Have you ever fallen in love? You know, the head-over-heels, sweaty palms, heart-pounding, can-think-of-nothing-else kind of love? If you have, it is sadly somewhat likely that you also have fallen […]
Parshas Va’eschanan – Staying in Love Read More »
The Irish-American writer John O’Hara opens his novel Appointment in Samarra with the following passage from British novelist Somerset Maugham: DEATH SPEAKS: There was a merchant in Bagdad who sent his servant
Parshas Vayigash – Fate and Future Read More »
“Let them eat cake!” Popularly attributed to Queen Marie Antoinette, this quote has entered our lexicon to express the callousness and obliviousness of the royalty and upper class to the
Parshas Shoftim – His Royal Lowness Read More »
A corpse. A corpse on Union Street, New Orleans. It is seventeen years later, and I still cannot get the vision out of my mind. In the tragic aftermath of
Parshas Shoftim – Our Brother’s Keeper Read More »
“I don’t care what anyone else thinks, I do what I know is right!” Ever come across someone with this attitude? Have any friends or relatives like that? Strong minded.
Parshas Re’eh – Doing What’s Good and What’s Right Read More »
As someone with a lousy (read: nonexistent) sense of direction, a GPS is one of the best gifts I have ever received. However, even the GPS was no match for
Parshas Re’eh – The Road Not Taken Read More »
“Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it” (Koheles 11:1). In this week’s Torah portion, we find the Jewish people, in their fortieth year
Parshas Chukas – Cast Your Bread Upon the Water Read More »
From the sea they didn’t want to leave, from the mountain they couldn’t get away fast enough. The Torah tells us that after the miraculous splitting of the sea, all
Parshas Beha’alosecha – Value Judgements Read More »
Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.” Rarely is a slogan so well known, yet so profoundly untrue. As recent tragic cases of bullying
Parshas Behar – Sticks ‘n Stones Read More »
What is the most difficult mitzvah in the Torah? Fasting on Yom Kippur? No Oreos for eight days on Passover? No texting for 25 hours on Shabbos? Surprisingly, some commentaries say that
Parshas Emor – Don’t Worry, Be Happy Read More »