Torah gems

You may remember the movie A League of Their Own, about the women who played on national baseball leagues while men went off to serve in WWII. There is a famous and unforgettable scene where Tom Hanks, who plays their coach, yells at one of the players, hurling insults and demeaning her-- her feelings are hurt and understandably, she begins to cry. He notices this and approaches her: “Are you crying? There’s no crying! There’s no crying in baseball!” Many of us have found our

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף אָמ֣וּתָה הַפָּ֑עַם אַחֲרֵי֙ רְאוֹתִ֣י אֶת־פָּנֶ֔יךָ כִּ֥י עוֹדְךָ֖ חָֽי׃ Then Israel said to Joseph, “Now I can die, having seen for myself that you are still alive.” These are the words that Israel, said to his beloved son, Joseph. For years, Israel, having received Joseph's tunic smeared with blood, had been under the impression that his precious son had been killed one day when out with his brothers. He had grieved his death. He had mour

In this week's Torah portion, Vayeshev, Joseph finds himself the target of a murderous plot. But then, Reuben convinces his brothers not to kill Joseph but to instead throw Joseph into a deep pit. That way they won't have actually murdered him. After having done so, the brothers are sitting around having a meal when Judah spots a band of Ishmaelites. He suggests pulling Joseph up out from the pit, selling him to the traders. This saves Joseph's life and provides him with the

The Torah portion this week, Vayishlach, features the end of Rachel’s life. She had a hard labor, and birthed to a son. She named him Ben-oni (the son of my generative power) just before she died. So, then, how does this son that Rachel bears at her death, represent her generative power? This represents a Jewish understanding of the power of birth that is intertwined with death. At every end, there is new life. Through every struggle, there is a rebirth. Even at her death, Ra

If you were God, how would you show your presence to people? Would you show your face in the morning dew on a daffodil? Or through the majesty of the mountains? What would you do if you showed your presence in signs and wonders all around, but no one noticed you? I imagine that this is the case with God in this week’s Torah portion, VaYetze. Here, our patriarch, Jacob, is on a journey, traveling from Be’er Sheva to Haran. Finally, he comes to a place where he lays his he

We are told in the Torah, 36 times in fact, to care for the stranger among us. For instance we are told: “You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress them, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 22:20) “The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love them as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Leviticus 19:34) “You shall have one standard for stranger and citizen alike: for I the LORD am your God.” (

Life in the desert is hard. The scorching sun radiates all that is there. The arid climate causes the skin to chap and the parched land to crack. The inhabitants of the few ancient cities who lived in this type of environment lived with sweat on their brows, with sand in their teeth, and rough, dry hands. They fought for survival every day—one gulp of water at a time. You see, they depended on wells to survive. In such a place, the well was the source of life. When the ancien

It is a deeply-held, time-honored tradition to rise and sing, “Take me out to the ballgame,” during the middle of the seventh inning at baseball games. In the summer of 2019, a hundred people rose and sang this song in honor of my deceased stepfather, at his memorial service during the final eulogy. Why? Because proper farewells are important. And this was a fitting melody for him, since he was an avid baseball fan his entire life. My stepdad was a deputy District Attorney, s

Get outta here! That is what God tells Abram in this week’s Torah portion. Lech lecha— the name of this Torah portion— refers to the words that God uses to command Abram to leave everything that was familiar to him to set out on an epic journey. The text says: לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ׃ Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. However, the translation of

In the year 2000, I traveled to India with Arun Gandhi—Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson. There, he told me a story. Walking home from school one day he looked down at a pencil he had in his hand. But this was not a nice big new pencil—it was just a little pencil that had been sharpened again and again down to a little stub. Thinking, "I am Gandhi's grandson. Surely I deserve a better pencil than this one," he threw it into the bushes. When he got home, he went over to his grandfa

Do you wanna buy a kite? I’ve got to let you know. Do you wanna buy a kite? Earnestly, I thought these were the lyrics to Inxs’s song whose lyrics are actually, “I’ve got to let you know- you’re one of my kind.” Not-- “Do you wanna buy a kite?” Or, my mom once thought, the opening lyrics to the Kink's "Tired of Waiting for you" actually were “I was a bowl of soap” instead of “I was a lonely soul.” Ahh... language. And the mishaps that can occur when we get it wrong. On my pho

