Embracing the Complexity of Jewish Emotion

This week's Torah portion, Ki Tavo, confronts us with one of Judaism's most challenging theological concepts: the divine contract of blessings and curses. "If you faithfully obey Adnai your Gd... all these blessings shall come upon you" (Deuteronomy 28:1-2), Moses declares, followed by the o…

The Bonds That Bend But Don't Break

In this week's Torah portion, Ki Teitzei, we encounter one of the most challenging commandments in our tradition: "Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey, after you left Egypt... you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!" (Deuteronomy 25:17-19). This …

Finding Light in Darkness

Reflections on the Minneapolis Tragedy

This week, as we read Parashat Shoftim, our hearts are heavy with grief over the devastating shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. Two precious children, ages eight and ten, were taken from us during what should have been a sacred mo…

Seeing the Unseen

Moses begins this week's Torah portion with a simple yet profound word: Re'eh ("See") Deuteronomy 11:26.

 

But what does it truly mean to see? As adults, we might assume we understand this basic concept, but watching a young child play hide-and-seek reveals the complexity of perception…

Beyond Our Assumptions

In this week's Torah portion, Eikev, Moses continues his farewell address to the Israelites, promising them entry into "a land flowing with milk and honey" (Deuteronomy 11:9). This beautiful phrase has captured Jewish imagination for millennia, yet it reveals something profound about the n…