Rabbi’s Blog
A weekly message from Rabbi Cantor Menachem Mirski, Ph.D.

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The Master and his Slave

Thoughts on Parashat Mishpatim

The Torah portion for this week begins with a code of law which regulates social relations. The first part of this code (Ex 21:1-11) deals with slavery. As we know, this institution existed in ancient Israel, just like in other ancient states and cultures. However, slavery in Israel was not “absolute”. A slave had his inviolable rights. Continue Reading

Religiousness in a Dialogue with Reason

Thoughts on Parashat Yitro

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In this week’s Torah portion we find the story of Moses’ father-in-law, Yitro, who after having heard about everything that God has done for Moses and the Israelites by bringing them out of Egypt decides to join Moses and the people of Israel. So he comes to the desert along with Continue Reading

Religiousness in a Dialogue with Reason

Thoughts on Parasha Yitro

In this week’s Torah portion we find the story of Moses’ father-in-law, Yitro, who after having heard about everything that God has done for Moses and the Israelites by bringing them out of Egypt decides to join Moses and the people of Israel. So he comes to the desert along with Moses’ wife and two sons whom Moses has previously sent away Continue Reading

Our take on Dos Kelbl

The Duty of Shabbat

Thoughts on Parasha Bo

It happened in the spring of 1997 or 1998. Back then I was a student at one of the technical secondary schools in Przemyśl. In the summer semester we had a so called “vocational apprenticeship”: instead of going to school, we’d spend one month in one of the local production plants. The production plant we had our apprenticeship in hired several Continue Reading

Meaning as an Organizing Structure

Thoughts of parashat Vayigash

We live in an age of many different and often conflicting narratives. All the different worldviews can be easily pitted against each other, with a promotion of “the only right one”, in order to wage yet another ideological war. One can also go in a different direction: from the fact that there is a multitude of narratives, one may conclude that Continue Reading

A Few Words About Hierarchy

Thoughts on Parashat Miketz

In last week’s Torah portion we read about the dramatic events of Joseph’s life. After he was sold by his brothers to Egypt as a slave he became a servant of Pharaoh’s official – Potiphar. He made Joseph the administrator of his home, entrusting him with all his property. Soon after, Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him. When he refused, Continue Reading

The Humiliation of Joseph

Thoughts on Parashat Vayeshev

The Torah portion for this week starts with the story of Jacob settling in Hebron with his twelve sons. His favorite son is seventeen-year-old Joseph, with whom his brothers are jealous for the preferential treatment he receives from his father. To make matters worse, Joseph relates to his brothers two of his dreams which foretell that he is destined Continue Reading

On (Divine) Protection

Thoughts on Parashat Vayetze

The Torah portion for this week starts with the story in which Jacob leaves his hometown of Beersheba and journeys to Charan, a major ancient city in Upper Mesopotamia (today’s southeastern Turkey.) On this supposedly pretty long journey he encounters a certain place and sleeps there dreaming of a ladder connecting heaven and earth with angels Continue Reading

To Speak Your Mind or Not

Thoughts on Parashat Vayera

The Torah portion this week contains only great and famous stories, including the story of Abraham interceding for Sodom and Gomorrah, their destruction, the story of Lot and his daughters. Then we return to Abraham again, this time he is in Geraar where he tells King Abimelech that Sara, his wife, is his sister. Our portion of the Torah also includes Continue Reading