|  | | Why is it that the Temple Mount retained its sanctity long after the Temples had actually stood there, whereas the sanctity of Mt. Sinai was terminated immediately after the Torah was given there? | | | | | |  | | The spoon and the knife, can be used as instruments of life or death. What determines their effects is man's intent and his use of these instruments - either to build or to destroy. | | | | | |  | | Human nature is complex and often resists change. | | | | | |  | | The answers are close to us. They are within us, within ourselves, and our existence, and they testify to the eternal truth and God's praise. | | | | | |  | | Central to our faith is the notion that by improving his actions and by uplifting his spirit, man comes closer to God. Yet who is to guide him? | | | | | |  | | Even in the absence of the thanksgiving offering today, the obligation of expressing recognition and gratitude "with our lips" stands firm. | | | | | |  | | Leaders must recognize that if they wish for God's blessings for their actions, God's name must be inscribed on everything they build. | | | | | |  | | A nation designated by God as His chosen people carries the expectation of special behavior. They are expected to know better. | | | | | |  | | Any initial achievement, either materialistic or spiritual, must be guaranteed continuity and must be self sustaining. | | | | | |  | | The Almighty puts our commitment and our promise to the test to see whether we indeed offer of ourselves according to our heart and our will, to build his sanctuary. | | | | | |  | We must take an active role in our partnership with the Almighty. In this way, we give God's miracles an added dimension that attracts the world's curiosity and provides a model for the nations to emulate.
| | | | | |  | | We must be consistently aware of the miracles of everyday life, the miraculous events we casually refer to as "nature." Then we will merit God's promise. | | | | | |  | | God offers us a brightly illuminated path. If we turn it down in preference to more seemingly attractive or secure paths, we will find ourselves in a darkness so thick it can be felt. | | | | | |  | | Moses, the father of the prophets, achieved as did no one else, a degree of intimacy and trust with the Almighty, to the point that God says of Moses, "In all my house, he is the most loyal." | | | | | |  | | Regardless of religion, race, or creed, kind people are acknowledged for their actions, even to the extent of being credited by the Almighty Himself. | | | | | |  | | A slave whose eyes and heart is open, who does not surrender his spirit to his master, is a free man. His faith will ultimately free him. A free man who sells his spirit and closes his eyes and heart will forever be a slave. | | | | | |  | | If a fellow Jew falters, each one of us has a stake and a share in that failure. | | | | | |  | We are instructed to light new candles, so as to bring light to the future. However, we must always do so on the foundation of past candles, past experiences, past generations.
| | | | | |  | Peace does not happen. It is made. And once we make peace in our outer walls, we are ready to make peace in our inner palaces.
| | | | | |  | | Jacob rises above his doubts in confronting Esau by defining himself. | | | | | |  | | The ladder in Jacob's dream was later experienced by his descendants as they stood at Mt. Sinai. As the Children of Israel accepted the Almighty in the desert, Sinai symbolizes a fiery ladder bridging the foot of the mountain, where they stood to God's heaven. | | | | | |  | | For some people, lives are measured only in years. Their lives are characterized by the passage of time. Lives filled with years. For others, in contrast, their years are filled with life. Their years are alive, vital. | | | | | |  | | It is never sufficient to judge a person by external characteristics alone. On needs to look deeper, for more telling attributes. | | | | | |  | One wonders what was unique about Abraham to merit God's selecting him to go to Cana'an and to receive His blessings. Why was Abraham especially worthy of this?
| | | | | |  | The greatest challenge we face in our tumultuous and morally confusing times is to ensure the redemption of our children by instilling in them the values of the Torah and its commandments.
| | | | | |  | "In the beginning" God created not only the heavens and the earth, God, who is timeless created the concept of time, with its seconds, minutes, hours and days, something from nothing, in a single indivisible moment.
| | | | | |  | In the Midrash Rabbah they said that it is as if His throne is reinforced up above, in times when Israel is united.
