Rooftop Reflections
I remember the day I turned twenty years old. In Jewish thought, turning twenty is very significant because it is only at the age of twenty that we become fully responsible for our actions. Though girls and boys become Jewish adults at the ages of 12 and 13...
Journey to True Self: Abram’s Divine Directive
The Bible is the word of God. Because it is His word, no word in the Bible is extra or insignificant. In fact, when we pay close attention to words that seem insignificant or extraneous, we usually find that it is precisely in these words where the deepest lessons lie...
Haazinu – Seeing God in the Study of History
Almost the entirety of this week’s Torah portion is a poem that Moses spoke to the nation of Israel in the final days of his life. Opening with the words, “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth” (Deut. 32:1), Moses lays out...
Bridging Humanity and the Divine
Imagine yourself standing on a at Rosh Hanikra, a coastal region in the northern Israel where the sea meets the mountains. As you peer out over the Mediterranean Sea, the rhythmic waves crash into the rocks, each wave stronger and more intense than the last. This...
Echoes of Liberty: The Message of the Shofar
When I was ten years old, we took a drive from New Jersey to Baltimore. Along the way, we made a short stop in Philadelphia where we decided to explore Independence Hall, the US Mint, and, finally, the Liberty Bell. As we approached the iconic, cracked bell, I...Related Content
The Call of the Shofar: From Creation to Redemption
The Portion of Pinchas (Numbers 25:10-30:1)
The Portion of Behar (Leviticus 25:1-26:2)
A Little-Known Holiday With a Big Message
Interest Free Loans: A Family Matter
Redeeming the Land: Preparing the Foundations of the Messiah
Slavery: the Mitzvah that Brings the Final Redemption
Jubilee: Free to Celebrate the Glory of God
Shemittah: Putting Your Trust in God
