Nitzavim-Vayailech 5774

by | Sep 18, 2014

Modesty, humility, propriety of manner, love of fellow Jew these are the links which form the chain of protection which stands between us and the forces of evil which surrounds us.

“Achdut” (Unity) is predicated on being physically together in Hashem’s Holy Land. Without that “togetherness”, all the platitudes of love and unity and even financial help cannot forge the integrity of being “one” which is necessary for the sacred coalition of Am Yisrael.

As stated by the illustrious Hillel, the principle of “Love thy fellow Jew as yourself” is the basis of Judaism. For just as a parent wishes that his children live in peace and harmony, so too does our Father-in- Heaven seek the peace and unity of His children – Am Yisrael.

Surrounding Eretz Yisrael are myriads of God’s angels protecting His children in the Holy Land.

Ki Tavo 5774

by | Sep 11, 2014

The Days of Awe are quickly approaching. It is that time when we must begin to appraise, consider, measure, judge and list our actions and thoughts of the past year(s).

If I may draw upon my own experience, I can say that the “mother of all sins” – and the prime mover of all others – is “rosh katan” the opposite of “rosh gadol”.

“Rosh katan” is a narrow, restricted state of mind when a Jew negates his eternal and unique spiritual status as was revealed to us by HaShem at Mount Sinai, and seeks to draw closer to foreign cultures and nullifies his historical mission of “tikun olam” – universal reformation.

Rosh katan is illustrated in a short Yiddish story by Y.L. Peretz called Bonche Shveig – Bonche the silent.

Ki Taitzai 5774

by | Sep 3, 2014

Our parasha opens with Am Yisrael’s army’s stunning defeat over the enemy. Soldiers even have the opportunity to consider such peacetime matters as marriage to enemy women.

In contrast, parashat Be’ha’alotcha (Book of Bamidbar) discusses a war which is going very badly, and the Torah directs the kohanim to sound the cha’tzotrot (silver trumpets) as an appeal to HaShem for help. Wherein lies the difference between a clear defeat of the enemy in our parsha and a possible loss of the war in parshat Be’ha’alotcha?

Shoftim 5774

by | Aug 27, 2014

Elul, the last month of this year 5774, begins this week. Elul begins a period of introspection lasting through Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur and Shemini Atzeret, when we contemplate the deeds we performed or refrained from doing, in the passing year.

It is also a time to deliberate what the near or far future may or may not hold. Where are we heading as individuals? What might prevail in one’s region of the planet and the state of the world?

The following are some scenarios regarding what we might be experiencing in the near future, based on our holy Jewish sources.

Re’eh 5774

by | Aug 20, 2014

Our parasha begins with Moshe dictating to the nation the very first mitzva that they will be obligated to perform upon their immediate arrival in the Holy Land – the blessings recited when facing Mount Gerizim and the curses when facing Mount Eival – surrounding the city of Shechem.

From the alternatives of blessing vs. curse, it appears that in HaShem’s world there is no third way. There is either “drive” or “reverse,” but no “neutral” state for one to enjoy a respite from the Torah’s requirements. And indeed that is the reality of being a Jew; at any given moment one is either spiritually in ascent or in a spiritual down slope.

This extreme condition is the unavoidable consequence of another verse in the parasha…