Seeking Knowledge
It’s true, I have a thing for trees. I love the way they look and smell, the different heights, the fruits, the nuts, the flowers, the bark, the roots, the leaves; I love it all.
Creating a Meaningful World
There are many different ways to understand the majestic account of the Creation described in the beginning of the Torah.
The Farmer and the Cowman Should Be Friends
Parashat B’reishit constitutes an embarrassment of riches for any biblical interpreter.
The Creative Power of Words
"Sticks and stones," the nursery rhyme says, "may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." The intent of this pithy statement is probably to help children solve disputes with words rather than physical violence. Its message does, however, raise serious doubts. Words can and do hurt us.
Discovering Your Real Name
Our tradition teaches that each of us has three names: the one we are given at birth, the one we are called, and our real name. The task of each person, according to the tradition, is to discover our real name.
Love Is the Key
What's in a Name?
Just as the Book of Genesis began with the awesome account of Creation and our place relative to the rest of the whole, the Book of Exodus reminds us of who God is and how our story is taken up into God's plan for humanity.
A Sign for You
Every great leader must maintain his or her own precarious and perpetually shifting balance between the debilitations of humility and the cravings of ego.
Help Wanted: Powerful Leader
This year, I have the pleasure of studying the Book of Exodus together with the lay-led Hebrew Bible study group at Temple Beth Or in Raleigh, North Carolina, where I serve as senior rabbi.