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05/27/2026

A Taste of Torah....Naso

n the middle of this week's Parsha we have one the most well-known sections of the Torah, the "Priestly Benediction". This short, but powerful, blessing is recited every morning as part of the Shacharis prayer. Parents also bless their children Erev Shabbos and/or Erev Yom Kippur with these loving words. On all major festivals (daily in Israel) the Kohanim invoke this blessing for the entire community.

Various commentators offer interesting explanations for the meaning and significance of many of the details of this fifteen word blessing. Two things stand out as being indispensable to the blessing itself, and to its invocation. The first is that the final word is - Shalom. In order that all the previous blessings be meaningful, there must be Shalom - peace. This starts with the individual being at peace with himself. If a person is internally conflicted, it's hard to be at peace with others. Actually, the mere knowledge that Hashem bestows His blessings upon us - can help us feel an inner peace and tranquility, which in turn will affect how we deal with others.

Secondly, when the Kohanim bless the community, they are required to do it with love. If a Kohen has issues with the congregation and can't evoke a positive feeling towards its members, he should not participate in issuing the blessing. This requirement of love is even part of the Bracha the Kohanim say before beginning the Mitzvah of blessing G-d's children.

May we all, as a "Kingdom of Priests", share the blessings of Hashem with the entire world, starting with a positive attitude toward ourselves, as well as toward those within our sphere of influence. And may we all be credible representatives of G-d in this world.

05/27/2026

Just a Thought....Torah Study

I trust that each of you had a joyous and meaningful holiday of Shavuot. Every special occasion, or event, in our lives gives us the opportunity and the impetus for a new - and improved - beginning.

I hope we all focused on how fortunate we are that Hashem blessed us with His Torah, which gives meaning to all of existence. We should express our gratitude for this gift every single day.

Now that we move forward from once again "receiving the Torah", it is an auspicious time to re-dedicate ourselves to actually studying the Torah, in the most meaningful way possible. We invite you to join us for our Zoom Torah Study sessions, Monday and Wednesday evenings.

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05/19/2026

Just a Thought....Torah....Who needs it?!

We are on the eve of once again celebrating the greatest event in the history of mankind - the giving of the Torah at Sinai. The Jewish People expressed their commitment to Hashem by saying, "Naaseh v'nishma" - we accept the Torah now, and we'll learn to understand it later. It is a wonderful act of trust to commit to something without knowing the details.

Our sages, however, say that we received the Torah under duress, not of our own free will. This seems to be a clear contradiction.

We are all familiar with the expression, "...an offer you can't refuse". Without context, one would think that this implies duress - you 'can't' refuse. But we know that what this really means is, that the offer is so overwhelmingly good, that it doesn't make sense to refuse it. In our context, when our ancestors at Sinai were able to perceive the true value of Torah, that the world couldn't exist without it, they had no rational choice but to accept it.

We cannot imagine what the world would look like without the infusion of Torah values. There are certain self-evident truths which leave no room for doubt.

The problem is - that this perception, based on the overwhelming Divine revelation at Sinai, didn't last very long. From that point on, it is our responsibility to achieve that vision on our own - with the help of the Torah. It is incumbent upon us, especially as we approach the Yom Tov of Shavuot, to think about the partnership of Hashem, the Torah and the Jewish People, in giving meaning to all of existence.

It is a partnership we should treasure with every fiber of our being.

The advantage we have over our ancestors is that we have 3500 years of Jewish history to help us appreciate the impact of Torah on all of humanity. Having the Torah to guide us through all the compexities of life is truly liberating, the ultimate fulfillment of the freedom which began as we left Egypt, on our way to Mt. Sinai, and ultimately to the Promised Land.

Even the Promised Land is something we could only dream about, and speak about, for almost 2000 years. Now we have the ability to be there within mere hours.

May we all celebrate this glorious event with joy, and depth of meaning.

05/15/2026

A Taste of Torah....Bamidbar

This week's Parsha, Bamidbar, is highlighted by a census of the Jewish People in the desert. This portion is always read before the holiday of Shavuot, which commemorates the giving of the Torah at Sinai. The question is, what is the connection between the two? Many answers are given, but we'll focus on one, which is highly relevant.

Our sages tell us that the Torah was given primarily to bring about peace in the world. Without a structure of laws and values, and accountability to the Creator, chaos and destruction would reign supreme. Without mutual respect, we would have a world like the one that was destroyed by the Flood, at the time of Noah. Even much of our world today reflects the corruption and perversion that was prevalent back then. Some things never change.

As a prelude to our annual re/receiving of the Torah, we read about the census. What's unique about a census is that each person is counted as one, no more and no less. A person with the stature of Moshe doesn't count any more than the "shlepper" who doesn't seem to have any significant value. The same phenomenon is relevant when assembling a Minyan; nine world-class scholars, as great as they may be, do not constitute a Minyan. If one commoner walks in, as ignorant as he may be, he enables all the others to be part of the Minyan.

