Rabbi Knopf’s Friday message for Parashat Va-Et’hanan (August 8, 2014): Worrying about what other people have that we don’t is corrosive to our souls and keeps us from true happiness.

How to criticize more constructively, a sermon for Parashat D’varim.

In this haftarah introduction for Shabbat Hazon, Rabbi Knopf argues that the greatest threat to Jewish survival was not foreign enemies, intermarriage, or lack of ritual observance. It is losing track of who we are supposed to be and what we are called to do on the most fundamental level: fighting for fairness and equality in our society.

Most of us want to be comfortable and avoid struggle. But in this D’var Torah on Parashat D’varim, Rabbi Knopf argues that sometimes, seeking out new challenges is the only way we can flourish.

With Israel under attack by Hamas rocket fire, many feel powerless to do anything constructive. The most constructive thing we can do is to never lose hope that peace is possible.