| | | | | |  | Modern science has come to recognize that the body and spirit are interdependent.
| | | | | |  | | When a Jew who has strayed wishes to draw closer to the Almighty, he must be encouraged to the righteous path. | | | | | |  | Lapse in moral behavior by an observant Jew is greeted with headlines declaring in bold letters that the accused is a religious Jew. We sometimes wonder what is behind the vulnerability of the observant Jew to this form of social scrutiny.
| | | | | |  | Painfully, we witnessed many wars in our brief history as an independent modern state. With God's help we overcame vast and mighty enemies, thanks to the unity and cohesiveness that has embraced or people.
| | | | | |  | | Just as the physical world has fixed laws that govern it, so, too, do the spiritual and moral dimensions of our existence. | | | | | |  | | The Torah advises us that we be "blessed above all the peoples" to the point that, as the Midrash explains, we are praised even by our enemies. And how are we to achieve this? | | | | | |  | | We learn a great lesson regarding our relationship with the Creator. Our past deeds earn us nothing, for they are insufficient to repay God for the multitude of favors He grants us. | | | | | |  | | "When the great follow the lowly, they fall on their faces." | | | | | |  | | Truth and justice within society at large is impossible unless those who lead that society set an example in their personal and communal lives and dealings. | | | | | |  | | When we come to recognize that the enemy that undermines us morally poses a greater threat than the enemy that seeks to erase us physically, we will know to protect ourselves spiritually as well. | | | | | |  | | When the Jewish nation is wholly represented with all of its shades and colors, our prayers will be heard and our aspirations realized. | | | | | |  | There exists a higher, Divine logic that determines our reality, higher and more divine than that which man can comprehend.
| | | | | |  | | Holiness is not an inherent characteristic. It cannot be taken for granted. Rather it must be nurtured and cultivated. It is never sufficient to simply exonerate ourselves. | | | | | |  | | There is no sin in fear. The sin lies in the conclusions we reach when afraid. | | | | | |  | | To establish the Tabernacle and make it a reality, a man was needed who would be above all others, someone who would devote his entire self to seeing "the creation of each and every detail." | | | | | |  | | The blending of the generations builds a sacred flame, while estrangement and separation lead to an alien flame that can consume the soul of an entire generation. | | | | | | | | | The answers are close to us. They are within us, within ourselves, and our existence, and they testify to the eternal truth and God's praise. | | | | | | | | | Central to our faith is the notion that by improving his actions and by uplifting his spirit, man comes closer to God. Yet who is to guide him? | | | | | | | | | Even in the absence of the thanksgiving offering today, the obligation of expressing recognition and gratitude "with our lips" stands firm. | | | | | | | | | Leaders must recognize that if they wish for God's blessings for their actions, God's name must be inscribed on everything they build. | | | | | |  | | There is no doubt that our world is full of brilliant and gifted people who create great beauty and make awesome discoveries. Still with all of the immeasurable brilliance, we see before us a sad and self-destructing world. | | | | | |  | | It is our nature to reject dependency and despise indebtedness. It is incumbent upon us at all times to recognize God's goodness to us and our debt to Him | | | | | | | | | Any initial achievement, either materialistic or spiritual, must be guaranteed continuity and must be self sustaining. | | | | | |  | When the recipient of a gift is someone of great stature, the one "giving" the gift also feels a sense of honor and enrichment.
| | | | | |  | | The Jew who lives in the Land of Israel, even one who seems overtly distanced from Torah observance, has a God. | | | | | |  | One cannot merely adopt the humanistic mitzvot and ignore those governing his relationship with God.
| | | | | |  | Even the poor man, depressed and suffering, must fortify himself with faith in God. He must rely on the Divine promise that despite the hardships, the winding road leads to redemption.
| | | | | |
|  | We must never compromise our children in the spiritual realm. We must devote at least as much effort to see that they achieve their position in the world of the King of Kings.
