Grabbing Hands

Grabbing Hands

Last November, the doors of an armored truck popped open as it was traveling on a San Diego freeway, dumping bags of cash onto the road. Traffic came to a halt as eager drivers abandoned their cars to scoop up the “free” money. Many handed in their...
Making the Days Count

Making the Days Count

In this week’s reading, we learn a Mitzvah pertaining to the current time period on the Jewish calendar: the Counting of the Omer. After bringing a special offering of an Omer (sheaf) of grain on the second day of the Passover holiday, the Torah commands,...
Love Humans. Dogs Are Too Easy.

Love Humans. Dogs Are Too Easy.

An old Jewish man was shipwrecked on a desert island, and rescued after many long years. His rescuers were surprised he was able to survive all alone for that long. “How did you manage?” they asked. “I lived on fish and berries”, he explained,...
Lawfully Good

Lawfully Good

What does it mean to live life to its fullest? Do you imagine reading a storybook with your (grand)children, vacationing on the Mediterranean, or sky diving? It obviously depends upon whom you ask, but these answers share one thing in common – the freedom to...
In Every Generation, Including Today’s

In Every Generation, Including Today’s

“In every generation they stand against us to destroy us, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, saves us from their hands.” These words from the Passover Haggadah are as true today as they were when written, well over a millennium ago. They are also why...
It’s That Time of Year Again!

It’s That Time of Year Again!

As we mentioned last week, the spiritual disease called “Tzaraas” shows itself as a physical blemish on the body and one’s clothing. The Torah reading this week describes how it might even afflict the walls of a house. The process for diagnosis and...