Honoring Their Lives, Not Their Deaths
The name of this week’s Torah portion is Vayechi, which means “and he lived.” Ironically, it focuses more on Jacob’s …
Tag Archives: Torah
My Heart Overflows
There are times when I feel as if I’m being bombarded by events completely out of my control. I’m sure …
Children, God, and Grief
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote that the story of the binding of Isaac is meant to teach us that God owns …
Do Not be Afraid
Fear. It keeps us safe, keeps us from doing things that can cause pain or even death. But there’s a …
Doing God’s Work
There is a certain symmetry between Genesis and Exodus. The first chapters of Genesis tell the story of God’s handiwork …
Words to Live By
When we finish reading a book of the Torah, as we did last weekend, we say חזק חזק ונתחזק (chazak …
In the Beginning
We tend think of time as a straight line, marching inexorably forward. But we live within an endless mobius strip …
Joy in Community
Last year when we read this week’s Torah portion I had just purchased a new crockpot. I got it at …
Eulogy Virtues
I was recently asked for a copy of my resume. This wouldn’t be odd except that I’ve announced that I’m …
Following God Through the Desert
Near the end of the book of Numbers, the Torah offers a travelogue of sorts, which lists the places where …
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