Coloring in the Lines: Models of Hashgacha Pratis Parshas Pinchas
Last week I decided to mix things up a little bit for the summer, and instead of a classic sermon, I started a three-part mini-series on the topic of suffering in Jewish tradition. As I said then, there are so many misconceptions with terrible ramifications and there’s no better time of the year than the more »
Read MoreThe Fallacy of Happy Endings Parshas Balak
I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first? The truth is, I don’t have either, but I was curious which one you would choose. And that’s because Daniel Pink, in his latest book titled, Now, cites study after study indicating that people like things to finish on more »
Read MoreHumblebrags, Not-So-Humblebrags, and Internal Brags Parshas Korach
The pursuit of honor, in our tradition, traces itself back to the second Biblical tale – that of Cain and Abel; a story that revolves around Kayin’s jealousy of the honor and recognition bestowed upon his younger brother, Hevel. It’s a cautionary tale of how dangerous this quest for honor can be; ultimately it leads more »
Read More#METOO and Faith Yizkor Shavuos
I’d like to begin by reading to you a short piece by Wendy Langer: “My father had been gone for months. Across oceans, I imagined him walking beaches in leather strap sandals, sipping black coffee in a glass, thinking of us when he passed a payphone. He was far away from everything that tied him more »
Read MoreYom Yerushalayim – Transforming Emotion into Action
On May 2nd, Mahmoud Abbas, in a rambling speech, suggested that the Holocaust was caused by the Jewish People; specifically the Jewish money-lenders and bankers, and the Holocaust had nothing to do with the Nazis racial and anti-Semitic views. Talk about blaming the victim. I don’t know about you, but I did not find more »
Read MoreBetween Cheerleaders and Blurred Faces: A Nuanced Look at Chumras Parshas Tazria Metzora
I’d like to begin by reading to you an article from this week’s USA Today: “The Houston Texans aren’t even bothering with the pretense. On their website is a photo gallery of the finalists from last weekend’s cheerleader tryouts, and visitors are encouraged to vote for their favorites. Are these action shots of the women more »
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Individual Greatness Through Community – Parshas Shmini/ Yom HaZikaron/ Yom Ha’atzmaut
In memory of my uncle, Avreimi Motzen, hy’d, a brave soldier taken too early in life, who embodied this idea of individual greatness through community About five years ago, a man by the name Aharon ran the New York City Marathon in four hours, fourteen minutes, and thirty-one seconds. That in it of itself, that’s more »
Read MoreHeaven’s Knocking on Our Door Yizkor Pesach
Exactly two weeks ago, on March 24th, somewhere between 1 and 2 million people nationwide demonstrated in support of tighter gun-control laws. March for our Lives, as the demonstration was named, was unique, not only because of the size of the demonstration; one of the largest in American history, but far more significantly because of more »
Read MoreFixing Things That Aren’t Broken: After the Freedom of Soviet Jewry Parshas Tzav
This past week, Vladimir Putin made news by insinuating that Jews were behind the Russian meddling of the American elections. What did not make the news was that he was also “elected” president of Russia yet again. But we kind of saw that one coming now, didn’t we? There are many Russian Jews who are more »
Read MoreJewish Nationalists and Jewish Globalists Parshas Vayikra
This week, on The Late Show, Stephen Colbert proclaimed himself to be “the one person Donald Trump hasn’t fired”. Of course, Colbert was referring to the recent firing of Rex Tillerson, the man who, if you Google him, still shows up as Secretary of State even though he found out he was fired this week. How did more »
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