Original Vegetarianism: Where’s The Beef?
Adam and Eve were vegetarians. When God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden, the Torah tells us that God said: “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat…” (Genesis 2:16). While God…
Name Change
It is not a coincidence that cultures around the world share a belief in the power of given names. In Judaism, it is believed that parents are granted a flash of ruach hakodesh, Divine…
Offer Assistance
If you are told that someone’s Hebrew name has been changed or that a Hebrew name was added to an individual’s name, try to find out if you can be helpful to them during a time that may…
Hail the Holy Pomegranate
The pomegranate is a funny sort of fruit. Rather than eating the flesh and throwing away the seed, as one does when eating an apple or orange, pomegranate seeds are the parts that are…
The Three Mitzvot of Sarah
Jokes about dominant Jewish mothers are abundant and frequent. Perhaps this is because, historically, Jewish mothers have been responsible for building the foundation for passionate…
Rachel’s Tomb?
Kever Rochel, the Tomb of Rachel, in Bethlehem is considered to be the third holiest site in Jewish tradition, after the Temple Mount and The Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron. The…
Request Wisdom and Guidance
The decision whether to use diplomacy, prayer or action or all three is not an easy one. Consider approaching a rabbi to seek wisdom and request guidance when faced with a particularly…
A Special Shabbat
While welcoming Chanukah by lighting the menorah, and Shabbat, by lighting Shabbat candles this afternoon, take a moment to appreciate the special opportunity we have been given to…
Accepting Wisdom
“Ben Zoma said: Who is wise? An individual who learns from all people, as it is said (Psalms 119:99): ‘From all those who taught me, I gained understanding’” (Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the…
Majority Rules
After the Torah was given, Moses served as the sole judge of the Jewish people until a judicial hierarchy was established at the suggestion of Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law. One judge was…