Category Sermons

Thoughts on parashat Vayikra 5785.

Moshe was very bothered about the sin he committed, namely, that he didn’t wash his hands and didn’t say a blessing before he ate. So he decided to see his rabbi, to confess the sin hoping that it would make him feel better: “Rabbi, last week Continue Reading

Thoughts on parashat Vayakhel 5785.

When we get to the Torah portions that meticulously lay out all the details of how the Mishkan was built – who among us has not thought – WHY all these details? Because there is a profound meaning behind the details. As always, the devil (in this case God) is in the details. 

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Thoughts on parashat Ki Tisa 5785.

Last Wednesday, after a full day cooking at the synagogue for our Purim dinner, Rivkah, Joyce, Mike, and I decided to go out for dinner. But first, we had to stop by Joyce and Mike’s house, as they were eager to show us the incredible packages filled with homemade hamantaschen they Continue Reading

Thoughts on parashat Bo 5785

There is a talmudic story about a Rabbi who traveled to a foreign city, and asked a little boy what’s the best way to enter that city. 

“Which is the road leading to the city?” asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya of a youngster sitting at a crossroads. “This is the shorter one,” Continue Reading

Thoughts on Parashat Vayechi (and Shemot) 5785

Once, a wise rabbi taught his students about the internal struggle within each person. He said, “Inside every one of us, there are two souls. One soul embodies our desires for anger, jealousy, and negativity. The other soul represents love, compassion, and hope. “ Continue Reading

Thoughts on Parashat Vayigash 5785

A man, very advanced in his age, calls an insurance company and says that he wants to buy insurance. The agent says: “Good, very good, how old are you?” The man says: “I’m a hundred years old.” “100 hundred years old???” – replies the Continue Reading

Thoughts on parashat Re’eh.

A celebrated Orthodox rabbi gets to heaven and an angel takes him to a banquet that has been prepared in his honor. “We will serve you the most tender meat, the juiciest fish, and fragrant wine,” the angel tells him. “But who was the Mashgiach for this meal?” the rabbi asks. Continue Reading

Thoughts on Parashat Nasso.

Why do people need religion and what is it for? From the traditional, moral perspective the main goal of religion is to provide individuals with the fundamental distinction between good and evil, and to teach them what is right and what is wrong. Another goal of religion is to unite social Continue Reading

Thoughts on parashat Beshalach. 

Our tradition does not see the essence of miracles in their supernatural character. This is a Greek/Christian concept that is debated (which does not mean “accepted”) in the rabbinical literature of the Middle Ages, in the writings of philosophers such as Maimonides or Rabbeinu Continue Reading

Thoughts on parashat Shemot. 

Our people in our homeland are suffering. More than half a million Israelis have been displaced since October 7th, being forced to abandon their homes and live in hotels across the country. Some of them were able to return to their homes, some of them are still displaced. Besides more Continue Reading