Weekly Torah Studies

Sometimes, It's Best To Shrink Your Audience To Amplify Your Message

Was there ever something you felt strongly about, yet kept to yourself for fear of losing your audience? It’s a tough call each time, and the divergent legacies of Abraham and his wife Sarah are quite instructional. Ultimately, it’s Sarah who wins the day.

Sustainable Love is a Quiet Affair

To be “in love” is to be generous, wide open, and full of dreams. That’s a great first step—but it’s only the first step. Abraham, the first Jew, was a man of kindness, yet the wells of emotion he dug were ultimately stuffed up. It took his quiet, disciplined son, Isaac, to redig them and open them forever. It’s much the same in our lives, too.

The Synthesis Runs a Lot Deeper Than You Think. Just Do It Right.

Many have grappled with the apparently irreconcilable differences between religion and science; “Religion is the domain of faith; science, that of reason,” is a common attitude. A new read of when G-d disrupts a grand feat of modern engineering teaches a refreshing approach.

A Primer for Acting, Feeling, and Identifying as Jewish

What is the defining feature of a healthy relationship? Doing things for each other? Remaining committed even when there’s betrayal? Perhaps another intangible we’re not even talking about? The joyous holiday of Sukkot provides a good primer for these important questions.

True Love Doesn’t Blind; It Embraces and Hopes for Better

Come to think of it, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are really the same thing: two serious days about making things right for a new year. So why do we need them both? “High Holiday” doesn’t have the same ring to it, but it could do. So why the double-act? Discover the true meaning of Yom Kippur.

Finding Common Ground from a G-dly Perch

In divisive times, when neighbors, friends, and even family turn on one another, it is more important than ever to find common ground that unites us all. Indeed, the New Year provides us an opportunity to gain a G-dly perspective on humanity that will surely bring us together.

The Super Power of Baal Teshuva

Have you ever wished you could rewrite the past and retrieve a broken part of yourself? Through a surprisingly fresh look at the horrible list of curses in our parshah, we discover a most incredible power: the power to redeem the irredeemable.

Recognizing Your Limits Is the Secret to True Growth

To assume infallibility is a dangerous game. History has demonstrated time and again that he or she who deems themselves beyond reproach is most often the first one to fall. A fresh look at the mitzvah to erect a fence on the roof of our home brings this message into stark relief.

To Leave Egypt, You Must Really Leave It Behind. All of It.

A Jewish king is not allowed to own too many horses. Sounds interesting, but why? So he doesn’t head back to Egypt and settle there. A fascinating ride through some complex halachic intricacies lands us at the doorstep of this important conclusion: There’s no such thing as “partially” leaving Egypt.

Gaining Perspective on the Things that Vex Us Most

“I have given you blessing and curses; take a good look and make the right choice!” Scripture declares. Is this really such a choice that requires examination? A deep look at some thorny theological questions gifts us this nugget: How we look at life is, indeed, entirely ours to choose.