We are all familiar with the anecdotal traveller who argues vehemently with the gate steward to allow him onto the plane though he has arrived too late, but to no avail – and then that very plane crashes. This is the theme of this week’s Parsha, Va-etchanan, where Moses pleads with G-d to allow him…
Moses appeals to G-d and pleads to enter the promised land. Why not argue his case, especially as justice is on his side? A plea appeals to the heart. Argument is directed to a mind with the danger of ego getting in the way. A truly great individual will always avoid self-justification and rather humbly…
Are all prayers answered? We may not always see changes in front of our eyes but a sincere request with a contrite heart always facilitates change – even changes we don’t notice.
The Ten Commandments strangely begin with an an ancient Egyptian word, Anochi, meaning ‘I’, referring to G-d. Why begin with a foreign word from an idolatrous society? To teach us that the Torah transcends all peoples and circumstances and has the power to elevate every aspect of life. There is no separation of religious and…
Effective communication is more than diction, articulation and clarity. There is also the need to speak from the heart.
Moses pleads to enter Land of Israel. The word is Chanan, as opposed to Lish’ol, or Levakesh. Because Chanan means gratuitous. Moses knew he didn’t deserve it.
