My recent posts…

Words / yom ha’atzma’ut

Like so many other commentators — ancient to modern — Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks elaborates on the construct of tzara’at, an unidentified skin ailment, as recompense for evil speech, lashon hara. Long-ago rabbinic wordplay connected tzara’at to words, speech, that can be hurtful. Aside from a clever acronymic derivation, why would the sages have focused on speech?

Selling Chametz

Even if you don’t keep a kosher kitchen, and/or you don’t “convert” your kitchen for Pesach, there is still spiritual value in selling your chametz: You are engaging with myriad Jews worldwide in a practice that can be traced back to Torah and, if you include a donations to “ma’ot chitin,” you are enabling those in need to more fully celebrate Pesach.

Outrage. Sorrow. Resolve.

Feb 24, 2025 | A Rabbi Writes

outrage

sorrow

resolve

let not the desire for deserved retribution

the justified outrage over evil and lies

overwhelm our deep sorrow

and our deeper resolve

for our resolve

deepened and hardened by our sorrow

is stronger than lies and evil

retribution will come in its due time

kein yehi ratzon / may it be so

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Shabbat shalom!