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

As a parent, grandparent, and psychologist, I am often considered to be something of an expert on parenting and child-rearing. In that capacity, I have frequently been asked to review or give an … more

Our parasha contains a phrase that is found in the first bracha of the Shemoneh Esrei: “God your Lord is the ultimate Supreme Being and the highest possible Authority. Great, mighty and … more

The first chapter and a half that begins Parshat Eikev contains what we might describe as the opposite formula of the “Tokhachot/Rebukes” that appear in Bechukotai and Ki Tavo. In those … more

Talmud Bavli, Baba Batra 14b-15b, teaches that the Tanach was written by a community of writers. While the entire Torah is Torat Moshe, Sefer Devarim stands out most prominently as Moshe’s … more