ב"ה
Behar-Bechukotai 5770 - May 7, 2010
Parshah
Disguised Blessings
When G-d communicates with us from a place closer to His essence, we don’t understand Him clearly. Was that a hug? ’Cause it felt like a slap in the face . . .
When G-d communicates with us from a place closer to His essence, we don’t understand Him clearly. Was that a hug? ’Cause it felt like a slap in the face . . .
The Sabbatical Year: Six Reasons
Six reasons for the Sabbatical year: The soil, a macro-Shabbat, making up for six years of Shabbats, a lesson in faith and humility, unity, and liberation.
Six reasons for the Sabbatical year: The soil, a macro-Shabbat, making up for six years of Shabbats, a lesson in faith and humility, unity, and liberation.
It IS His Business
What is the greater wonder—G‑d’s ability to perform miracles, or our ability to trust in them?
What is the greater wonder—G‑d’s ability to perform miracles, or our ability to trust in them?
Because It Is There
Granted, Mount Sinai was no Everest. But G-d was coming down all the way from the heavens—couldn’t He have descended another few thousand feet, instead of making an octogenarian sage climb a mountainside?
Granted, Mount Sinai was no Everest. But G-d was coming down all the way from the heavens—couldn’t He have descended another few thousand feet, instead of making an octogenarian sage climb a mountainside?
The Concept of Freedom
Our Parshah gives us a insight into the nature of freedom. Perhaps it challenges some of our assumptions
Our Parshah gives us a insight into the nature of freedom. Perhaps it challenges some of our assumptions
The Parshah in a Nutshell
The Sabbatical and Jubilee years, doing business with G‑d, reward and rebuke, and a system for evaluating value.
The Sabbatical and Jubilee years, doing business with G‑d, reward and rebuke, and a system for evaluating value.
The Jewish Woman
My Zaydie's Tallit
Of course I wanted to honor my Zaydie and his memory, but I also wanted to honor my son and his choices for his special day...
Of course I wanted to honor my Zaydie and his memory, but I also wanted to honor my son and his choices for his special day...
Transformation Through Non-Being
Part Five of a seven part series on the spiritual significance of the Omer Count
Part Five of a seven part series on the spiritual significance of the Omer Count
Jewish Stories
Nothing New
Silently, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak studied the expectant faces. "My brothers!" he said in a respectful tone of voice. "Did we not agree that I was not to be burdened with discussions of old policies?"
Silently, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak studied the expectant faces. "My brothers!" he said in a respectful tone of voice. "Did we not agree that I was not to be burdened with discussions of old policies?"
A Pound of Candles
The young prodigy overheard the exchange between the rabbi and the wagon driver. He could scarcely believe his ears. A pound of candles to atone for violating the holy Shabbat?
The young prodigy overheard the exchange between the rabbi and the wagon driver. He could scarcely believe his ears. A pound of candles to atone for violating the holy Shabbat?
Chassidic Thought
Why Does Judaism Make No Sense?
Keeping kosher is not a reasonable act, and neither is Shabbat, or the prohibition against mixing wool and linen. These are neither rational nor religious acts—at least not in the modern understanding of “religious” . . .
Keeping kosher is not a reasonable act, and neither is Shabbat, or the prohibition against mixing wool and linen. These are neither rational nor religious acts—at least not in the modern understanding of “religious” . . .
Hey, Who’s Counting?
How can inflexible digits chart the person-to-G-d relationship? And how can any method be standardized for all people?
How can inflexible digits chart the person-to-G-d relationship? And how can any method be standardized for all people?
Twilight’s Ten Creations
According to the Mishnah, “Ten things were created at twilight.” What is twilight, and what is its significance?
According to the Mishnah, “Ten things were created at twilight.” What is twilight, and what is its significance?
Living
Why Does a Scientist Tell the Truth?
Can value judgments and scientific enquiry be compatible? Perhaps a more basic question is: how can science be effective without morals and value judgments at its foundation?
Can value judgments and scientific enquiry be compatible? Perhaps a more basic question is: how can science be effective without morals and value judgments at its foundation?
Jewish Warsaw
Today there are about 25,000 Jews remaining in Poland. Some of the older Jews are passing on, and before they go, they tell their families for the first time that they are Jewish...
Today there are about 25,000 Jews remaining in Poland. Some of the older Jews are passing on, and before they go, they tell their families for the first time that they are Jewish...
Jewish History
The Unpaid Ransom of Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg
By order of King Rudolph, Rabbi Meir was imprisoned in the fortress of Ensisheim and held for ransom. The king knew that the Jews would give away their last mark to redeem their beloved rabbi, and indeed the sum of 20,000 marks was raised for Rabbi Meir's freedom...
By order of King Rudolph, Rabbi Meir was imprisoned in the fortress of Ensisheim and held for ransom. The king knew that the Jews would give away their last mark to redeem their beloved rabbi, and indeed the sum of 20,000 marks was raised for Rabbi Meir's freedom...
Do not judge on your own, for there is none qualified to judge alone, only the One
— Ethics of the Fathers 4:8
Print Magazine
Due to the limitations of your reality, some of your best friends can enter only incognito.
In fact, the really big ones sometimes sneak in disguised as ugly monsters and vicious enemies. Otherwise, the guards at the gate would never permit them entry.
These are the events optimists call “blessings in disguise.”
Here’...
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