I was hired to be a mashgiach – Kashrut supervisor – on five dairy farms in Eureka, Ca. Hershey’s wanted to make a run of Chalav Yisrael Hershey Bars, and they paid well. I needed to buy a refrigerator, washer, dryer and freezer, so off...
Ezekiel, Chapter 13: The word of God came to me, saying, 13:2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, Hear the word of God: 13:3 Thus says the Lord God,...
We reviewed the principles of the Third Blessing/Fourth Step: We can bridge the boundaries and access the Infinite. It is only with this awareness that we can approach the middle blessings of request in the Amidah. It is how our prayer matters. The most important prayer is...
Dedicated l'refuah shleimah Yehudah Manik ben Beilah - Why do we praise God by saying, “and the Holy Ones praise Him” – referring, according to most, to the angels praising God? God created them to praise Him. Their praise does not mean anything. . We were reminded...
“God, your Lord, will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring.” (Deuteronomy 30:6) The first letters of “your heart and the heart of your offspring” spell Elul. It only takes one second for a person to change. Change is not a skill reserved for...
What does prayer usually mean? – Usually supplications and requests. When we say Baruch ata Hashem, etc. we associate it with praise, or thanks, or acknowledgement. Therefore, Tefillah and bracha are not the same. Actually, they are almost diametrically opposed in certain areas. Now what...
Yehuda had a daughter-in-law named Tamar. Tamar married his first son. Of course, his son must be a Tzaddik, which he wasn’t. He was a bad guy. And, after his son spilled his seed, his son died. Yehuda didn’t realize that his son died because...
Amidst our people here is come The madness of the dance. In every town there now are some Who fall upon a trance. It drives them ever night and day, They scarcely stop for breath, Till some have dropped along the way And some are met by death. So goes a grim ditty...
“The proverbs of Solomon, son of David.” (Proverbs 1:1) Why did Solomon choose proverbs to convey the essential ideas in this book of wisdom?
The prophets often compare the hardships we suffer to the refining process of gold and silver. This is not the only application of refining in Jewish Thought. The Zohar teaches: The word of God is refined As silver and gold are refined. When these letters came forth, they were...
We do not refer to the 9th of Av as the Hebrew date on which both Temples were destroyed. We make lists: it was the date when the Children of Israel were sentenced to die out in the desert rather than enter the Promised Land....
"When God will return the captivity of Zion, we will be like dreamers." (Psalm 126:1) Winter Night Farewell - Chia Tao 779-843 At first light, you ride swiftly over the village bridge; Plum blossoms fall on the stream and unmelted snow. With the days short and the weather cold, it's sad to see...
Clambering up the Cold Mountain path, The Cold Mountain trail goes on and on: The long gorge choked with scree and boulders, The wide creek, the mist-blurred grass. The moss is slippery, though there’s been no rain. The pine sings, but there’s no wind. Who can leap the world’s ties And sit...
"Envy is the religion of the mediocre. It comforts them, it soothes their worries, and finally it rots their souls, allowing them to justify their meanness and their greed until they believe those to be virtues. Such people are convinced that the doors of heaven...
My friend’s long-time, (and I would add; long-suffering,) secretary received a marriage proposal from a successful businessman. She was worried that, approaching her late thirties, she may never have another chance to have children, and upon my friend’s advice, accepted. My friend, L, and his...
His father is 98 years old. The father usually does not remember his son’s name, or even that he is his son. The old man thinks of himself as a teenager in the small Canadian village where he was raised. My eyes teared when I heard,...
Another concept here is that we refer to God as our Father and as our King. When it says ‘Father’ or ‘King,’ it means parents or royalty. It doesn’t only mean the male parent, or the male sovereign. It’s just that the generic form in...
“God, your Lord, is Emet – Truth.” It appears to be a fundamental condition of our weak nature that we feel so often compelled to deny the truth, both of ourselves, and others. We are, or rather we become, ashamed of who and what we...
1. Being Aware of the Words: “Aishet Chayil” is usually translated as “A woman of valor, who can find”. We infer that we search for a true woman of valor. I believe the accurate translation to mean, “(There is) A woman of valor. Who will...
My wife wasn’t home this morning when I woke up. I was about to sing my morning blessings when she returned home. She went to the supermarket in order to make my favorite cake for me to eat over Shabbat. What a warm and magnificent...
The fruit on the left is known by a Jewish name: Mangosteen, although some pronounce it Mangostein. No matter the pronunciation, this magical, tasty and wonderfully shaped creation, one of the benefits of globalization, has challenged my choice of blessings. I will make the blessing...
The Gemara tells a story about a man who found about the world’s best professional. She was very expensive and had a very long waiting list. But he scrimped and saved and made an appointment to see her. Finally the day came and when he...