In every generation, one must see oneself as if one had personally experienced the Exodus from Egypt. As it is written: “You shall speak to your children on that day, saying, this is how the Holy Blessed One redeemed me from Egypt. Isn’t it puzzling that despite the horrors and hardship of slavery, the children of Israel weren’t eager to
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If Yom HaKippurim is about connecting with our souls through structural purity, then the revelation of Purim is about connecting with our souls through disorganized, messy mundane experiences!
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Jerusalem isn’t just the physical entity of a city. Jerusalem is a concept that evokes our spiritual aspiration for unity. In Tisha B’Av, as we commemorate the destruction of the Earthly Jerusalem, we also recognize the beginning of a spiritual exile. Through the text we connect with the tears of our ancestors, weeping by the waters of Babylon and yearning
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It is the 6th day of B’nai Israel’s journey toward freedom. Just three days ago Pharaoh finally understood that they weren’t coming back, and now he is chasing them. And this chase is not a benevolent one; 600 chariots and many many men of the infantry are coming after them. The noises of the approaching Egyptian army become closer and
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In the world of Torah we often talk about the distinction between blessing and curse, between good and evil, between Yetzer Hatov – good inclinations, and Yetzer Hara – bad inclinations. Sometimes we tend to think that that’s the nature of our choices: there are good choices and bad choices. But that dichotomy knows nothing about Starbucks’ Tall, Grande and
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This week we read Parashat Bamidbar. Bamidbar is the first Torah portion and the name of the 4th book of the Torah. Bamidbar literally means in the wilderness, however its English name is The Book of Numbers. These two names are almost opposite sides of the same coin. Bamidbar, the wilderness, is the symbol of transition and confusion and on
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Today I want to talk to you about polishing our souls. And you’ll probably say – wait a minute! My soul is just brilliant! This is not for me! So let me tell you something about the nature of our souls. They are the shining light and the most powerful element of our existence. But at the same time,
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…“Regrets, I’ve had a few But then again, too few to mention I did what I had to do And saw it through without exemption”… If you have no regrets obviously you haven’t had a Jewish Mother, or you haven’t heard about Teshuva… How often do you hear people saying, I have no regrets…. I am done! I
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I once heard the following story… It was one of those years when baseball’s World Series coincided with Yom Kippur. A man, a good Jew was having a serious spiritual crisis about the issue. So he went to his rabbi and said, “I know that Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year and that the Kol Nidrei prayer
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Today I want to talk to you about Joy as a spiritual practice. Let’s start with a story. A man walks into a shoe store, and a friendly sales clerk approaches him. “What can I do for you today, sir?” “I’d like a pair of black shoes like the ones in the window.” “Certainly, sir. Let’s see, you must
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Po Ve Sham 