torah commentary
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Oct 08, 2009 | 0 
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This Shabbat is the last in a series coinciding with the holidays of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. As we reach this weekend, some of us begin to breathe a sigh of relief that our lives may be a litt...
Oct 01, 2009 | 0 | 12 |
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Sukkot is the celebration that comes after the more contemplative and self-reflecting holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are over. We take Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur so seriously. We certai...
Sep 24, 2009 | 0 | 12 |
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Ha’azinu, Shabbat Shuvah
Deuteronomy 32:1 - 32:47
Moses begins parashat Ha’azinu saying “Give ear, O heavens, let me speak.” The poetry sings of Moses’ faith in God and his dire view of the conse...
Sep 17, 2009 | 0 | 15 |
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At Rosh Hashana, we begin a new journey — a journey into the new year of 5770. Even as we look ahead to what we hope the New Year will bring, we set aside some time to look back on the last year. T...
Sep 10, 2009 | 0 | 8 |
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Nitzavim, Deuteronomy 29:9-31:30
In Moses’ final oration, found in Nitzavim, he closes ranks by opening possibilities.
The covenant is not only made with those standing there that day, but, it i...
Sep 03, 2009 | 0 | 11 |
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Ki Tavo, Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8
When one goes to someone else’s home it is not uncommon to bring a small token of thanks. This may be in the form of a bottle of wine, a bouquet of flowers or a cof...
Aug 27, 2009 | 0 | 13 |
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Enemies encircle our Torah portion, Ki Tetzei.
As Ki Tetzei begins, a Jewish warrior has taken a woman captive in war. To this day, one of the disturbing spoils of war is the captive woman, an easy...
Aug 20, 2009 | 0 | 13 |
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Shoftim Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9
On a recent trip to Philadelphia, I found myself standing in line with a group of tourists from another country waiting my turn to catch a glimpse of the famous Lib...
Aug 14, 2009 | 0 | 15 |
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This weeks’ Torah portion, Re’eh, provides us with a prototype of blessings and curses.
“When Adonai, your God, brings you to the land which you come to inherit, you shall declare the blessing towa...
Aug 06, 2009 | 0 | 12 |
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Ekev, Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25
A few years ago, on one of my trips to Israel, I bought a new tallit. The atara-collar contains depictions of the seven species: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegrana...