Parshah • March 2023
Vayakhel-Pekudei – Where Lies Our Strength of Survival?
The two parshiot this week are contrasts in emphasis – do we work on the whole, or strengthen the component parts? One wonders which of the two is more significant…
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Bereshit - Genesis Shemot - Exodus Vayikra - Leviticus Bamidbar - Numbers Devarim - DeuteronomyParshah • March 2023
Tetzaveh – What’s in a Name
Moses’ name doesn’t appear in this week’s Parsha even though he is its central figure. A name doesn’t express the essence of a person. It only identifies him for third…
Parshah • January 2023
Vaeira – Breathe Easy
When Moshe Rabbeinu first approached his enslaved brothers and sisters, they ignored him. Rashi notes their breathing was stressfully shallow and short. A person of faith sidesteps anxiety and stress…
Parshah • December 2022
Vayeishev – Cultivating Beauty
Yosef is described as a ‘handsome’ man, referring to his inner beauty. By evolving your inner qualities, you leverage your capacity to influence the world for the better
Parshah • December 2022
Vayishlach – Packing for Journey
Yaakov’s stay with Lavan is described as ‘garti’ – a temporary stay or estrangement. He never viewed amassing wealth with the rich Lavan as his goal, and viewed his stay…
Parshah • December 2022
Vayeitzei – Head Space
Yaakov places stones around his head when going to sleep on his way to Lavan. The symbolism: to protect his mind, his true goals, while working for the wily Lavan.
Parshah • November 2022
Toldot – Reason or Commitment
Why circumcise a child at 8 days? Should we not wait till the child attains the age of reason and make decisions then? Commitment goes beyond reason. It is the…
Parshah • November 2022
Chayei Sara – Listen to Your Wife
People seek spiritual growth and awareness, which is laudable, but Chassidus teaches us that taking care of our body is equally, if not more, important, for a surprising reason.
Parshah • November 2022
Vayeira – Earn Your Right to See G-d
The young Rebbe Rashab cries saying it’s not fair that G-d appeared to Abraham but not to him! The grandfather, the Tzemach Tzedek, explains why Abraham deserved G-ds appearance, as…
Parshah • November 2022
Lech Lecha – Threshold for Growth
Life’s tests aren’t there to destroy us but to strengthen and advance our growth as with Abraham. And as we see also with the soul’s descent into a body.
Parshah • October 2022
Noach – The Flood – Behaviour Modification
The Flood was not a ‘punishment’ but a ‘behaviour modification’ device to ’cleanse’ a corrupt world. Today we overcome the flood of worries and concerns by changing our thought patterns…
Parshah • October 2022
Bereishit – Beginnings Count
Beginnings set the template for future development. Of particular significance is the beginning of a child’s growth as that future is what becomes the nature of society.
Parshah • October 2022
The Genesis Secrets
This 5 part series is an exploration of the secrets contained in the beginning of the book of Bereshit (Genesis). Drawing on the teachings of the scholars and mystics, Rabbi…
Parshah • October 2022
Sukkot – Don’t Drill Holes In the Boat
The world is made up of disparate elements of mineral, vegetable, animal, human, and spiritual. Mineral is subdivided into the 118 (at last count) elements of the Periodic table. There…