Peaceful, Pleasurable and Cleansing
(Torah Portion Bamidbar) Peaceful, Pleasurable and Cleansing Greetings from the Holy City of Jerusalem! Malki and I are here celebrating the wedding of Doni Kandel and Chava Rutta. Chava is the daughter of our dear friends Richie and Julie Rutta. Shavuos – Wednesday & Thursday May 15th & 16th 2013 As we are entering the …
Am I Dreaming?
(Torah Portion Naso) Was I Dreaming? On our recent flight back from Israel we were seated in front of a group of 13 years olds who were coming back from a two-week, school sponsored trip to Israel. When the stewardess was handing out the customs forms to be filled out, one of the chaperones instructed …
The Car is Back
(Torah Portion Behaloscha) The Car is Back! I recently came across an amazing story: A man in Israel had just purchased a new car and on Friday night, just after the onset of the Shabbat, he noticed that the car had been stolen. Although he was upset, it was the Shabbat and he decided to …
Self Esteem
(Torah Portion Shlach) Self Esteem! I saw a cute cartoon depicting a mouse sitting in front of a computer screen while navigating with a ‘mouse’ in the shape of a human being. In this week’s Parsha, the Torah tells us that the Jews sent twelve men into the Land of Israel to spy on the …
Rosh Chodesh Prayers!
(Torah Portion Korach) Rosh Chodesh Prayers! Rosh Chodesh Tamuz is this Shabbat and Sunday. There are a few adjustments to the prayers when Rosh Chodesh is observed on a weekday, such as: We insert the prayer of Yaleh V’yavo in all three daily Amidah prayers; the prayer of Hallel is recited; the additional Rosh Chodesh …
Ancestry
(Torah Portion Balak) Esteemed Ancestry A few years ago a lovely couple, Max and Susan Fleischman, began attending a weekly Torah class that I present at Elan Gardens, a wonderful assisted living facility in Clarks Summit, PA. During one of the classes I asked the participants to share with us their Jewish names. When I …
Crumpled $100 Bill
(Torah Portion Chukas) Crumpled $100 Bill A speaker, standing in front of an audience, took out a $100 bill and asked, “Would anyone here throw this out?” The answer was of course a resounding, “No.” He then folded the bill and asked the same question. The response was the same. He folded it over again, …
Personalities
(Torah Portion Pinchos) Personalities There is something eye-catching in this week’s portion. It incorporates many names of leaders and personalities. We will take a look into some of them and attempt to gain understanding, insight, inspiration and a personal application. The title of this week’s portion is Pinchos, who was a grandson of Aaron the …
Flying Men
(Torah Portion Matos/Masai) Flying Men G-d invested Bilaam, a non-Jew, with the level of prophetic abilities akin to our leader Moshe, so that the nations of the world would not state that, “Had we had someone like Moshe, perhaps we would have accepted the Torah, or would have made better moral and ethical choices.” G-d …
