Category: Rabbinic Thoughts
-
The vulnerability of our own existence
Chaverim, At no other time of the year are we more exposed to the vulnerability of our own existence in this world as we are during in this season of the High Holy Days. It seems that our holy texts paint an image where we are unimportant figures in a game far bigger than us.…
-
These I remember …
Chaverim,In our journey of the High Holy Days, our tradition invites us not only to find our inner selves, but also to deepen our conection with those who lived before us and prepared this path for us. Our forebears are many, and their contributions are uncountable. May we find meaning in their acts and the…
-
Avinu Malkeinu
Chaverim,Tisha B‘Av marked a turning point in our preparations towards the High Holy Days. The days of rebuke and warning are replaced by those of comfort and love. God is not only the judge, assessing our short comings, but also the parent, helping us to grow and to overcome fear and hopelessness. The following prayer…
-
Let there be light
This week, South Africa celebrated Mandela Day in honour of a man who undoubtly was a light for this nation, and also a light to the nations. Our Jewish tradition teaches us that striving for justice and equality is the foundation for tikun olam, but also that we have to open our hearts and souls…
-
HAKARAT HATOV: RECOGNIZING THE GOOD
We loved.And we wept.We were kind—and spoke thoughtfully.We were faithful and trusting.We put forth effort.We were mindful.We embraced.We took delight in the holy books.We were creative.And we yearned.We fought for justice—and searched out the good.We tried our best.And we were attentive.We did what You commanded us to do.We found meaning in Torah.And, most of the…
-
Your book of life
YOUR BOOK OF LIFE doesn’t begin … on Rosh HaShanah. It began when you were born. Some of the chapters were written by other people: your parents, siblings, and teachers. Parts of your book were crafted out of experiences you had because of other people’s decisions: where you lived, what schools you went to, what your…
-
Parashat Chukat: For a future with new hopes and dreams
This Torah portion records Miriam’s death in one simple verse, “Miriam died there and was buried there.” Unlike the 30-day mourning period for her brother Aaron, who dies later in the same Torah portion, neither her brothers nor the community formally observe Miriam’s death; even though the Torah declares Miriam a “prophet,” a designation never…
-
Parashat Korach: It is not about what we are, but what we can become
The revolt in the Israelite camp reached its climax at a mass meeting of the rebels. The majority of the speakers were from the tribe of Reuben. In their so-far sharpest attack, the rebels questioned Moses and Aaron and held them guilty for unlawful appropriation of power and severe mismanagement. They called for an immediate…
-
Big Ideas of our Parasha „Sh‘lach Lecha“
God needs us to discover things on our own. This is why the portion begins with the words shelah lecha-literally, send them to spy on the land “for your own sake.” It would not have been enough for God to simply describe the Promised Land to Moses. God needed Moses and the people to directly…
-
Parashat Beha’alotecha: Mind your words
Wherever we go in today’s society, we are bombarded by ads about what we should and should not be putting in our mouths. The ads tells us to eat this so that we can lose weight; to not eat that because it could raise our cholesterol; and we constantly hear promises of how ingesting a…
