Category: Torah
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Shabbat Vayeitzei: If – Then – Else
A joke is told about the New York man driving around desperately seeking a parking place. He can’t find one, and so in desperation, he says, “Oh God I pray that you give me a parking space, if you give me a parking space then I promise to go to synagogue every Shabbat, I promise…
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Two Cities—two lessons—one people
This Shabbat we learn of two cities and two lessons. Each of these cities offers us a value and a cautionary note. We relearn these values and we recall their accompanying cautionary notes.The first city is from the Torah portion. It is Hebron. In this week’s Torah portion Sarah dies at the age of 127…
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Mishkan ha Nefesh: A dwelling place for our souls
Chaverim,This is not the first time, I have mentioned it, but I think it is still exciting news. Together with our sister congregations in South Africa we will embark on a new spiritual journey, introducing a new prayer book for the High Holy Days: Mishkan HaNefesh. The new Machzor will be a valuable tool for…
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Noach—a righteous man?!
Noach, the central figure of this week’s parshah, is a bit of a conundrum. On one hand, he is described as ‘a righteous man, blameless in his generation’ (Gen. 6: 9), but on the other hand, when told by God that every living thing on earth is about to be wiped out in a huge…
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A holy chutzpah – reflections on Yom Kippur and Sukkot
According to the Jewish tradition, the period of repentance continues after Yom Kippur until the end of Sukkot. These days may continue to be an opportunity for reflection, but these final days of the holidays are days of celebration. Though none of us know what our fates hold for us, we act as if the…
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Parashat Ki Tavo: Past, present and future
In Ki Tavo the Israelites are commanded to bring their first fruits as an offering: “When you come into the land that the Eternal your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it, you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the…
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Mitzvah School—Igniting the potential in everyone
Our Parasha for this week directs our attention on building a just society with a strong and independent judicial structure. While last week’s parasha called us to have mercy and compassion for those of our society who are less fortunate, this week’s message is that mercy misapplied can be just as tyrannical as overzealous justice.…
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Welcome to the new Israeli Ambassador
This week we, the Jewish community in South Africa, welcomed the new Israeli Ambassador to South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mauritius, Lior Keinman and his Family into our happy, sometimes a bit difficult Diaspora community. At an event, hosted by the South African Friends for Israel, I had the pleasure to meet him for the…
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The upswing of hope—Shabbat Nachamu and Tu b’Av
This Shabbat is also called Shabbat Nachamu— Shabbat of consolation. Last week Tuesday we commemorated the 9th of Av, the 9th day of the Hebrew Month Av, which is considered the most sad day in Jewish history. It is something like the black Friday for us Jews, and most tragic events in our history have…
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Parashat Devarim: And charge the people as follows
“Then the Eternal said to me: You have been skirting this hill country long enough; now turn north. And charge the people as follows: You will be passing through the territory of your kinsmen, the descendants of Esau, who live in Se-ir. Although they will be afraid of you, be very careful not to start a fight…
