תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל גדול שלום שאפי’ הקב”ה שינה בו שנאמר (בראשית יח, יב) ותצחק שרה בקרבה וגו’ (בראשית יח, יב) ואדוני זקן וכתיב (בראשית יח, יג) ויאמר ה’ אל אברהם וגו’ ואני זקנתי It was taught in the house of R. Yishmael: “Peace is so great that even God lies for its sake.” SarahContinue reading “Shabbat VaYekhi: Lying for the sake of Heaven”
Tag Archives: Jewish ethics
Yom Kippur 5784: Ethics of the Apocalypse
Introduction: something’s burning The time is urgent. As our ancestors put it in that ancient compendium of ethical sound bites called Pirke Avot, רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר, הַיּוֹם קָצָר וְהַמְּלָאכָה מְרֻבָּה, וְהַפּוֹעֲלִים עֲצֵלִים, וְהַשָּׂכָר הַרְבֵּה, וּבַעַל הַבַּיִת דּוֹחֵק Rabbi Tarfon said: The day is short and the work is much, and the workers are lazy, andContinue reading “Yom Kippur 5784: Ethics of the Apocalypse”
Shabbat Ki Tetze: You Can’t Choose Whether, but You Can Choose How
The title of our parashat hashavua is ki tetze, “when you go out”. The Torah is continuing to give instruction for how we shall behave when we go out from our place, and a number of possibilities are offered here. What we come to realize is that there is a Jewish ethic for any act. TheseContinue reading “Shabbat Ki Tetze: You Can’t Choose Whether, but You Can Choose How”
Shabbat Toldot: What Are We Teaching Our Children?
This parashat hashavua couldn’t be more timely (it happens so very often that I can’t help but get a bit mystical about it). This week we read of the birth of twins to Rebekah and Isaac, and of the oracle that Rebekah receives when she asks after their – and her – fate: Two nationsContinue reading “Shabbat Toldot: What Are We Teaching Our Children?”
Torah for the 21st Century by Rabbi Ariel Stone 