Moses is about to die. He opens his famous last speech to the Israelite people with one word (32:1): Haazinu. This word means "give ear," and comes from the word for ear, ozen. Why does he use this word when the more familiar word for listen, Shema, might have been sufficient? I would suggest that it has something to do with the context. Now that God has shared with Moses and the Israelites that the end of an era is about to take place; Moses is about to die, and the people

In the opening line of this week's Torah portion, Vayeilech, Deuteronomy 31:6, God enjoins Moses and the people to: חִזְק֣וּ וְאִמְצ֔וּ אַל־תִּֽירְא֥וּ וְאַל־תַּעַרְצ֖וּ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם כִּ֣י ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ ה֚וּא הַהֹלֵ֣ךְ עִמָּ֔ךְ לֹ֥א יַרְפְּךָ֖ וְלֹ֥א יַעַזְבֶֽךָּ׃ "Be strong and resolute, be not in fear or in dread of them; for Adonai your God marches with you: Adonai will not fail you or forsake you." Why did God say this? And why now? Perhaps God was trying to reas

Growing up, my little brother was always asked by teachers, “Aren’t you Heather’s little brother?” That is-- until he grew taller than me. Then he was just known as “Heather’s brother.” It’s not uncommon for younger kids to be known in relation to their older sibling in this way, but I hope people were able to get to know my brother, Jordan, for more than just his relationship to me. Similarly, it’s quite common for wives to be known by their husbands. Like Mr. and Mrs. A

September means that Emmy season is here—normally, this is a night where the stars walk the red carpet and the paparazzi is out in full force. This year it will be different. But, still, this well known night will honor some of the most celebrated celebrities in the world. And, with the awarding of those little statues comes the much-mocked acceptance speeches of the winners. Call me crazy, but I listen especially closely during the acceptance speeches. Scripted or unscrip

A deeply thoughtful, contemplative person, let’s call her Janene, comes to me depressed, sad, anxious. She has taken the spirit of this month seriously-- too seriously. Yes there is such a thing. Let me explain. The month of Elul—the month immediately preceding the High Holy Days—is meant to be one of spiritual preparation-- where one should take a close look at one’s own life—to judge oneself through introspection and correct mistakes of the past through repentance. But

Jews are expected to observe 613 mitzvot. But what laws, according to the rabbis, are secular societies supposed to uphold? When this question was asked, the sages came up with an answer: the Noahide laws. These were the laws that God instructed Noah observe; afterall, they are a set of laws, a standard, that all of humanity is held to- and there are only 7 of them. And, what is one of the most important of those seven Noahide laws? According to the Babylonian Talmud, San

Our Torah portion this week, called Re’eh, begins with 3 verses that forewarn the Israelites of the importance of paying attention to perception: רְאֵ֗ה אָנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם בְּרָכָ֖ה וּקְלָלָֽה׃ אֶֽת־הַבְּרָכָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְע֗וּ אֶל־מִצְוֺת֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם׃ וְהַקְּלָלָ֗ה אִם־לֹ֤א תִשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מִצְוֺת֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְסַרְתֶּ֣ם מִן־הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם לָלֶ

It may come as a surprise to those of us who feel happiest basking in warm summer weather, but studies show that the highest rates of happiness are enjoyed by people in countries closest to the arctic circle, like Finland and Denmark. We do need physical comforts and safety, of course. But there is something that we, as humans, need— beyond these things, too. In other words, living a comfortable life, and having enough food to eat, does not directly correlate to satisfaction

This Thursday is the Jewish holy day of Tisha b’Av. Our tradition says that, in the past, 3 things happened on this terrible day: 1) On that terrible day, Moses and his generation of Israelites were told they would NOT enter the promised land. 2) On that terrible day, The First Temple was destroyed in 586 BCE 3) On that terrible day, The Second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE. Accordingly, there is a tradition that we fast on Tisha B’Av to contemplate these past three disastrou

Many see this time of sheltering in place as a waste. That we were on a path and along came COVID-19 to derail our trajectory. But, what if it was the case that this journey, though not direct, was worthwhile. That the shortest distance from A to B IS a straight line, but a longer path certainly has its benefits, too. I have learned that what may seem like a tangent to some, may actually be necessary. And, what people on earth have taken a detour like the Israelites? We were

This week’s Torah portion, Pinchas, describes a comprehensive census undertaken to count Israelite men over 20 years old. These are people who count, who matter. They totaled 601,730 people. But, then, an interesting thing happens when it comes to noting the lineage of Amram and Yocheved, and their children; a more inclusive view of who counts is presented. For instance, it is interesting to note that the text lists all three children of Amram and Yocheved: Moses and Aaron

