Weekly D'var - April 19, 2025
04/21/2025 10:00:33 AM
Rabbi Sacks Legacy: Covenant and Conversation
We are pleased to share the words of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z"l from his weekly Covenant and Conversation series. Please click here to read Parashat Tzav: Why Civilisations Die.
Weekly D'var - April 12, 2025
04/14/2025 10:00:48 AM
Shabbat Shalom….. And Shabbat Hagadol Shalom.
I researched what is the history and meaning Of Shabbat Hagadol and I found fascinating Spiritual connections of our history to share with you today. Shabbat HaGadol means the GREAT SHABBAT and is the Shabbat immediately before Passover which is tonight, 04.12.2025.
According to Midrashic tradition and Torah, On The Tenth of...Read more...
Weekly D'var - April 5, 2025
04/07/2025 10:00:00 AM
Drash Passover
Jorde Nathan
Now is the part of the service … the SHABBAT SERVICE… where in every shul across the world someone comes up and takes about ….. the parashat. Wonder why? We have the entire week to learn the parashat and only one day for Shabbat. But on Shabbat we commonly discuss the parashat. I wonder why. Why not use the time on Shabbat to learn about shabbat? ...Read more...
Weekly D'var - March 29, 2025
03/31/2025 11:08:43 AM
Parashat Pekudei
Paula Madansky
“You are not required to complete the task, however you are not free to withdraw from it.”
This quote is from the Talmud, Pirkei Avot, Attributed to Rabbi Tarfon. One of the five rabbis we read about in the Maggid section of the Haggadah.
The songwriter and performer, Shaina Taub, quoted this in her acceptance speech at the 2024 Tony...Read more...
Weekly D'var - March 22, 2025
03/24/2025 11:00:52 AM
Rabbi Sacks Legacy: Covenant and Conversation
We are pleased to share the words of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z"l from his weekly Covenant and Conversation series. Please click here to read Parashat Vayakhel: Mirrors of Love.
Weekly D'var - March 15, 2025
03/17/2025 11:00:00 AM
Ki Tisa
Ethan Bo
March 15, 2025
Shabbat Shalom,
Today's Parsha, Ki Tisa, covers many topics - among them one of Israel's more grievous offenses. At the base of mount Sinai, the people have caved to anxiety and despair asking Aaron to make them an idol to worship. Aaron obliges and asks the people to surrender their gold, making of it a golden calf and declaring it the deity which brought them from...Read more...
Weekly D'var - March 8, 2025
03/10/2025 10:00:00 AM
Rabbi Sacks Legacy: Covenant and Conversation
We are pleased to share the words of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z"l from his weekly Covenant and Conversation series. Please click here to read Parashat Tetzaveh: The Aesthetic of Holiness.
Weekly D'var - March 1, 2025
03/03/2025 10:00:00 AM
Rabbi Sacks Legacy: Covenant and Conversation
We are pleased to share the words of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z"l from his weekly Covenant and Conversation series. Please click here to read Parashat Terumah: The Architecture of Holiness.
Weekly D'var - February 22, 2025
02/24/2025 10:00:00 AM
Mishpatim
Teddy Gutstein
February 22, 2025
Shabbat Shalom, it is good to be back up here.
In Parshat Mishpatim we encounter so many laws. The first five aliyot consist of God speaking these laws to Moshe—laws covering all sorts of situations. Some are notable, such as those concerning capital punishment. A person could be sentenced to death for murder, striking their parents,...Read more...
Weekly D'var - February 15, 2025
02/17/2025 10:00:00 AM
Shabbat Shira: Beshalach 2025 BS”D
Reeven Earl Nathan
Shabbat Shalom and thank you for helping me celebrate my 19th bar mitzvah anniversary. I wouldn’t want to spend it anywhere else.
But first, a little joke relating to this week’s parsha:
Bnei Yisrael complains: “We are so thirsty that we are about to die!! Is G-d in our midst or not?!”
Moshe cynically retorts: “Guys…....Read more...
Weekly D'var - February 8, 2025
02/10/2025 10:00:00 AM
Rabbi Sacks Legacy: Covenant and Conversation
We are pleased to share the words of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z"l from his weekly Covenant and Conversation series. Please click here to read Parashat Yitro: Deed and Creed.
Weekly D'var - February 1, 2025
02/03/2025 11:11:46 AM
Rabbi Sacks Legacy: Covenant and Conversation
We are pleased to share the words of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z"l from his weekly Covenant and Conversation series. Please click here to read Parashat Bo: Against Their Gods.
Weekly D'var - January 25, 2025
01/27/2025 10:10:36 AM
VA’EIRA
Josh Gutstein
January 25, 2025
At the start of this week’s Parsha, we find a non-confident, doubting Moshe. It reminds me of a quote from Dolly Parton. I bet this is the first time many of you have heard Dolly Parton and Moshe Rabeinu in the same sentence. You see, Dolly Parton once said, “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” I love the sentiment, but finding out who you are is easier...Read more...
Weekly D'var - January 18, 2025
01/20/2025 12:49:15 PM
Shemos
Irwin Benuck
January 18, 2025
Imagine an action movie. Two surgeons are operating furiously on a condemned but innocent patient to quickly save his life in a harsh autocratic country. They complete the operation just in the nick of time and the patient is safely removed. However, the two surgeons are discovered and brought before the authority. If you want to know how...Read more...
Weekly D'var - January 11, 2025
01/11/2025 12:47:09 PM
Parashat Vayechi
Jorde Nathan
January 2025
I offer these words in the zechut of four important shul principles. In no particular order they are:
Kavod l’Shabbat
Kavod l’Grandparents
Louder
Shorter
With appropriate sanctity and respect for shabbat, I attempt to honor the other three principles.
Yaakov is on his deathbed in Mitzrayim and is...Read more...
Weekly D'var - January 4, 2025
01/04/2025 12:40:31 PM
Haftorah from Ezekiel for Parashat Vayigash
The Unity and Disunity of B’nai Yisroel
George Siegel
This sedra tells us of several events of Jacob’s family in Egypt. One significant event is the reunification of Jacob’s sons in Egypt. This was not simple. First, the 10 brothers who had 17 years earlier dumped Joseph into a pit and then sold him to traders to sell in Egypt needed to unify...Read more...
2024 Archives
01/01/2025 12:15:54 PM
Links to D'vrei Torah and essays offered in 2024.
12/30/24: 11 Iconic Christmas Songs that Were Written by Jews (Kveller.com)
12/16-23/24: The Oldest Torah
12/9/24: Va’Yetze
12/2/24: Chanukah FAQs
11/25/24: Chanukah, Judith, and Cheese
11/16/24: Vayeira: Why was Avraham Silent?
11/11/24: Noachide Laws 2: Covenants
11/03/24: Noachide Laws, 2024
10/26/24: Bereshit
10/14-21/24: Remnants of...Read more...