Hi, Jacob had left the Land of Israel for two reasons. One, his brother Esau was furious that Jacob received the blessings from Isaac. And was planning to kill him. Second, his mother Rebecca sent him to her family to find a wife. Jacob was now returning to his parent’s home in Israel.  (Genesis 32:4) […]

Hi, I was asked to clarify the last few lines of yesterday’s “Torah Minute.” I wrote them as “deadline” was approaching! “… We’re not likely to ever meet an angel. But the more acts of kindness we choose to do? The more we choose to elevate our lives? The less it matters!” … I was […]

Hi, Sorry about the suspense! What’s the end of the Lot and Sodom story? We left off with Lot’s home being surrounded by the “people of Sodom.” … Then G-d intervenes. The people are struck with a form of blindness.  And they leave. (Genesis, 19:11-16) … It turns out, that these guests were really angels, […]

Hi, Hope you’re having a great day1 The city of Sodom. A name that goes down in infamy. The people had become morally corrupt. And G-d tells Abraham that He will destroy them. (Genesis; 18:17) … Abraham shows his true greatness. How does he respond to the news? To the destruction of a society that […]

Hi, Hope you’re having a great day! The Jewish People have been around for a very long time. And when we do things like Shabbat or Jewish holidays? We should feel part of a chain going back to Mount Sinai. Over 3300 years ago. And we should be inspired! … But there’s is a Jewish […]

Hi, Hope you had a great Passover. It’s great to be back! I thought I would discuss something that may remind us of the holiday. Food! … Noah survives the great flood. The work of rebuilding the world begins. And G-d tells Noah some very fundamental moral and spiritual ideas. But among them, we find […]

Hope you’re having a great day. And that today’s lesson won’t apply to you personally! .. The Talmud warns us to never enter a home unannounced. Even our own. And even the room of a child. Especially a teenager! It’s not derech eretz. Not proper etiquette. A person may be startled, caught off guard. Not […]

Hope you’re having a great day. Here’s something that may get lost in the “Adam and Eve” story. … Clothing. Not something we get very philosophical about. When we get dressed in the morning, it’s much too early for deep thinking! But in Judaism, clothing is very significant.  Has a spiritual purpose. How do we […]

Hope you’re having a great day. The Torah is leading up to the creation of Eve.  The first woman. Adam’s wife. It seems to be building up to it.  To make Adam really want a wife. As we saw yesterday, G-d said, “It’s not good for man to be alone.” He needs a partner. … […]

Hope you’re having a great day! We left Adam in the Garden of Eden.  Spiritual paradise. What could be better? … But the Torah says something amazing. “It’s not good.  Because man is alone!” And it goes on to describe the creation of Eve.  The first woman. It’s not good? In spiritual paradise? Adam was […]