Rabbi’s Torah Commentary

We live in such a transient world. The days when most people lived in their ancestral towns for multiple generations are gone. People live in communities for an average of 5-8 years. A Facebook poll asked the question, “How many different cities have lived in over the course of your life.” I was shocked to […]

According to the Torah this week, the tribes will prepare for entry into the land by getting their “ducks in order.” The tribes line up on the slopes of Mt Gerizim and Mt Eval. Gerizim represents the blessings in life. Eval represents the challenges and transgressions. We walk between these two realms; equilibrium is the […]

Every year, as we get to this week’s Torah portion, I get the feeling as though Moses knew he was running out of time (or scroll space). It’s kind of like writing a letter and you have five lines more to say, but only one line of space to write. Ki Taetzae contains more Mitzvot […]

I came across a story that screamed to be shared: A notoriously stingy man took a lot of heat from his local community. Not just the clergy, but his neighbors urged him to see the pain and devastation people all around him experience. He needed to get involved and help. He would feel good for […]

Prophecy is. Prophecy is how God speaks to the world. Prophecy is supposed to help us see the errors in our ways and compel us to repent and return. Prophecy is supposed to remind us that we have a sacred commitment to each other. Prophecy is supposed to teach us that we fail God when […]

One day, a young lady brought her boyfriend home to meet her parents. After a lovely dinner, dad asks to speak with the young man. “So what are your plans?” the father asks the young man. “I am a Teacher,” he replies. “A teacher? Hmmm,” the father says. “Admirable, but how will you provide a […]

I got to see an old friend this week. We go back over 30 years. We chased tornadoes, studied, laughed, and of all my Rabbinical friends, he is closest. I presided over his wedding. I drove 6 hours down and back in one day for his son’s covenanting ceremony. He helped me bury my first […]

48 years ago, I ascended the pulpit to celebrate my Bar Mitzvah. Candidly, I was not a very good student, and but for the tenacity, patience, and love of Dr. Graziani (my tutor), the day would have been a disaster. I learned the bare minimum to cover the required prayers and texts for the day […]

Tradition has it that Torah provides us with 613 mitzvot (commonly translated as commandments). The representative “10 Commandments” serve only to symbolize the moral commitment necessary to honor our relationships with God and each other. Of course, the 613 are largely symbolic, as well. A document like the Torah that is open for interpretation of […]

We live in two worlds. Physically, we exist in the material world, that is. Spiritually, we seek to live in a world of peace and righteous justice for which we pray. The reality of this dualism stands firm, transcends religion, and speaks to the yearning of every heart’s truth. In our world, we live in […]