7 Elul 5778 – Shoftim
Pursuing justice is an important quality that the Torah emphasises in this week’s Parasha, Shoftim. Not only must citizens adhere to this important moral code, so must a city’s leaders. Even a King had to ensure that he had two Torah scrolls written for him – one that would be kept in his treasury for […]
9 Av 5778 – Devarim
What is our response to tragedy? This Shabbat is actually Tisha B’av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. It is on this day that many of our greatest tragedies took place, most famously, the destruction of the first and second Temples. As Tisha B’av falls out on Shabbat this year, we delay the fast […]
24 Tammuz 5778 – Pinchas
Is Jewish Law always BLACK and WHITE? Well, if you read the beginning of this week’s Parasha it definitely seems so! Pinchas witnesses a plague engulfing the Jewish people as a result of immoral behaviour. Young Jewish men have strayed after Midianite women. Zimri, a leader of one of the tribes is publicly and brazenly […]
17 Tammuz 5778 – Balak
THERE CAN BE MEANING AMIDST THE MADNESS We recite his words every morning upon entering a Synagogue: “Mah Tovu ohalecha yaakov.. How goodly are your tents, Jacob; your tents, Israel” (Bamidbar 24:5). Some of the most beautiful blessings towards our nation came out of the mouth of a Jew-hating visionary, by the name of Bilaam. […]
10 Tammuz 5778 – Chukat
Do we sometimes strike our kids instead of speaking to them? Are we sometimes harsh with others, where tenderness and soft-spokenness would be more appropriate? While we in Sydney, Australia have been blessed with an abundance of rain, the Jews in this week’s Parasha are crying out to Moshe for water! Over Shabbat we will […]
3 Tamuz 5778 – Korach
Elie Wiesel saw the most horrific sights the human eye could endure. This very individual who refused to marry and have children feeling that it is unfair to bring Jewish children into such a cruel and brutal world ultimately rebuilt his life from the ashes, created a family, and become a spokesman for hope and […]
26 Sivan 5778 – Shelach
What does an abundance of rain symbolise? With all the wet weather over the past week, I bring you a few statements from our ancient Jewish sources to ponder: The Talmud states: “The day when rain falls is as great as the day on which heaven and earth were created” as G-d’s power is manifest […]
12 Sivan 5778 – Nasso
We had an interesting discussion at one of my classes this week surrounding Prayer.
Prayer is referred to in the Talmud as “Avodah Shebelev” – “service of the heart”. Prayer is supposed to be an emotional experience, coming from the depths of one’s heart and being. When we pray, we are talking to ourselves and to G-d as well. It is supposed to be a moving and electrifying experience. Yet how many of us can say that we come out of a prayer session truly moved, motivated and empowered?
5 Sivan 5778 – Bamidbar
To get you ready for Shavuot, here is a summary of what I spoke about last year. I have found a number of fascinating connections between the Festival of Shavuot and running a half marathon. After all, it is a long race and one has plenty of time to think! So here are a few.
27 Iyar 5778 – Behar-Bechukotai
There are some places that become etched into our memories. I am sure we can all remember the place where we were proposed to or exactly where we heard the news that we were expecting our first child. It is therefore startling that we have somehow forgotten the location where the most significant Jewish event took place – the giving of the Torah? Why didn’t the Jewish sages preserve the whereabouts of Mount Sinai?