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…
Rabbi Adrian Michael Schell
Proudly Jewish - Proudly Progressive
Rabbi Adrian Michael Schell
Proudly Jewish - Proudly Progressive
Category Torah
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Parashat Naso: May God bless you and keep you
Our Torah portion for this week is the source of the so-called “Birkat Kohanim” – the priestly blessing: “May God bless you and keep you, may God’s face shine upon you and be gracious to you, may God lift up…
Shavuot: Reaffirm the covenant
It is a mitzvah to reaffirm the covenant on Shavuot. Through the reading of the Ten Commandments at services, which recalls the establishment of the covenant and the contemplation of the importance of Torah and its lifelong study, (talmud-Torah), we renew…
Parashat Bechukotai – I will look with favour upon you
Chaverim, friends It has taken the orthodox community in Johannesburg almost 3 ½ years to realise that Bet David has an openly gay rabbi. To be honest, I am not so sure if this news went around earlier, but to…