Identifying the Hallmark of Our Humanity—And How to Make It Last

We humans are funny creatures: we think and feel, we become inspired, and we understand; yet somehow those experiences rarely align. We think one way and feel another. Understanding the true source of humanity makes it all click.

Many find the high level of detail in Jewish observance frustrating, or even petty; could an infinite G-d really care if I light Shabbat candles a minute later or earlier? Well, actually, the answer is yes: deviating from the recipe will not bake the cake!

Accepting bribes is an objective ethical no-no. G-d, too, takes no bribes, the verse tells us. But some form of bribes He does take: the power of teshuvah, repairing our relationship with Him, will always be accepted on High.

Why Nothing Can Get in the Way of Good

The world around us feels very real, and even more real the more we experience it. But the kabbalists taught that it actually isn’t. Discover an entirely new way of looking at the universe, and emerge empowered to never back down from doing the right thing.

Our Connection to Israel Is Sacred

The chronology of events leading up to our people’s first entry into the Land teaches us that to maintain our connection with this sacred land, we must guard not only its borders, but our own sacred heritage.

Understanding the Source of Our Pain–and How to Heal It

The world is filled with pain, grief, and so many challenges. But a surprising Chasidic text reveals that our pain is rooted in G-d’s pain—providing a deep foray into Jewish mysticism and a novel pathway for healing.

Discovering the Unique Meaning of Every Stage, Place, and Part of Life

Competing forces, people, and urges vie for your attention in every stage of life. A unique story of talking lottery pieces teaches us to stop, focus, and drill down into whichever stage you’re at right now. Tomorrow, you’ll focus on tomorrow.

Wouldn’t it be nice to live in a world where everyone engaged in honest dialogue, asking questions not to challenge or deride, but only to genuinely learn? Sadly, that isn’t our world (yet). A garish story in the Torah teaches us that when someone isn’t looking for an answer, it’s best not to engage at all.

True Strength and Deep Commitment Emerge from the Smelting Pot of Life

Seldom do the Jews sing in the Bible. But when they do, it’s glorious. A closer look at the only two instances of such song and who led the cast brings us to a profound conclusion about the tzuros (sufferings) of life: they’re the best thing to ever happen to us.

The pendulum of history has swung back and forth on this question: What’s more important: the collective, or the individual? Discover how the Torah’s original rabble-rouser, Korach, made a bold, ambitious claim that, one day, will be proven correct.