Stories We Tell: How to Give a Blessing
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - D’varim: Why Tragedies Happen, and How to Respond
Parashat D’varim is the first portion of the Book of Deuteronomy, and this year it is read just before Tishah B’Av – a day that, throughout Jewish history, has been one of tragedy and destruction.
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Balak: The Beauty of Humility
Parashat Balak’s accompanying Haftorah portion features the famous verse: “God has told you what is good and what the Eternal requires of you only to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” For many, if you wanted to distill Jewish trad
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Matot-Mas’ei: Cities of Refuge
The double parashah of Matot-Mas’ei introduces the concept of cities of refuge.
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah: B’chukotai: Do We Believe that Good Behavior Brings Rewards, and Bad Behavior Punishment?
Does being a person of faith mean you believe in blessings and curses? Why should we always "do the right thing?" Are we rewarded or punished for what we do in the world?
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah: B'midbar: Uniting as One, Despite Our Differences
Like our ancestors, we focus on our own modern day tribes: The tribes of the Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, Reconstructionist, and secular. Amidst our real differences, can we sew ourselves together into a larger identity of being Am Yisrael – one people?
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah: Naso
Do we do things because they bring us meaning, or do things have meaning because we do them? Can your morning yoga class or walk through the park serve as a source of spiritual inspiration?
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah: B'haalot'cha: Gossip
Even with good intentions, when we talk about people who are not present, we run the risk of disparaging them, without giving them the opportunity to respond.