One of the most famous rhetorical question in Jewish tradition comes from a non-Jewish person who was sent out to curse the Jewish people, and instead was inspired to bless them. Standing on a mountain, looking out to the valley of the tents of the tribes of Israel, he uttered: May Tovu- How good are your tents O Jacob? He was awestruck. To curse a people is easier to do if you don’t see them, if you don’t know them. But, once you gaze out upon their humanity, you have no cho

This week’s double Torah Portion, Chukat, tells of the Israelites’ journey through the desert. Though they had escaped slavery in Egypt, they were not quite yet in the promised land. In fact, they still endured some pretty significant difficulties. We learn that there was a challenging lack of water which prompted them to complain to Moses and Aaron. They had already noticed that it was a place devoid of plants, figs, grapes and pomegranates— and now, with no water to drink,

This week’s Torah portion, Korach, features a man named Korach who organizes a group of 250 leaders to seek to overthrow Moses and Aaron from leadership. When God states intentions to kill the rebels, suprisingly, a distraught Moses & Aaron plead for mercy upon Korach and his followers. Moses and Aaron fell on their faces and said, “O God, Source of the breath of all flesh! When one member sins, will You be wrathful with the whole community?” Moses and Aaron had every reaso

In this week’s Torah portion, Moses begins with the words “shlach lecha” which means “send yourself.” He is speaking to the men who he has appointed to be scouts of the new land, the Promised Land. He sends them out to see what the future might hold for him and the Israelites. He asks them to look for answers to the questions: Are the people there strong or weak? Many or few? Is the land good or bad? Are the towns open or fortified? Is the soil rich or poor, wooded or not? A

This past week, we celebrated Shavuot, the holiday remembering the giving of the Torah to Moses at Mt. Sinai. But will we remember that when Moses descended from the mountain that first time, he broke the tablets by throwing them on the ground in an angry fit. Why was he mad? Because he had just spent sacred, holy time directly with God, only to descend the mountain to find the people surrounding a Golden Calf idol that they had built. They were engaged in a raucous party aro

Once, when I was a rabbinical student in New York City, walking out of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion onto West Fourth Street, a couple of lost tourists stopped me and inquired about the location. You see, the outside of our building featured a large metal sculpture of a menorah and they assumed it was indeed Jewish. “Yes, it’s a rabbinical college,” I answered. “Are you a rabbinic student?” they asked. “Yes.” I replied. “Will you bless us?” they sheep

We read the Torah all the way through each year. Genesis, then Exodus, the tale of escape from slavery. Then we break into the book of Leviticus – an interlude of legal codes to share rules of ethics and sacrifices. Now, we return back to the narrative. And we see that after the tale of our exodus from the trials and tribulations of life in Egypt, we enter the book of Numbers. Curiously, the name for the book is Bamidbar—in the desert. We learn that just because a person ca

In this week’s double Torah portion, Behar-Behukotai, we read about an awesome kind of fear. Leviticus 25:43 relates, “You must fear your God” and in Hebrew it says, “V’yarei’ta may’Elohecha.” And, here, we must pay close attention to the translation. The word for fear is yarei—it is not really fear as in dread, but fear as in awe. We must be in awe of God. And in awe of life. Sure, we each get anxious – but the challenge in those moments is to transform that fear into coura

How do you pray? When we typically think of prayer, we imagine a large room full of people together standing in front of an ark praying communally. However, engaging in prayer independently is one of the oldest forms of worship. We know of many individual spontaneous prayers in the bible. In the book of Genesis, Parashat Chayyei Sarah which we read months ago, there are two successful examples of individual prayer. First, Abraham’s servant prays to God for help with a t

It’s amazing that each time I read the Passover story, something new hits me like a ton of bricks and deeper meaning is revealed. Does that happen for you as well? For instance, one year I learned that in some Haggadot, Moses is barely featured as a way to downplay human “saving” of the people, and instead to show that God was the true source of redemption. One year, in grad school, I had a seder in NYC with a bunch of random friends and upon realizing our families were f

Coronavirus has ravaged the world’s population and brought the rest of us to a complete standstill. But why-- why do tragedies like this...

This week’s Torah portion, Shemini, opens with Moses and Aaron standing in front of the Israelite community, receiving instruction from God. Among this instruction is a list—a very LONG list—of all the different flying creatures that are not to be eaten. Here are the creatures that are on the list: the eagle, the vulture, and the black vulture, the kite, falcons of every variety, all varieties of raven, the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, hawks of every variety, the lit

So when we look for evidence that God has been somewhere, we can adjust our focus and look for God’s achorai. If evidence that Godzilla...

