The festival of Passover is known by two names. Our sages called it “the time of our freedom,” because it is our celebration for God gifting us our exodus from Mizraim (Egypt). Of course, …
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d'Var Torah
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4/2/23
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The standard religious school lesson teaches that we celebrate Hanukkah because although there was only enough oil in the Temple for one day, this tiny amount of oil burned for 8 days, and thus we celebrate by lighting candles for eight days. …
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d'Var Torah
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12/11/15
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This week’s portion is called Shoftim, from the first two words of the Parashah, Shoftim VeShotrim meaning “Judges and Officers.” In the narrative, Moses is reminding the Children of Israel to appoint judges and officers, …
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d'Var Torah
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8/21/15
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Vayekhi, which means “and he [Jacob] lived,” is the last Torah portion in the book of Genesis and concludes the saga of the patriarchs and matriarchs. It ends the part of the Torah in …
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d'Var Torah
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1/8/20
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In this week’s parashah, representatives from each of the twelve tribes are chosen to scout out the land of Canaan. These emissaries are sent into the Holy Land to do reconnaissance …
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d'Var Torah
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6/7/18
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On Monday night, March 9, and Tuesday, March 10, we will celebrate Purim – a holiday we often think of as a day for kids, when we dress in costume, go to Purim carnivals, and eat more …
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d'Var Torah
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3/8/20
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Here we stand, mourning 200,000 lives lost to COVID, surrounded by the divisiveness of an ugly election year, fully feeling the weight of pandemic life that continues to weigh us down.
Now, …
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d'Var Torah
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10/2/20
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We end the Book of Vayikra with a double reading that is made up of the last three chapters of the Third Book of Torah. What is interesting is how relevant it is today.
In a few weeks, we will …
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d'Var Torah
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5/9/21
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Near the beginning of next week’s Torah portion, Shoftim (Hebrew for Judges, Deut. 16:17-21:9), we find a verse that begins: “Justice, justice (Tzedek, tzedek) thou shall pursue” …
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d'Var Torah
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8/5/21
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How do you know when your zeal for righteousness has veered into the realm of self-righteousness? How do you know when you have become so enthusiastic about what you believe that you …
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d'Var Torah
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8/24/17
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