as we prepare for the High Holy Days, this prayer from last year is still, sadly, relevant In the morning it is written and in the evening it is sealed: Who shall die jogging Who shall die relaxing in their home Who shall die seeking help after a car crash Who shall die holding aContinue reading “Who By Fire and Who By Water”
Tag Archives: High Holy Days
Shabbat Ki Tavo: What Kind of Jew Are You?
This week’s parashah begins with a rare example of actual prayer formula in ancient Israel. Most of the time, “prayer”, that is, seeking to communicate with G-d, was expressed in a non-verbal form, that of sacrifice. A close look at the book VaYikra (Leviticus) will demonstrate the truth my former teacher taught in his book TheContinue reading “Shabbat Ki Tavo: What Kind of Jew Are You?”
Shabbat Shuvah: Yir’ah and Trembling
We are now entered into a ten-day period of what are meant to be Days of Awe. Awe is a difficult concept for us – the vibrant, incessant creativity of the English language has turned “awesome” into an appreciative adjective for almost anything. For our ancestors, awe – in Hebrew, yir’ah – meant the emotions thatContinue reading “Shabbat Shuvah: Yir’ah and Trembling”
Torah for the 21st Century by Rabbi Ariel Stone 