This week’s Torah portion, Shoftim (Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9) opens with the injunction of setting judges and officers within your gates.  The proximity of this portion to the month of Elul has given way to…

We are slowly working our way to the end of Deuteronomy and the end of summer. Unlike the past few weeks, no major events – rather, a list of laws,…

The notion of imagining how life will be and then living that reality is actually found in the Torah in this week’s portion, Eikev (Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25). We read how Moses…

The Sabbath after Tisha B’Av, the date commemorating the destruction of the 1st Temple and all other calamities in Judaism (it happened this past Sunday), is known as “Shabbat Nachamu,” the “Shabbat of consolation.” This name…

How long should a journey take?  That is a question I want to pose for this week’s Torah portion, Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22), in which the Israelites are poised between ending…

It’s like clockwork: every year we reach these verses at the start of Matot-Masei (Numbers 30:2-36:13) precisely as my high holiday preparations kick into high gear. It’s July. It’s summer. I…

This week’s greetings is based upon the words of Chris Harrison in the anthology, The Social Justice Torah Commentary edited by Rabbi Barry Block. At the very beginning of this…

Pssst! Have you heard the one about the talking donkey? This week’s Torah portion, Balak (Numbers 22:2-25:9) has a bit of a reputation. Between the talking donkey, the two main characters…

Moses loses his sister and brother in this week’s Torah portion, Chukat (Numbers 19:1-22:1), and while we are told that at Aaron’s death all Israel mourned, it is astonishing to…

On Monday, we will celebrate our nation’s 246th birthday with the observance of  Independence Day. Barbecues, sunbathing at the beach, and watching fireworks are just some of the activities we may enjoy.…