Why is the most well-remembered Jewish prayer an annulment of vows? A fascinating Midrash about Moshe, G-d, and His vows after the Golden Calf, that shed some light on the issue.
Annulling Our Vows—for Good
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The Jewish Homecoming
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Every American knows about the concept of a homecoming. Interestingly, it has surprising resemblance to the holidays of Tishrei. This is truly our opportunity to come home.
A Yiddishe Mame
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When Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau witnessed the touching scene of a mother calming her son after a traumatic war injury, he finally understood why the Prophet compares G-d’s consolation to that of a mother. Why is Rochel Imeinu known as our mother? Why is she the source of consolation? Because she was the one who held it all together.
“IF I WILL NOT DO THIS, WHO WILL?”
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We might wonder what drew Jewish people throughout history to self-sacrifice. The answer is, they saw that if they would not step up to the plate, nobody would. In our day, this message is a relevant as ever.
KREPLACH – THE INSIDE STORY
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Sometimes, being Jewish might seem difficult, and outright crazy. But that is only if you’re looking at it from the outside. Insiders have a different picture.
MAKING A DEAL WITH G-D
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There is always a stark difference between the treatment of the youngest and oldest in a family. How do we approach G-d? As the oldest or youngest child? The answer is that it’s a trade-off.
Be a Jewish Ambassador
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Everyone has been speaking about the Jewish legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Interestingly, her “Yom Kippur” story has been overlooked. A lesson from Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, and Zalman Shazar.
Taking Counsel from Future Generations
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A special peace-deal was signed this week in Washington, which ignored the dictums of “land-for-peace” or the “two-state-solution.” Where did those ideas come from, and what ensured Israel’s establishment?
Canine Messages
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The Baal Shem Tov taught that everything we see and hear can teach us a lesson in serving G-d. COVID has seen a rise in dog-ownership. What lesson can we learn from dogs and their relationships with humans?
Sending G-d a Post card
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Concepts that have become the lingo in the past half a year, like recession, debt and stimulus, all have Jewish parallels. How do Jews deal with a spiritual recession?