Finding Good in People Rabbi Rami Pavolotzky This week we read parashat Balak. As the Israelites traveled to Canaan, their reputation preceded them, and the Moabites were well aware of the miracles that had accompanied Israel’s exodus from Egypt. Balak, the king of Moab, was scared of the Israelites and hence tried to engage the
It Heals and Comforts to Sing a Song as a Community B” H Rabbi Daniela Szuster Most of the Tanach, the Hebrew Bible, is written in prose, with the exception of a few passages which are written as songs. For example, we have the Song of the Sea in the book of Exodus (15:1- 16:21),
Spies or Scouts? By Rabbi Rami Pavolotzky The parasha for this week, Shlach Lecha, opens with the famous story of the twelve spies, also known as the twelve scouts… Wait a minute! Spies or scouts? It is certainly not the same thing! I will try to explain why we call them both and what the
We should not give up; life gives us a second chance! B”H Rabbi Daniela Szuster In this week’s parashah, parashat B’haalotcha, it is written that in the second year after the exodus from the land of Egypt, God reminded the people of Israel about the celebration of Pesach. The Torah tells us that the people
Be Original, Be Yourself! By Rabbi Rami Pavolotzky This week we read parashat Naso, which is the longest Torah section. Not surprisingly, this parasha also includes the longest chapter in the Torah, Numbers 7, which includes 89 verses. This long chapter talks about the gifts (or offerings) brought by the heads of each one of
“Investing” in Blessings By Rabbi Rami Pavolotzky This week we read two parashot, Behar and Bechukotai. With this reading we complete the Book of Leviticus. Parashat Behar starts with the law of the Sabbatical year and ends with a mention of the Shabbat. Indeed, there is a common side to both mitzvot: the observance of