“Even though Trump wanted me executed even when it was proven that I was innocent, I’m not celebrating this verdict. We should be proud that today the system worked. But we should be somber that we Americans have an ex-president who has been found guilty on 34 separate felony charges.” – Harlem City Councilman YusefContinue reading “Shabbat BeHukotai: Justice, Not Vengeance”
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Shabbat BeHar: Everything is Connected
מָה עִנְיַן שְׁמִטָּה אֵצֶל הַר סִינַי? – What does shemitta have to do with Mount Sinai? (Rashi ז“ל) Suppose there is something going on in the universe which is to ordinary, everyday reality as our unconscious is to our daily lives? Softly, but unmistakably guiding it. Most of the time, we are unaware of it.Continue reading “Shabbat BeHar: Everything is Connected”
Shabbat Emir: Torah and Disability
What does it mean to “be without blemish?” בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיָּצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם הָיוּ כָּל רֻבָּן בַּעֲלֵי מוּמִין, לָמָּה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיוּ יְגֵעִים בַּטִּיט וּבַלְּבֵנִים וְעוֹלִים לְרֹאשׁ הַבִּנְיָן וּמִי שֶׁהוּא בּוֹנֶה עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹלִין לְרָאשֵׁי הַדָּמוֹסִין, אוֹ הָאֶבֶן נוֹפֶלֶת וְקוֹטַעַת יָדוֹ, אוֹ הַקּוֹרָה אוֹ הַטִּיט נִכְנָס בְּעֵינָיו וְהוּא נִסְמָא. וְהָיוּ בַּעֲלֵי מוּמִין. When the Israelites leftContinue reading “Shabbat Emir: Torah and Disability”
Shabbat Akharei Mot: When Memory Comes
After Pesakh, we return to the regular scheduled readings of the parashat hashavua. This week the parashah is Akharei Mot, in which we are confronted with a difficult narrative that recounts the violent accidental deaths of two young priests on their first day on the job. וַיִּקְח֣וּ בְנֵֽי־אַ֠הֲרֹ֠ן נָדָ֨ב וַאֲבִיה֜וּא אִ֣ישׁ מַחְתָּת֗וֹ וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ בָהֵן֙ אֵ֔שׁContinue reading “Shabbat Akharei Mot: When Memory Comes”
Shabbat Hol HaMo’ed Pesakh 5784: Only Love
On this Shabbat which is called Shabbat hol hamo’ed Pesakh, the Shabbat of the Intermediate Days of Pesakh, we are – just as the name implies – in the middle of the story. The middle is a dreadful place, neither here nor there, full of uncertainty and fear. In short, it is not usually theContinue reading “Shabbat Hol HaMo’ed Pesakh 5784: Only Love”
Shabbat Tzav: Forget Your Perfect Offering
Sacrificing the Idea of Perfection והנה תראה כי הוא לבדו ית״ש השלימות האמיתי המשולל מכל החסרונות ואין שלימות אחר כמוהו כלל. And behold, see that HaShem’s alone is true perfection, devoid of all deficiencies. And there is no other perfection like it at all. – Derekh HaShem, Moshe Hayim Luzzatto, Amsterdam, 1745 “The better isContinue reading “Shabbat Tzav: Forget Your Perfect Offering”
Shabbat Ki Tisa: The Taste of Idolatry
וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־הָעֵ֨גֶל אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשׂוּ֙ וַיִּשְׂרֹ֣ף בָּאֵ֔שׁ וַיִּטְחַ֖ן עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁר־דָּ֑ק וַיִּ֙זֶר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַמַּ֔יִם וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ He took the calf that they had made and burned it with fire and ground it up until it was thin-powder, and strewed it on the surface of the water and made the Children of Israel drink it. Exodus 32.20 (Translation Everett Fox) What isContinue reading “Shabbat Ki Tisa: The Taste of Idolatry”
Shabbat Tetzaveh 5784
A year of Adar I and Purim Katan וְהַיָּמִ֣ים הָ֠אֵ֠לֶּה נִזְכָּרִ֨ים וְנַעֲשִׂ֜ים בְּכׇל־דּ֣וֹר וָד֗וֹר מִשְׁפָּחָה֙ וּמִשְׁפָּחָ֔ה מְדִינָ֥ה וּמְדִינָ֖ה וְעִ֣יר וָעִ֑יר וִימֵ֞י הַפּוּרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה לֹ֤א יַֽעַבְרוּ֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַיְּהוּדִ֔ים וְזִכְרָ֖ם לֹא־יָס֥וּף מִזַּרְעָֽם Consequently, these days are recalled and observed in every generation: by every family, every province, and every city. And these days of Purim shall neverContinue reading “Shabbat Tetzaveh 5784”
Shabbat Mishpatim: From Egypt to…Purim?
מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וְלֹא־יֵרָא֥וּ פָנַ֖י רֵיקָֽם From Egypt none shall appear before Me empty-handed (Ex 23.15) The initial letters of Mimitzrayim Velo Yera’u Panai Rekam, “from Egypt none shall appear before Me empty-handed” spell פורים – Purim. Today is Rosh Hodesh Adar I, the first day of Adar I, so called because this is a leap year,Continue reading “Shabbat Mishpatim: From Egypt to…Purim?”
Shabbat Yitro: Who’s There?
וַיּוֹצֵ֨א מֹשֶׁ֧ה אֶת־הָעָ֛ם לִקְרַ֥את הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים מִן־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וַיִּֽתְיַצְּב֖וּ בְּתַחְתִּ֥ית הָהָֽר׃ Moshe brought the people out toward God, from the camp, and they stationed themselves beneath the mountain. (Exodus 19.17) Shabbat Yitro records our ancestors’ story of the ultimate moment of revelation between the Jewish people and HaShem. This moment is so overwhelmingly interesting to theologians that mostContinue reading “Shabbat Yitro: Who’s There?”
Torah for the 21st Century by Rabbi Ariel Stone 