Tag Torah sparks by Rabbi Schell

Reading Parashat Chukkat, we engage ourselves quite often in the discussion of Moses’ big mistake which resulted in God’s severe punishment. Why is he prohibited to enter the promised land, why can’t he enjoy the fruits of his hard work?…

I think it’s fair to say that just about everybody knows that the Israelites were condemned to wander in the wilderness for forty years – a biblical generation. But what led to it, is less well known. This week’s parashah—Sh’lach…

The news on Sunday was shocking, confusing, and unspeakably tragic. What in God’s name is happening in this, our world? Last week Tel Aviv, this Sunday Orlando, and next week …? There is so much pain. In thousands of places…

Once upon a time there was a king who had a wonderful and very large palace. The palace was decorated so beautifully that it took people’s breath away when they entered. There was, however, one very long and wide hall…

After several chapters about purity and the sacrificial system, our Torah portion “Behar”,  feels  necessary to refer back once again to the time of the revelation of the Torah.  This chapter appears as if it is an afterthought, something that…

A teacher asks his student, “What is the essence of the Shabbat?” She responds, “The essence of Shabbat is that it is a sign of God’s creation of all things in seven days.” “No,” the teacher responds, “that is not…

The word kadosh is usually translated as “holy,” as in the Holy Land, the Holy of Holies, the Holy Ark, and the High Holy Days. Three times a day, in the K’dushah part of the Amidah, the standing prayer, we…

After the successful registration last weekend, campaigning has returned to South Africa. And, as a result, it is inevitable that there will be debates about race, empowerment of different classes and the status of foreigners in South Africa. Once again,…