Rabbi's Message

When speaking of lighting the candles in the Temple, the Torah uses an unusual euphemism. Rather than saying lighting the candles, it speaks of raising the candles. Rashi offers two interpretations. (A) Hold the torch to the wick until the flame rises on its own, and only then do you remove the torch.(B) Rise by stepping up on a stool to light the candles. At first glance, these translations are not related. Both are true. There was a stool in front of the candelabra on which

In this week’s Torah portion, we read about the priestly blessing. G-d designates the kohanim (priests) to be blessers of the Jewish people. They wash their hands in the ritual manner, remove their shoes, stand before the congregation, spread their arms forward, and interlock their fingers. They wrap their heads in a prayer shawl and act as G-d’s channel of blessings to the Jewish people. They begin by reciting a blessing thanking G-d for the privilege of conveying His blessi

Every year, we read a Torah portion called Bamidbar—in the desert—on the Shabbat before Shavuot. This portion describes the census of the Jews in the desert. Just as we count forty-nine days and then celebrate Shavuot, so should we read about the counting of the Jews and then celebrate Shavuot. This explanation seems random: We match one count to another and merge them into a pre-Shavuot cholent? There must be a deeper message here that underscores the festival of Shavuot. Th

On Friday, May 16, Jews around the world will celebrate Lag Ba’omer. Lag Ba’omer is a joyous day. In Israel, thousands flock to Miron, the burial site of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, the second-century Talmudic sage who passed away on this day. Rabbi Shimon was the first to publicize and record the teachings of Jewish mysticism. He enlightened the Jewish soul during a tumultuous time of distress, darkness, and suffering. To commemorate his light, we light bonfires on this night,

In this week’s Torah portion, we learn about the high priest entering the Holy of Holies on the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur, to secure forgiveness for the nation. How could one person’s entry into a sacred chamber atone for everyone’s sins? To answer this question, we must explore the secret of the Holy of Holies. What was it like inside? How did it feel to enter? What impact did entering have on the high priest, and how did it affect others? In the Womb There was a r

The weeks leading up to Passover were incredibly hectic for me, and I didn’t have time to follow the news. Several weeks in, I realized that I was much more relaxed as a result. The news cycle is so filled with negativity that it seeps into our bones and mindset. Living in a bubble was an exquisite relief. I am not just talking about the terrible news surrounding Israel over the last year and a half. I am also talking about the toxic atmosphere of the political culture. The o

Insects churn their legs with astonishing speed. Their unique respiratory system delivers oxygen to their limbs efficiently, allowing them to move quickly. They are also very well coordinated, allowing them to alternate between swinging their legs and standing still. Yet, they barely make headway. Aunts must take hundreds of steps to traverse the distance a human can cover in a single step.[1] The Exodus and The Insect Judaism’s dietary laws generally forbid insects. Beetles,

The Shabbat before Passover is called Shabbat Hagadol, the great Shabbat. There are several reasons for this moniker, primarily that a...

This week’s Torah portion is all about sacrifices. The Hebrew word for sacrifice is korban, which means closeness. There are two ways to view an offering: (a) something I give up for G-d, (b) something that draws me close to G-d. The question is what religious worship means to you. When you give up a night out with friends to celebrate Shabbat, did you lose a night out with friends, or did you draw closer to G-d? The bottom line depends on whether you think of yourself or G-d

The Torah portion we read this week is Pekudei, which means accounting. In it, Moses accounts for every donation collected for the Tabernacle and lists them in precise detail. This got me thinking about the accounting we must make every so often to clear up unsettled issues. I am talking about a specific kind of issue—not just pleas for forgiveness we never made or insults we never took back. I am talking about things we should have said that we left unsaid or air we should h

The Megillah tells the story of King Ahasuerus, who could not sleep in the middle of the night. He asked his servants to read the palace...

This week, we read about the vestments worn by the priests and high priests. An elegant tunic, topped by a flowing robe with golden...

G-d instructed Moses to convene a team of superior artisans to lead a team to build the Tabernacle. Though the leaders were superior...

17 Shevat                February 15, 2025 Our sages were fence builders—not in the conventional sense, but metaphorically. The Torah...

In this Torah portion, the Jews made one of history’s most dramatic and romantic statements. When G-d split the Red Sea, they were...

As the hostages return home, they revel in their freedom, but at some point, they will ask themselves why they were liberated. What is...

In a small village in Lithuania, a young boy named Berel received a bicycle as a gift. Berel loved his bike and drove it every day,...

Jacob summoned his son Joseph to his deathbed to share last-minute blessings and instructions. The last agenda item was to grant Joseph’s...

Let me begin by pointing out how profound this Mitzvah is. Abraham was visited by G-d Himself when the angels showed up. Abraham did not...

Jokes about confession abound, but confession is no laughing matter. Judaism takes confession seriously, especially on Yom Kippur.