Often times, when we welcome a newborn into the world with a naming ceremony that involves candles. I have learned over the years that babies cannot take their eyes off the flames when they are lit. Something that we light and then just kind of take for granted, seen through new eyes, becomes a truly wondrous phenomenon. Fire. There are two types of fire in our Torah portion this week: The ner tamid—that’s our Eternal Light—the one we use to help symbolize God’s eternal pr

Looking at this same verse, the Talmud notes that God seems to do something twice- first God calls Moses and then God speaks to Moses. Why t

Happy Women's History Month! Not many know about the origin of Women’s History Month, but in 1911 in Europe, March 8 was celebrated as International Women's Day. And, accordingly, March became associated with women's rights. By 1978, in California, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women began a "Women's History Week" celebration, and by 1987, March became Nationally recognized as Women’s History Month. How is that Jewish? Well, if you

In Judaism, we appreciate the human body and soul-- together. The soul animates and provides direction to the body. The body provides agency

So, think about any traumas that your ancestors experienced. How have those events shaped who you are today? How do you carry them around?

What kind of gifts would God want from me? The Torah details very specifically what kind of gift God wanted in biblical times. In this week’s Torah portion, God tells Moses that the people of Israel are to bring terumot, gifts, for God. Indeed “terumah” is the title of this week’s Torah portion. The Torah describes the gifts God requests in great detail. They include gold, silver, copper, blue, purple and crimson yarns, fine linen, goats’ hair, tanned ram skins, and a who

After the Exodus, God remained engaged in Moses’ life. God called Moses up to the mountain numerous times, and even gave Moses a detailed book of law that functioned as a guide to life—the Torah. It is clear that throughout his life, Moses was able to look to God for support, for encouragement, for assurance. He conversed with God, engaged God, and let God lead him through the challenges he faced. In life today, we are each faced with our own challenges. As a result, we

Covenants are the the glue that holds society together; they make lives work, and form the sturdy and foundational bonds that give life meaning. They are promises that enrich our lives. And though sometimes they are hard to make or difficult to uphold, because by necessity they require responsible action, they imbue our lives with meaning as they give integrity to our connection to others. So on this week’s reading of the covenantal promise between Israelites and God, let u

Solidarity work is not for the faint hearted. It is personal and it is political. And, it challenges everyone involved. And every case is different. This week, we Jewish communities around the world are reading Parashat Beshallach-- the story of the Jewish flight from Egypt, through the Red Sea. Sometimes I wonder what that experience was like. Marching through those parted waters, with everyone in the community. EVERYONE in the community. You know that annoying neigh

Moses, who recognized the injustices committed against the Israelites denied that he could make a difference, at least at first, because of his speech impediment. He cried out to God saying: הֵן בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֹא-שָׁמְעוּ אֵלַי, וְאֵיךְ יִשְׁמָעֵנִי פַרְעֹה, וַאֲנִי עֲרַל שְׂפָתָיִם. "The Israelites would not listen to me; how then should Pharaoh heed me, a man of impeded speech!" He was expressing his fear that he was just one person. How could ONE PERSON make a di

In Va’era, Moses pleads with pharaoh to let his people go. Unfortunately, Pharaoh's heart was hard to change, to the idea of letting the Jews go. This only brought plagues upon him and the people of Egypt. But still, Pharaoh held onto the Hebrew slaves. He did not let them go. Pharaoh was unable to face up to the realities of his present situation. But pharaoh was not the only one who had to let something go in order to face the realities of the present— Moses, who was rea

"A new ruler arose over Egypt, and he did not know Joseph.” One verse, and it is such a powerful statement; signaling a great shift in the treatment of the Israelites in the Torah. This is one of the most chilling verses in the Torah. It suggests that a ruler over Egypt is not actually inherently bad for the Jews. But who that leader is, and how much the leader knows the people makes all the difference. This week’s Torah portion is called Shemot, which means “names,” and it

We have now completed one week of Daily Talmud Study. Many have asked about its organization (or lack thereof). Read more...

The clock, a human construct, reminds us that time is not eternal—each minute, every second ticks away in an instant. It reminds us of...

Judaism's honoring of sacred texts doesn't stop at Torah...A new cycle begins for the world January 5, 2020. Join me on this journey.