Rabbi’s Torah Commentary

The legal definition of slander is different that the spiritual one. At law, slander is telling a lie about someone else. The court assesses liability and damages commensurate with the loss that the victim experienced. Truth is an absolute defense to the charge. In the faith world, “evil speech” (lashon ha-rah) refers to sharing information, […]

Today is Black Friday! You are getting this commentary at 50% off its retail price. I do not like this day. Yesterday, we in America gave thanks for all of the blessings in our lives. We are, or should be thankful for where we live, with whom we live, and for all that we have. […]

I spent the first part of this week with a crew from Monmouth Reform Temple in South Carolina helping a church and some families recover from Hurricane Florence. The devastation was horrific. The areas in which we worked are forgotten areas. Over the course of several hurricanes that caused torrential river flooding, people lost everything. […]

The world exists on the foundation of dualities. Even while most of the time we live somewhere in between the extremes, we know that for every yin there is a yang. Granted, the yin and yang are themselves fluid, but as opposing concepts, humanity accepts them and works from there. Many will argue that we […]

Before embarking on a Torah conversation, I want to thank MRT for sponsoring the amazing vigil on Monday night. Between those seated, standing (in and outside of the sanctuary/social hall) and live streamed, I am told that we touched over 1000 lives that night. The evening was awe inspiring and we are truly blessed to […]

This week’s portion always makes me cringe. From Abraham’s circumcision recovery, the death of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the binding of Isaac, this is just a physically and emotionally painful portion. Anytime I can look at this text and see something unique and healing … it is a good thing! So, trying not to rehash […]

Just verses before this Torah portion begins, we meet Avram (later known as Avraham) for the very first time. His father took him and his wife Sarai (later Sarah) and the rest of the family and settled in Haran. Now, we meet a 75-year-old Avram who has no children, as his wife is, at this […]

With the storms that have crashed through the Carolinas and the Gulf Coast, I am tempted to write about the power of water and the line between devastation and renewal it negotiates. I would have to launch a conversation on Climate Change, environmentalism, and all things earthy. As I sat down to outline this conversation, […]

Order from nothingness. The literal text tells us that God created the world ex nihilo – out of nothing. Well, not quite nothing. Our morning liturgy reminds us that “God spoke and the world came into being.” Something had to exist for God’s command to have mattered. I can command the cake to bake, but […]

I wonder what it is like to be homeless? No, I am not wanting to experience it that closely. I do, however, need to experience some piece of it, for how else will I ever know how to help someone who knows homelessness intimately? We have to experience what people in need experience before we can […]