| | | | | | | | Moses, the father of the prophets, achieved as did no one else, a degree of intimacy and trust with the Almighty, to the point that God says of Moses, "In all my house, he is the most loyal."
| | | | | | | | | Regardless of religion, race, or creed, kind people are acknowledged for their actions, even to the extent of being credited by the Almighty Himself. | | | | | |  | | Why was it necessary to mention Jacob's life in Egypt? | | | | | |  | | On what basis did Judah expect that Joseph would even consider freeing Benjamin, or alternatively, that he would take Judah prisoner in Benjamin's place? | | | | | | | | We are instructed to light new candles, so as to bring light to the future. However, we must always do so on the foundation of past candles, past experiences, past generations.
| | | | | | | | Peace does not happen. It is made. And once we make peace in our outer walls, we are ready to make peace in our inner palaces.
| | | | | | | | | Jacob rises above his doubts in confronting Esau by defining himself. | | | | | | | | | The ladder in Jacob's dream was later experienced by his descendants as they stood at Mt. Sinai. As the Children of Israel accepted the Almighty in the desert, Sinai symbolizes a fiery ladder bridging the foot of the mountain, where they stood to God's heaven. | | | | | | | | | For some people, lives are measured only in years. Their lives are characterized by the passage of time. Lives filled with years. For others, in contrast, their years are filled with life. Their years are alive, vital. | | | | | |  | | Man's relationship with God is reflected in his interpersonal relationships, and God rewards man accordingly | | | | | | | | One wonders what was unique about Abraham to merit God's selecting him to go to Cana'an and to receive His blessings. Why was Abraham especially worthy of this?
| | | | | |  | | The most corrupt society is one that by commission or by omission fails to protect its innocent, thereby promoting its own moral erosion. | | | | | | | | "In the beginning" God created not only the heavens and the earth, God, who is timeless created the concept of time, with its seconds, minutes, hours and days, something from nothing, in a single indivisible moment.
| | | | | | | | In the Midrash Rabbah they said that it is as if His throne is reinforced up above, in times when Israel is united.
| | | | | | | | Modern science has come to recognize that the body and spirit are interdependent.
| | | | | |  | | The fact that the Torah was given to mortals rather than to angels shows that the Almighty recognizes our human nature and that we are not expected to be like angels. | | | | | | | | Lapse in moral behavior by an observant Jew is greeted with headlines declaring in bold letters that the accused is a religious Jew. We sometimes wonder what is behind the vulnerability of the observant Jew to this form of social scrutiny.
| | | | | | | | Painfully, we witnessed many wars in our brief history as an independent modern state. With God's help we overcame vast and mighty enemies, thanks to the unity and cohesiveness that has embraced or people.
| | | | | |  | | Our existence is founded on three concepts: law, truth and peace. If only two of these "legs" are valued and the third neglected, the entire structure of our existence is destabilized and will, eventually collapse. | | | | | | | | | Just as the physical world has fixed laws that govern it, so, too, do the spiritual and moral dimensions of our existence. | | | | | | | | | The Torah advises us that we be "blessed above all the peoples" to the point that, as the Midrash explains, we are praised even by our enemies. And how are we to achieve this? | | | | | | | | | We learn a great lesson regarding our relationship with the Creator. Our past deeds earn us nothing, for they are insufficient to repay God for the multitude of favors He grants us. | | | | | | | | | "When the great follow the lowly, they fall on their faces." | | | | | |  | | Pinchas was unlike the extremist elements which we seek to isolate in society, and we must understand what made him different. | | | | | | | | | When the Jewish nation is wholly represented with all of its shades and colors, our prayers will be heard and our aspirations realized. | | | | | | | | There exists a higher, Divine logic that determines our reality, higher and more divine than that which man can comprehend.