The lesson is simple: every person, being a child of "our Father in Heaven" has a unique soul and a personal purpose for which s/he was created. As long as a person behaves in a manner consistent with being a member of "The Children of Israel" s/he is deserving of respect. If we, in fact, treat each other with courtesy and kindness, we become part of that process that G-d so desires - to bring about the Messianic era, highlighted by peace and tranquility for all.

05/15/2026

Just a Thought...Shavuot

As we approach the Festival of Shavuot, commemorating the giving of the Ten Commandments at Sinai, it is appropriate to use the next week to give some serious thought as to the real meaning of that event. When you grow up in the Jewish community, you tend to take for granted that a unique event happened 3338 years ago, and thousands of miles away. But it really has nothing to do with my life here and now.

The reality is that being a direct descendant of ancestors who personally experienced the receiving of the Torah, and transmitted its values and directives to their children, generation after generation, until this very day, should encourage us to embrace our heritage in the best way we can.

The Jewish People have had a miraculous history, and has contributed more to the world than any other group, in spite of our minimal numbers. It behooves each of us to want to be an active participant in that ongoing process.

If you want to intensify or upgrade your connection to your essential self, we are here to help. If you have any questions or issues, we would be happy to discuss them with you.

"If not now, when?"

05/06/2026

A Taste of Torah....Behar

Our first Parsha this week begins with Hashem telling Moshe 'Behar' (at Mount) Sinai to instruct the Jewish People regarding the Mitzvah of 'Shemitta' - the Sabbatical Year. The classic question is, "What has the Shemitta to do with Sinai? - all the Mitzvos were given at Sinai? Yet the Torah singles out this one Mitzvah - to indicate a special relationship.

It can be said that this Mitzvah is one of the most difficult in the Torah. For an entire year, every Jew living in Israel is prohibited from exercising control over his own agricultural land. One may not plant, cultivate or harvest from his own fields. To observe this Mitzvah takes an awful lot of faith - that somehow, whatever he has stored up from before - will be enough to last for well beyond a year. He must be able to trust that Hashem will somehow provide for the needs of his entire family. How can a person be expected to actually set aside his realistic concerns?

The answer is 'Har' (Mount) Sinai. The extraordinary, reality changing, experience of receiving the Torah at Sinai, gave us an eternal ability to function in the realm of the supernatural. In addition to the one time phenomenon of receiving the Ten Commandments with all the awe inspiring spiritual and physical revelations, there was, perhaps, an even greater miracle taking place. An entire nation was being transformed from a group of idol-worshiping slaves - into G-d's Chosen People.

We were imbued with the ability to function beyond the rules of nature. Need a proof? - We're still here! The continued existence of the Jewish People has been an on-going series of supernatural events.

Throughout thousands of years of Jewish history, we have lived in a multitude of countries, virtually around the world, usually under duress. In spite of living in different cultures, and speaking different languages, we survived, because the Torah has united and empowered us in a most extraordinary way.

Just recently Jews around the world celebrated Yom HaAtzmaut - Israel Independence Day - do you believe in miracles now?

05/06/2026

Just a Thought....Lag B'Omer

Yesterday, May 5th, Jews around the world celebrated Lag B'Omer, a day of festivity associated with the survival of the Torah and the Jewish People through turbulent times - almost two thousand years ago. The mere fact that we have survived all the vicissitudes of history - the best of times, and the worst of times, is reason enough to celebrate.

We actually commemorate two events on this day. In the second century CE, the famous Rabbi Akiva had 24,000 students, who died tragically during this season, between Pesach and Shavuot. On the 33rd day, the dying came to an end, with only five students remaining. We celebrate the termination of this terrible tragedy on Lag (the 33rd day) B'Omer.

Among Rabbi Akiva's remaining students was the illustrious Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the author of the classic work of Kabbala, the Zohar. Many years later, he passed away on Lag B'Omer. As he led a complete and productive life, we actually commemorate his death, according to his wishes, by rejoicing, a virtual "celebration of life'.

These two luminaries, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, whose sacrifice for the preservation of Torah is legendary, should serve as an inspiration to all of us, to strive to be the best that we can be. At least our grandchildren and great-grandchildren should remember the positive impact that we had on their lives, by virtue of our living and sharing our eternal Jewish values.

Our lives matter!

04/30/2026

A Taste of Torah...Emor

In this week's Parsha, Emor, we read about the special laws for Kohanim, the Priestly family. After the Torah encourages the entire Jewish people to strive for holiness, and to avoid impurity, it singles out the Kohanim for an extra measure. Because their role is one of spiritual leadership, and service in the Holy Temple, they are held to higher standards. For example, in this Parsha we have the prohibition of the Kohanim to be in the presence of a co**se, which transmits spiritual impurity. On the positive side, a true Kohen is a man of peace and kindness, bestowing G-d's blessing on his fellow Jews.

As Hashem refers to the entire Jewish People as a "Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation" - we are all empowered to set a positive example and be "a light unto the nations". This is truly an amazing phenomenon; millions of people who have spent their entire lives in slavery are now empowered to shift gears, and become a role model for the rest of the world! Only Hashem could affect a transition of that magnitude. It certainly doesn't happen naturally.

