Miracles are rare. But this Shabbat we celebrate one such historical miracle – when the sea split for the Jewish people. But it took the courageous initiative of one person who took the plunge to invite the miracle. What initiative do you need to take for your miracle to occur?
Miracles are rare. But this Shabbat we celebrate one such historical miracle – when the sea split for the Jewish people. But it took the courageous initiative of one person who took the plunge to invite the miracle. What initiative do you need to take for your miracle to occur?
A seed needs soil for it to grow. It also needs the gardener to till the soil. The human seed needs the mother’s womb for nurture. The future child’s growth depends on G-d’s blessing. The 3 life elements to life are: G-d, person and seed.
Many a climber of Everest has spent enormous energy training for the challenge, but is it just for a momentary ‘high’ of conquering the peak? It’s their descent and excitement that uplifts others through their achievement. That is what Nadav and Avihu should have done rather than seek a transcendental ‘high’ but refuse to descend…
Consciousness and subconsciousness represent layers of mind, both expressing our outer and inner persona of the soul and explaining our response to the world. The name of our Parsha, Tzav, means to connect deeply to our inner soul. The word is used deliberately to effect a subconscious union with G-d.
The way we can communicate more effectively is to employ emotion when speaking. Too often words are used intellectually but without feeling. When feeling is injected into the conversation the words penetrate more deeply and significantly.
The second of this week’s double Parshiot of Behar and Bechukotai is the progenitor of most exclusion clauses on products bought online or otherwise, viz. this guarantee or warranty lapses if the instructions are not followed.
How do you use your voice? Is it a vehicle for exercise of power and control? Or does it bely fears and insecurities? Or is it an instrument of vocal touch and meaningful connection? The name of this week’s Parsha, Emor, means ‘to speak’. G-d instructs Moshe how to speak gently to the Kohanim and…
Not that long ago the word ‘quarantine’ was a regular feature of our international lives. Originating in Italian, in Venice, incoming ships had to keep their crew on board for 40 days (quarantina) before disembarking, to ensure that any diseases were not transmitted to the local population. This week we read a double Parsha, Tazria-Metzora,…
Of the major Yom Tovim the one that is most memorable for adult and child alike, is Pesach. Even if the Pesach is reduced to a family dinner with token Matza at the table, a Pesach family gathering is still held by most Jewish families and always approached with anticipation and joy. Might it be…
The 8th day of Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, is a day for a more intimate celebration of Sukkot between G-d and the Jewish people. It is also the day we complete the year ago, at this time, I shared with you the mysterious demise of Aaron’s, the Kohen Gadol’s, two sons Nadav and Avihu, which is…
The verb introducing this week’s Sedra, “Vayikra El Moshe”, “He called Moshe”, has in the Hebrew language a sense of intimacy, as opposed to Vayomer LeMoshe – “He said to Moshe”, or Vayedaber el Moshe- “He spoke to Moshe”. I suspect that during this conversation G-d did not have a distracting smartphone next to him…
In the first section of this week’s Parsha, Tzav, the Kohen is instructed that the western candle of the candelabrum should always burn and not extinguish. The Hebrew of ‘not extinguish’ is Lo Tichbeh. A deeper retranslation of Lo Tichbeh, could be, “extinguish the Lo” – get rid of the ‘no’, the negativity. Meaning, negative…
