What’s New?
Each week, as I write this note, I try to say something tied to the weekly Torah reading. On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, I'd like to speak a little bit about Shabbos! Well, not just the theory or regular practice, but a special Shabbos that is planned for October 24-25,...
Every Step Up
This week, the Torah makes us uncomfortable. It tells us something that we don't want to hear: that there are harsh consequences if we turn away from G-d and His Torah. We are His nation, and our lives and successes depend upon remembering this. The Ohr HaChaim...
Chain of Events
The Torah reading begins this week with three seemingly unrelated laws. First it teaches us how an Israelite soldier must conduct himself if, in the course of capturing a city, he is attracted to a captive woman. Then it explains the laws of inheritance if a man has...
Ferguson in the Torah
Over the past few weeks, those reading the news in the United States have been confronted with two entirely different accounts of events in Ferguson, Missouri. In the first version, an unarmed man with his hands up was shot by police. In the second, a large,...
You Gotta Have Faith
Have you ever had something bad happen, and said a quick (or not so quick) prayer? The truth is, it's really not supposed to be that way. [It's not? What do you mean by that?] Let me explain: The Torah tells us that G-d wants to bless us. G-d wants to give us...
Just your everyday Kiddush HaShem
Last night my wife and I celebrated our anniversary in typically Jewish fashion: we went out for Chinese food. Initially we both ordered a dinner special, but in the waitress' presence my wife changed her order to a slightly more expensive option. [For the locals,...
