Beshallach
What do new pajamas have to do with crossing the Sea of Reeds?
In this week’s parasha, Beshallach, we find ourselves free at last. We have escaped from the cruelty of Egyptian slavery and with courage drawn from every Hebrew soul; we enter a new chapter of our journey.
G-d is now playing in your life: Are you ready?
Parasha Va'era begins with G-d orienting Moses to the fact that the Divine appellation particular to his need is Adonai. As is well known, G-d's various "Names" represent the different ways in which G-d is made known to us, and here in this week’s Torah portion, how G-d revealed G-d’s self to the Patriarchs and to Moses.
Kindness and Truth
Kindness and truth are both extraordinary virtues; however, they are not always that compatible in life. Kindness is a tender emotion that flows from the heart, an instinctive emotional response to something.
First of all, we want to thank you, our community, for riding the waves of this rocky year with us. It is your generosity of spirit, and of air miles, and of volunteering to make Chanukah happen well here no matter what, and leading services to inspire and console, and all the myriad of things you do, sung and unsung, that make this congregation such a haimish place, a homey place, where everyone is family.
Will the real Hanukkah please stand!
I love Hanukkah. I always have. Alive in my heart, always, are memories of singing Rock of Ages with my family in front of the fireplace with the Hanukiah on the mantle, while my parents quietly and joyfully brought in little gifts to open by the last verse.
Why in the world do we need angels?
When Jacob flees from Beer-sheba, he camps the first night in the desert. Gathering some stones for a pillow, he goes to sleep and dreams of a stairway reaching from the ground to the sky. On it "angels of G-d were going up and down.”
Blessed With Everything
One of the things I love so much about Parashat Chayei Sarah is its description of Abraham as having been blessed with everything.