A fancy house… A cool car… Carnal pleasures… An exciting vacation… Designer clothes… The best doctors and hospitals… Power…. Information… Being popular… Admit it – these are all things you desire. And if you don’t, you are in the minority. Listen to the radio or social conversations. Look at any of a multitude of advertising […]
It is a fundamental principle of the Jewish faith that G-d’s constant presence fills all of existence. Whether one prefers the terminology of the Kabbalists that there is “no space void of Him,” of the philosophers who say that G-d is the “First Cause” and “Ongoing Sustainer,” or of the popular children’s song that declares, […]
Moshe (Moses) would have never been elected president. Not only that, he never would have never even gotten a job as a rabbi – he wouldn’t have made it past the search committee. But, that’s OK, because he never would have run for office or applied for these positions. Think about it — what do […]
Question: What do children look forward to most? A) School ; B) Playing at home; or C) A family vacation to Disney World? “Survey says”: C – by a landslide. Another question: During which of the above activities are children most likely to fight, “kvetch,” and complain? The surprising answer to this question is very […]
Wife (calling husband at work): “Hi Honey, I have a great idea. Let’s get a babysitter and go check out that new restaurant tonight. We haven’t been out together in a while.” Husband (barely hearing her): “What did you say? Oh, go out together? Sounds like a good idea, but not tonight, working late.” Child: […]
A corpse. A corpse on Union Street, New Orleans. It is seven years later and I still cannot get the vision out of my mind. In the tragic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the New York Times ran a story about a corpse that remained on the street for days, without anybody giving it much more […]
There is nothing more “treif” (non-kosher) than a pig. Pig has always represented the prototype of impurity, the quintessential “treif” (non-kosher) item. In Hebrew, the very word for pig has become a common epithet used to refer to all repulsive, unwanted items or behaviors – even those having nothing to do with food. Something really […]
The arduous journey was finally nearing its conclusion. The Jewish people had wandered through the desert for forty long years. Years filled with ups and downs, complaints and miracles, awesome accomplishments and tragic disappointments (much like life itself). Through all their tribulations the Jewish people were not alone; G-d provided them with the greatest leaders […]
Lep’er n. One suffering from leprosy; outcast. (Webster’s Dictionary) Webster has it right. Indeed, as our Torah portion tells us (Numbers 4:2), a leper is both one who is suffering from leprosy and an outcast. Unique among other forms of impurity, leprosy causes a person to be sent completely outside the camp[i], all alone and […]
Holy Moses, where did he go? Since arriving on the scene at the beginning of the book of Exodus, Moses (Moshe) has been a ubiquitous character in the Torah narrative; his presence towers over all others like a Colossus. But this week he is gone. Sure his role and influence are hinted at, but in […]