This Motzai Shabbat we begin the recitation of Selichot in order to prepare ourselves to meet the Master of the Universe on Rosh Hashana. As such, it is no mere metaphor that the initial pasukim of … more

The moment had come. Moses was about to die. He had seen his sister Miriam and brother Aaron pre-decease him. He had prayed to G-d — not to live forever, not even to live longer, but simply, … more

Our parasha contains two terms that are found nowhere else in Tanach, namely, he’e’marta and he’e’mircha : “Today you have declared allegiance ( he’e’marta ) … more

In our parsha, Ki Savo, we find Moshe being repetitive with his goodbyes. Which seems excessive. At the end of chapter 26, he tells the people, “God is commanding you to keep the laws. … more

O ne reason religion has survived in the modern world despite four centuries of secularization is that it answers the three questions every reflective human being will ask at some time in his or her … more

One of the major shul-based practices of the month of Elul is listening to the clarion call of the shofar following the recitation of Psalm 27, “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” … more

As we merited to walk our second child, our oldest son Yonatan, down the aisle to his chuppah, people stood and clapped and smiled and laughed, Yonatan’s smile light up his entire face, my wife … more

There is a phrase that one hears quite commonly nowadays: “It is what it is.” There is something that has always disturbed me about that phrase. It seems to be stating that things … more

Ki Seitzei is about relationships — between men and women, parents and children, employers and employees, lenders and borrowers. Strikingly, though, it is also about relationships between … more

It is one of the most important words in Judaism, and also one of the least understood. Its two most famous occurrences are in last week’s parsha and this week’s: “Hear O … more