Category Sermons
Thoughts on parashat Shoftim.
You shall appoint magistrates and officials for your tribes, in all the settlements that your God יהוה is giving you, and they shall govern the people with due justice. (Deuteronomy 16:18, the first verse of parashat Shoftim)
There are three classical theories of truth that also define
Thoughts on Parashat Va’etchanan.
What are mitzvot/commandments? The word commandment has many synonyms, such as command, recommendation, indication, regulation, guideline, order, norm, imperative, rule, instruction, directive… Using these synonyms, we can say that commandments are certain directives that
Thoughts on parashat D’varim.
One of the oldest philosophical problems is the dispute over the so-called human nature. The notion of nature within this context is synonymous with the notion of essence (vis-à-vis the concept of
Thoughts on parashat Masei.
Masei (“Travels”), typically read together with the preceding parasha ‘Matot’, is the final Torah portion in the Book of Numbers. It opens with a recollection of the places where the Israelites encamped in the desert; later God commands the Israelites to abide by the laws of the
Thoughts on parashat Pinchas.
How should we deal with evil? Should we fight back, respond with a poker face or should we demonstrate proper behavior and do the evildoer a good deed in hopes that he will become aware of the wickedness of his behavior and will return to the right path? The answers to these questions
Thoughts on parashat Chukat.
“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world,” said Ludwig Wittgenstein, an Austrian-British philosopher of Jewish origin. Very true: it is often the case that we cannot truly understand a phenomenon until we have a linguistic representation.
Thoughts on parashat Korach.
This week’s Torah portion includes one of those not entirely clear stories, which are typically difficult to translate into modern language and modern mentality – the story of Korach and his dissent:
Now Korah, son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi,
Thoughts on parashat Shelach.
Our Torah portion for this week tells us a story of 12 spies sent by Moses to investigate the Promised land before conquering it. They return forty days later, carrying a huge cluster of grapes, a pomegranate and a fig, to report on a lush and bountiful land. But ten of the spies warn that
Thoughts on parashat Beha’alotcha.
As the old joke goes, “Ask two Jews, you will get three opinions!”. Indeed, Judaism is a religion of intellectual pluralism and it itself resists monolithic interpretations in almost any area of human life and spirituality. Our religion
Thoughts on parashat Nasso.
One of the fundamental philosophical and at the same time practical problems underlying all religions is how to control things that are beyond our control. Therefore, throughout history intoxicants received religious, and often legal attention. One of
About Rabbi Cantor Menachem Mirski, Ph.D.
Rabbi Menachem Mirski was born and raised in Poland, where he was a musician, a scholar, and active in helping revive the Jewish community in Poland. While still in Poland, he trained and worked as a hazzan, leading weekly services. He is an accomplished musician, performing in the klezmer scene in Europe and America for well over a decade. At the same time, he earned a Ph.D. in philosophy from the Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin, Poland. His dissertation was on Jewish Theological Responses to the Holocaust.
Rabbi Mirski’s scholarly pursuits inspire his congregation to delve deeper into Jewish religious concepts and their faith. His passion lies in unlocking the timeless wisdom of Torah and traditional rabbinic teachings to tackle today’s cultural, philosophical, and social challenges. With his gentle and welcoming demeanor, Rabbi Mirski embodies a deep commitment to fostering a tight-knit community and nurturing genuine bonds.
Contact:
Menachem@MenachemMirski.com
(424) 522-9438
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