Seven Rabbis were summoned late at night for an early morning exclusive session to determine if the year should be interlocated (fancy word for adding a month - a Jewish Leap Year) as is proscribed.  Eight Rabbi's showed up. This is not the beginning of a joke.  True story Talmud Sanhedrin.

Neither the bent over suffering depictions of Jews by anti-semitic cartoonists, nor the image of the modern Jew the buff warrier are the authentic depictions of either the Torah's value nor the true meaning of greatness.

I love when that happens! That was my uncle Schwartzie’s favorite line and the name of his book. He meant this in the context of recognizing the hand of Hashem when seeing the dots connect in interactions and events transpiring around him/us.

The orders of the Torah portions are intentional. In preparation for the holiday of Shavous we have the rebuke in this week’s Parsha, similar how it is two weeks before Rosh Hashanah. 

This week I had a difficult discussion with a colleague. I walked away from the conversation sad for my colleague and also not feeling great with how I showed up for that individual (perhaps the two are tied together).

What's in your ear(pods) or you are what you consume.

Do you ever find yourself agitated or angsty for no reason? And then you remember that you saw a disturbing news piece, read a bothersome email, or someone said something that set you off?

I am not particularly interested in outer space. 

There, I said it, and it feels like a confession. For someone my age—Gen X, raised on rockets and Reagan and the promise of “the final frontier”—I’m aware this borders on heresy.

Although Pesach is over, the aura of the holiday and the spiritual effects of the Matzah and Wine remain inside of us having become part of who we are.

The idea of imagining slavery or being kept hostage is not a foreign idea.  These past two + years we have lived with the plight of the hostages, their suffering, their release and now their stories.

One of the most familiar passages of the Haggadah, a quote from a Mishna reads, "in every generation one is required to see themselves as if they left Egypt". 

When was the last time you brought an animal sacrifice?

In the opening of the third book of the Torah we are introduced to the Mitzvah of sacrifices.  We know the Torah is eternal and its application is at all times.

This week we end the second book of the Torah - Shemos. As is the tradition we announce and call up on strength three times - Chazak Chazak Vinischazek - be strong, be strong and be strengthened.  In Jewish teachings, three creates a permanence and enforces.  

We are living in truly miraculous times! Unlike the Purim story and throughout our history, we have super powers looking out for the interest of the Jewish People!

In a conversation recently with someone regarding the tension between the USA/Israel and Iran, I made a comment that the Iranian's are crazy and have a death wish.

The following is a story that I heard from my niece's new father in law - Rabbi Aryeh Solomon -  at their Sheva Brachos last Shabbos. 

Before my Yechidus (private audience), I prepared a Tzettel (a note) to give to the Rebbe, as was customary. In it I wrote about who I was, where I was holding in life, and what I hoped to accomplish in the future.

Idealism is a blessing and also totally unrealistic. Oh, I don't intend to throw the baby out with the bathwater. No, Idealism is what has brought change to the world.  Idealism has brought so much good to the world. But it only works when it moves out of its idealistic space into reality.

When the Previous Rebbe’s grandmother, Rebbetzin Rivkah, was eighteen, she fell ill and the physician ordered her to eat immediately upon awakening. She, however, did not wish to eat before davening, so she davened very early, then ate breakfast.

We live in blessed times with unique awareness about our inner world. With that comes an increase in anxiety wondering how we can get rid of the narratives that seem to interfere with living in alignment.

Are you forgetful? Do you ever forget to get something done because it is not on your to do list? Is it possible to get something done in the best possible manner by running away from doing the very thing?

At the beginning of this week's Parsha, the Torah gives us the ancestry of Moses and Aaron and their children. It is not the first or the last time the Torah gives us their pedigree. What is different is the association with their mothers as opposed to their fathers. 

(Generally in Torah tradition, tribal association is defined by the father, and identity by the mother.)