D’var Torah – December 13
Shabbat Shalom! I hope this finds you all well. There’s this man, and his passion is restoring and building boats. Fair enough, it’s a nice hobby. One day the man decides to build his dream boat, his magnum opus, something he’s always envisioned. He buys the finest lumber and parts, and spends hours locked away sanding, shaping, coating, and sealing the wood, building the engine, and crafting the bilge pumps. He blows off date night with his wife, forgets his daughter’s dance recitals and his son’s hockey games, and skips visiting his folks. Day after day, night after night, week after week, year after year, he labors on that boat. Even his conversations focus entirely on his project. Well, as one might expect, his wife divorces him, his children become estranged, and his friends give up on him. Finally, one day, his boat is finished. But when he looks at […]
D’var Torah – December 6
Jewish Word of the Week – Parshat Vayeitzei Shalom, all: I hope this message finds you all well. This week’s word is Vayeitzei (Hebrew: וַיֵּצֵא), which means “and he went out.” It is the name of the Torah portion that tells the story of Jacob’s journey to Haran, his encounters with his wives, Rachel and Leah, and his complex relationship with his uncle, Laban. This parsha is a pivotal point in Jacob’s life. He leaves his home, fleeing from the consequences of his actions, and embarks on a journey of self-discovery and transformation. We witness his dream of a ladder reaching up to heaven, a powerful image of connection between the earthly and divine realms. We also learn about his wrestling match with an angel, a struggle that leaves him with a new name, Israel, and a deeper understanding of his own strength and resilience. Jacob’s journey is filled with […]
D’var Torah – November 29
Jewish Word of the Week – Parshat Toldot Shalom Shabbat! I hope this finds you all well. This week’s word is Toldot (Hebrew: ְלֹדתוֹתּ), which means “generations” or “history.” It is the name of the Torah portion that tells the story of Isaac and his sons, Jacob and Esau. In this parsha, we learn about the rivalry between Jacob and Esau, and how Jacob tricked his father into giving him the blessing that was meant for Esau. We also learn about Jacob’s journey to Haran, where he meets his wives, Rachel and Leah, and his uncle, Laban. The story of Jacob and Esau is a complex one, full of twists and turns. It is a story about family, betrayal, and reconciliation. It is also a story about the power of blessings and the importance of making the right choices. As we read Parshat Toldot, we are reminded that our actions […]
T’var Torah – November 22
I hope this finds you all well. I was once watching a documentary about the service academies.[1] It focused on everything from the military training to the academics to cadet/midshipmen life, and everything in between. One scene I’ll always remember is the admissions process where a group of civilian professors and military professors decide on who they want to admit into next year’s class. They carefully go through each packet: GPA, extracurricular activities, sports…and letters of recommendation. One of the applicant’s references (a teacher or a coach) writes in his letter of recommendation that he has so much confidence in the applicant as being a man of character that he would trust him to date his daughter! Wow! Think about that for a minute. After the initial laughs and chuckles, it’s honestly hard to think of a more impressive vote of confidence that a middle-aged person can have for a […]