| | | | | | | | | Holiness is not an inherent characteristic. It cannot be taken for granted. Rather it must be nurtured and cultivated. It is never sufficient to simply exonerate ourselves. | | | | | | | | | There is no sin in fear. The sin lies in the conclusions we reach when afraid. | | | | | |  | | The Almighty is not in need of our light. On the contrary, we are in need of His. | | | | | | | | | To establish the Tabernacle and make it a reality, a man was needed who would be above all others, someone who would devote his entire self to seeing "the creation of each and every detail." | | | | | |  | | Who among us does not sincerely desire peace and tranquility in our land? Which among the nations is more in need of peace with her neighbors than the nation living in Zion? | | | | | | | | | The spoon and the knife, can be used as instruments of life or death. What determines their effects is man's intent and his use of these instruments - either to build or to destroy. | | | | | | | | | Human nature is complex and often resists change. | | | | | |  | The Torah does not view holiness as an abstract, remote quality, but rather one that is real and can be acquired.
| | | | | | | | | The blending of the generations builds a sacred flame, while estrangement and separation lead to an alien flame that can consume the soul of an entire generation. | | | | | |  | | What we do with nature and how it is treated by us, is what distinguishes good from evil. | | | | | | | | | The answers are close to us. They are within us, within ourselves, and our existence, and they testify to the eternal truth and God's praise. | | | | | | | | | Central to our faith is the notion that by improving his actions and by uplifting his spirit, man comes closer to God. Yet who is to guide him? | | | | | | | | | Even in the absence of the thanksgiving offering today, the obligation of expressing recognition and gratitude "with our lips" stands firm. | | | | | | | | | Leaders must recognize that if they wish for God's blessings for their actions, God's name must be inscribed on everything they build. | | | | | |  | God's love of Israel is extraordinary. So much so that the nations of the world stand perplexed.
| | | | | | | | | There is no doubt that our world is full of brilliant and gifted people who create great beauty and make awesome discoveries. Still with all of the immeasurable brilliance, we see before us a sad and self-destructing world. | | | | | | | | | It is our nature to reject dependency and despise indebtedness. It is incumbent upon us at all times to recognize God's goodness to us and our debt to Him | | | | | | | | | Any initial achievement, either materialistic or spiritual, must be guaranteed continuity and must be self sustaining. | | | | | | | | When the recipient of a gift is someone of great stature, the one "giving" the gift also feels a sense of honor and enrichment.
| | | | | |  | | The Torah's laws are more than mere traffic signals that tell us when to proceed and when to stop. They are meant to shape man's spirit and character. | | | | | | | | We must take an active role in our partnership with the Almighty. In this way, we give God's miracles an added dimension that attracts the world's curiosity and provides a model for the nations to emulate.
| | | | | | | | | We must be consistently aware of the miracles of everyday life, the miraculous events we casually refer to as "nature." Then we will merit God's promise. | | | | | | | | | God offers us a brightly illuminated path. If we turn it down in preference to more seemingly attractive or secure paths, we will find ourselves in a darkness so thick it can be felt. | | | | | | | | | The act of creation is not a one-time affair. As we learn by Godly example, creation is complete only if it is applied in an ongoing fashion. | | | | | |  | To be a leader, one must be prepared to share the load with one's followers. By reaching out, feeling their burden, and joining his people's suffering, Moses qualifies himself for his later roles in receiving the Torah and in leading the Jewish nation.
| | | | | | | | | A slave whose eyes and heart is open, who does not surrender his spirit to his master, is a free man. His faith will ultimately free him. A free man who sells his spirit and closes his eyes and heart will forever be a slave. | | | | | | | | | If a fellow Jew falters, each one of us has a stake and a share in that failure. | | | | | |  | On Chanukah, as we add a new candle each day, we rekindle the candles of the preceding days. In this way, we distinguish ourselves from those who seek to innovate and create newness, but only at the expense of wiping away traces of their origins.
| | | | | |  | | One's possessions are his tools. One's person is his most powerful tool. On the other hand, one who seeks recognition for his material possessions may be feared less than one who seeks dominion of his own person. | | | | |
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