by Mordechai Dixler | Dec 6, 2019 | Lifeline
Jacob, fleeing from the threat of his brother Esau, was alone in the desert, homeless and penniless. That night he slept on the desert floor, and when he awoke he prayed to G-d for safety and his basic necessities. His simple prayer ended with the pledge “All...
by Mordechai Dixler | Nov 28, 2019 | Lifeline
I have never been to an engagement party, a wedding, or even a birthday party that didn’t have refreshments, if not a full course meal. What’s a party without food and drinks? Of course, the reason for this staple of merriment is that the hosts of the...
by Mordechai Dixler | Nov 21, 2019 | Lifeline
The benefits of having good neighbors are well known. A good neighbor will keep an eye on your house when you’re away, take in your mail, water your plants, and feed your fish. Good neighbors will watch out for you, greet you on your walk around the block, and...
by Mordechai Dixler | Nov 7, 2019 | Lifeline
In this week’s reading, Abraham is called an Ivri, a Hebrew, for the first time. “And it was told to Abraham, the Hebrew… (Genesis 14:13).” What is the meaning of this word Ivri, one of the most common descriptors of the Jews? An Ivri, simply,...
by Mordechai Dixler | Oct 31, 2019 | Lifeline
At the end of last week’s portion, Bereishis, we were introduced to Noah, the one man who found G-d’s favor in the debased generation of the flood. This week the portion opens, “These are the children of Noah” — but the Torah then...
by Mordechai Dixler | Oct 24, 2019 | Lifeline
When I finish a book, I most often have little desire to read it again. I even feel somewhat relieved that I’ve made it through the few hundred pages, even if I enjoyed the journey. It is rare to find a book so rich with ideas or intriguing characters that I...
