Hi, How’s this for an understatement? The Revelation at Mount Sinai was awe inspiring! Imagine having an encounter with the Creator of the universe! … Try this. Imagine that you had the following opportunity. You could have a private audience with any three people in history. The three that you consider to be the greatest […]

Hi, Hope all is well. And that you had a nice Passover.  And had enough to eat! … We had started the “Ten Commandments”. How one tablet was about our obligations to G-d. Like not worshiping idols.  And observing Shabbat. What we might call “theology” or “ritual observance”. And the other tablet? Obligations to other […]

Hi, Here’s something to think about as we sit down to the Seder. …We read about the great Rabbi Akiva and five other Rabbis of the Talmud. How they stayed up all night talking about the Exodus from Egypt. And it’s easy for this story to get overlooked. Especially when everyone smells the delicious food! […]

Hi, They’re the best Tablets ever prescribed to man. The Ten Commandments.  (Exodus, 20:1-14) … There were two tablets. One? Obligations between “man and G-d” What we might call “religious laws”. Belief in G-d.  Not worshiping idols.  Not using G-d’s name in vain.  Shabbat.  And honoring parents. The second tablet? Obligations between “man and man.” […]

Hi, There is no Pope in Judaism. I’m sure you didn’t need me for that! But there’s more to it. What a Pope represents doesn’t exist in Judaism. … The closest we may have ever come? Was probably the High Priest in the Temple.  The Kohain Gadol. He preformed the special Yom Kippur service. What […]

Hi, How’s this for a shocker? The “Ten Commandments” is not a Jewish idea! Sounds like saying “apple pie” is not American! What could be more Jewish than the Ten Commandments? Aren’t they our gift to the world? … It’s the name that’s not Jewish. In Hebrew, they’re called, “Aseres Hadibros.”.  The “Ten Utterances.” They […]

Hi, Happy birthday! Today we become a People. The Jewish People finally arrive at Mount Sinai. We receive the Torah.  And are given our mission. G-d tells Moshe to speak to the “house of Israel”. (Exodus, 19:3) … The Talmud tells us, who is the “house of Israel”? The Jewish women. G-d tells Moshe to […]

Hi, Hope you enjoyed Purim! … The Jews are in the desert.  And they keep Moshe busy. Day and night! They come to him to judge disputes.  To answer questions.  (Exodus, 18:13-27) … Moshe’s father in law, Jethro, is concerned about Moshe’s welfare. (There are such fathers in law!) He tells Moshe, “What you are […]

Hi, Hope you’re having a great day. … The Jewish People have left Egypt and will spend forty years in the desert. There’s an obvious question. A very Jewish question. “Where’s the food”? … The Jews ate manna.  Miraculous food that fell from heaven.  (Exodus: 16) The claims of miracles in the Torah are unique. […]

Hi, It’s me again. … I know what you were thinking as you read today’s Torah Minute. “He’s going to ask us to say grace after meals.  A glass of water wasn’t enough for him”! I can’t say it didn’t enter my mind! But I decided to ask you to do something else. Join  CTN […]