d'Var Torah

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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 … more

d'Var Torah | 3/8/20

Redeeming the bones of Joseph

Like many people of my generation (I’m 68), I’m thinking about downsizing and simplifying. Each week I look at the bookshelf in my study to identify a book I might no longer need, to … more

d'Var Torah | 2/6/20

Blessings are central to our traditions

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 … more

d'Var Torah | 1/8/20

In defense of the Maccabees

“Let everyone who has zeal for the Law and who stands by the covenant follow me!” – 1 Maccabees 2:27 Mattathias, the high priest and patriarch of the Hasmonean … more

d'Var Torah | 12/9/19

Noah’s story is a tale of hope

This week, we read the story of Noah and the flood. You might be familiar with it as a cute kid’s story about finding two of each animal and bringing them into a giant boat. Or perhaps you … more

d'Var Torah | 10/31/19

Celebrate the whole person, including the imperfections

“2715 Hits Eclipsed by One Miss” read the headline in the sports section eulogizing baseball great Bill Buckner this past spring. The mishap in Game 6 of the ’86 World … more

d'Var Torah | 10/2/19

The legacies we leave behind – writing an ethical

Knowing that he will die before he is able to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, Moses wants to remind the people of all the lessons they have learned in the desert and the values they will … more

d'Var Torah | 9/10/19

The power of memories on Tisha B’Av

Oppressive governments. Neighbors turning innocent neighbors in to the authorities. The most revered place desecrated. People exiled, fleeing a home that can no longer be home. Parents weeping … more

d'Var Torah | 8/1/19

Lessons from a failed rebellion in the desert

If you have been keeping up with our weekly Torah portions, you know that we are now following the adventures of the ancient Israelites as they travel the Wilderness of Sinai. Moses, as leader and … more

d'Var Torah | 7/5/19

We are all very important people

Fifty years ago, in 1969, I became a Bar Mitzvah at Temple Emanu-El, in Providence. Rabbi Eli Bohnen, Rabbi Joel Zaman and my dad, Cantor Ivan Perlman, officiated at my simcha on Shabbat parashat … more

d'Var Torah | 6/6/19