Ready for the Super Bowl
When I saw the headline for the article on Torah.org, "Murder and the Super Bowl," I knew I had to have a look. The article is by Rabbi Yisroel Ciner, whom I've known for many years, long before he became Rabbi of Beth Jacob Congregation in Irvine, CA. And with such a...
And Yisro Heard
If everyone heard, what was unique about Yisro? Why does the Torah say that he heard, implying everyone else did not?
Changing the Times
From the entire Book of Genesis, we learn only three Commandments: be fruitful and multiply, circumcision, and to not eat the sinew in the thigh (the same touched by the angel that fought with Ya'akov). The first Commandment given to the nascent Jewish nation, under...
Pharoah and the Jews: a Case Study in Anti-Semitism
It’s possible to read the story of the Exodus repeatedly, yet fail to notice: the same lies that Pharoah told about the Jews over 3300 years ago are the same ones circulated today.
A Labor of Love
In this week's reading, Yaakov parcels out blessings to his sons, based upon his prophetic understanding of their futures. He describes Yissachar as a strong-boned donkey, who saw that "rest" was good, yet "bent his shoulder to bear, and became a servant to tasks"...
Leaving Our Land
Even as belief in the G-d of the Jews has spread around the world, other nations still regard the Jews as a different people. Whether given welcome or oppressed, we are different. And to that extent, we are not truly home in any other land. The brothers tell us: we must always look forward to going home.
