Every time we walk into our homes, we’re reminded of the fact that the peace of our homes is built on compromise. Now why do I say this? In Parshat Shoftim, there is a famous commandment: ‘Tzedek, Tzedek tirdof’ – ‘justice, justice, you must pursue’. Many commentators throughout the millennia …
If people are thirsty, should we take water to them, or should we wait for them to come and ask for it? The prophet Isaiah in the Haftarah for Parshat Re’eh tells us ‘Hoy kol-tzame lechu lamayim’– let everyone who is thirsty come to the water. But elsewhere, Isaiah tells …
What’s the best advice you can give to a good person? I’ll tell you the answer that the prophet Isaiah gives. In the Haftarah for Parshat Eikev, he declares ‘Shim’u elai rodefei tzedek mevakshei Hashem’ – listen to me, all those of you who pursue justice, who love Hashem, all …
The source for this is a passage of the Torah we all know by heart, it’s in the first paragraph of the Shema, which we read in Parshat Vaetchanan. ‘Veahavta et Hashem, Elohekha, bekhol levavkha, ouvkhol nafshekha, ouvkhol meodekha’ – You must love the Lord your God with all your …
From the Parsha of Devarim we have wonderful words of encouragement for the Jewish people right now. Moshe declared ‘Hashem elohei avotechem yosef aleichem kachem elef pe’amim’. May the Lord, the God of your fathers, increase your numbers 1000 times over. The Midrash intriguingly, tells us that this is a …
What’s the best way for us to make people to want to come to Shul? In Parshat Pinchas, the Torah reveals to us details of the major festivals and the term that is used for a festival is ‘Mikra Kodesh’. Rav Shimshon Rafael Hirsch translates this term as being a …
People will most likely be influenced by you, if they know that you love them. In Parshat Chukat, we’re told about the sad passing of Aharon, the High Priest, and the reaction of the people to his passing was quite extraordinary. The Torah tells us ‘vayivku oto shloshim yom kol …
When should I wear a garment in order that I, not others, should notice it? The answer comes at the end of Parshat Shelach Lecha. In the third paragraph of the Shema, we were given the mitzvah for men to wear Tzitzit. Why are tzitzit called by that name? Many …
Here are two key features of outstanding Jewish leadership… They are presented to us in Parshat Beha’alotecha. The Leviim, the ancient Levites, were the spiritual leaders of our people. The Torah says ‘Ki Netunim Netunim hemmah li’. God pronounces they will be presented, they will be presented to me. Why …
