‘CHAEI SARAH’ poses an interesting dichotomy between ‘LIFE’ and ‘DEATH’. The literal translation of the title of this week’s Parsha is: ‘Sarah’s Life’. However, when we begin reading the Parsha, Sarah has already died; and, Abraham, in deep mourning, is searching for a burial place for her. The biblical text moves immediately to Abraham’s next […]

When I was growing up, my neighbor had a beautiful poster hanging in her window.  It said “If you want Peace, Work for Justice.”  Every time I went over to her house I would read it to myself and it became an injunction for the way that I walk through the world.  I believe that […]

This week’s Torah Parsha begins by G-D speaking to Abram, “Go from your land, from your birthplace and from your father’s house to the land which I will show you” There, G-D says, will eventually be a great nation. Abram, his wife, Sarai, and his nephew, Lot, journey to the land of Canaan. Abram builds […]

A considerable amount of time has passed between the introduction of Adam and Eve, and this week’s Parsha. The parsha begins with an instruction to Noah from G-D, “You are the only righteous man in a world consumed by violence and corruption” He tells Noah to build a large wooden ark, claiming that “a great […]

This Parsha begins as Moses continues his last speech before the Israelites. “When you dwell in the promised land, take a selection of the first fruits and bring them to the place G-D chooses for G-D’s Name. With a Priest beside you, make an offering saying: ‘We remember when we were slaves in Egypt. We […]

Taking into account circumstances and life-style in Biblical times, compared to life in the late 1770’s, G-D’s words, warnings, and directives are hauntingly similar to those written in the U.S. constitution and the Bill of Rights. First, G-D instructed every Jewish community to appoint a ‘Judge’, and officials for each tribe. The mission of these […]

The heart of our worship service is our declaration of love and loyalty to the one and unique G-D – – -the prayer that we know as ‘SHEMA’. The first six words are deeply embedded in every Jew’s soul – ‘Here O’ Israel, the Eternal is our G-d; the eternal is one. (1). There are […]

The Parsha, DEVARIM is comprised primarily of a complete repetition of the Torah, spoken by Moses to the Israelites, in the last days before his passing. In fact, the translation of the Hebrew word ‘DEVARIM’ is ‘re-telling’. It is somewhat extraordinary that throughout Moses’ recalling of each event, each commandment, each transgression, and each miracle […]