead the people into the Promised Land. ...
Read more...Perashat Korah
Friday, June 19, 2015Rabbi Yosef Hayim A”H. the head of the Babylonian Jewish community, over 100 years ago, writes, that there are three ways a person can assume a position of leadership. The first is by inheritance. If he is the next in line in a ruling family dynasty, he habitually becomes the next leader. This is usually the way kings and monarch assume the throne. The second is by promises to the populace, during a campaign, of favors and gifts after he is elected. This is usually seen in our modern era, with candidates for President and/or Prime Minister. People look forward to these gifts, favors and influence, as they elect their leader. ...
Read more...Apr 18 2024
Nisan 10 5784