This concept is especially relevant as we remember the student of Rabbi Akiva who died an untimely death during the period between Pesach and Shavuot. Even though they were Torah scholars, they were not divinely protected from tragic death - because they did not exercise proper respect for one another. Just as the Kohanim are held to a higher standard, so are Torah scholars, who must reflect Torah values in an exemplary manner.

How fortunate are we - that Hashem has chosen us to be leaders and luminaries. Let us appreciate and embrace our unique role in the world. The world is counting on us.

04/30/2026

Just a Thought....Pesach Sheni...Making it count

This Friday, the 14th of Iyar, is known as Pesach Sheni - the Second Pesach. Whereas we are permitted to eat Chametz on this day, it is customary also to eat some Matzah.

Here is the story. The Torah tells us that a year after the Jewish People left Egypt, they performed the mandatory Pesach Sacrifice, on the 14th of Nissan. There were some members of the Jewish community who were physically or ritually unable to participate. Upset that they were being deprived of this important Mitzvah, they petitioned Moshe regarding their plight. Moshe consulted Hashem, Who responded that one month later, the 14th of Iyar, they could bring a "make-up" sacrifice. Thus the name Pesach Sheni - the second Pesach.

The significance of this episode is the message that - "It's never too late". G-d is always willing to give us a second chance to make up for missed opportunities. There is only one condition - we have to desire that second chance. The problem is - why should we care now if we didn't care before?

The answer comes from this week's Parsha, which begins with the word Emor - which means "Say". Whereas our sages tell us that we should "say little - and do much", there are times when it is indeed appropriate and desirable to speak. As it relates to our discussion, when we express words of love, understanding and encouragement to another person, we contribute to that person making better choices and developing better values - and wanting a second chance.

This concept also relates to the main event of next week, Lag B'Omer, which is next Tuesday. As we count the days between Pesach and Shavuot we mourn the death of 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva, who didn't have proper respect for one another. The message of Emor is that we should never hesitate to say nice things - and to say them nicely. Words can kill, but they can also revive.

Our days count, and so do our words.

04/24/2026

A Taste of Torah....Kedoshim

There is so much material in this week's double Parsha, that this could really be called the "Sermonic week and a half". The name, and theme, of the second Parsha is Kedoshim, in which Hashem exhorts - and empowers - us to be holy, just as He is holy. There are numerous interesting lessons in the Parsha, in addition to the many Mitzvot contained therein.

The first is - that this Parsha was taught to the entire Jewish People, as they were all assembled together, not in smaller groups, as was the norm. The simple lesson from this is that, contrary to common thought, holiness is not just for Rabbis, scholars or mystics. The Torah is teaching us that each one of us can attain a level of holiness - by dedicating his/her priorities to the will of his/her Creator. The essential function of holiness is to avoid prohibited thought, speech and behavior in favor of those designated by the Al-mighty - to help perfect the world.The second lesson is - that immediately after instructing us to be holy, Hashem gives us 51 commandments by which to attain that level, starting from the Mitzvah of respecting our parents. Whereas a person might think that holiness is achieved by focusing only on ritual or spiritual Mitzvot, the Torah enumerates a multitude of "interpersonal" Mitzvot - intertwoven with the ritual ones.

Lest one think that the only thing that counts is "being nice to each other", and the rituals really don't matter, the Torah mentions the Mitzvah of Shabbat in the same verse as that of respecting our parents. The same juxtaposition is found throughout the Parsha. Every aspect of our lives should be guided by the instructions bestowed upon us by G-d.

In addition, our sages teach us that we must exercise self-control even in the thought, speech and action that is permitted, e.g. not everything that's true must be said. Not everything that's Kosher must be eaten. Everything that we do must be done with refinement and good character. Let us emulate the finest people we know, who, in turn, emulate G-d Himself.

Imagine what the world would look like if we would just "read and follow the directions".

04/24/2026

Just a Thought...Jewish survival....coincidence?

Today, the 5th of Iyar, Jews around the world are celebrating the 78th birthday of the State of Israel. The fact that after almost 1900 years of exile, we were able to re-create a Jewish state is truly remarkable. The fact that Israel has survived the last 78 years is even more remarkable!

But we must ask the question, "how was it even possible?"
Considering the dispersion of the Jewish People virtually around the world, how were we able to come back home?

The answer is that wherever we were, under whatever conditions, we maintained our connection to Jewish tradition.
Through even the worst of times, we made a Pesach Seder, lit Shabbat and Chanuka candles, avoided certain foods, and taught our children what it means to be Jewish.

Those who gave up when the times were tough (or great) also gave up their dreams of "Next year in Jerusalem". Those who stayed with the program ultimately made the dream come true.

All of Jewish history, as well as Jewish tradition, tells us that if we want to maintain our connection to the Holy Land, we must be a Holy People.

How fitting is it that the same week we celebrate Israel's Independence, we read the Parsha of Kedoshim, Where G-d instructs us, and empowers us, to be Holy.

Coincidence???

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