by Lauren Shaps | Jul 4, 2024 | Korach, Lauren Shaps, Weekly Parsha
Think about being pulled between two opposing sides. This happens everywhere, in families, groups of friends, shuls, schools, and the local and broader community. Two or more opinions is a recipe for divisiveness and discord. The natural response for most people is...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Jun 27, 2024 | Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Shelach, Weekly Parsha
The world is a busy place. It seems that there is always something newsworthy being reported. Something people will be talking about. And the media (both social and professional) keeps us up to date on all of this by shouting it at us from every...
by Rabbi Shaps | Jun 21, 2024 | Bahalosecha, Rabbi Zischa Shaps, Weekly Parsha
It is rare that you get a chance to make up for a lost opportunity. Especially when it comes to a Mitzvah with a specific time. If you didn’t hear Shofar on Rosh Hashanah, you can’t make it up by blowing Shofar the week after. Lighting Shabbos candles on Tuesday does...
by Rabbi Shaps | Jun 14, 2024 | Naso, Rabbi Zischa Shaps, Weekly Parsha
We have just concluded the holiday of Shavuos, where we commemorated and celebrated the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai where the Jewish people stood as one to receive the Torah. As we transition quickly into Shabbos, we will read Parsha Naso which describes some...
by Rabbi Altonaga | May 31, 2024 | Bechukosai, Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Weekly Parsha
How much can one person accomplish? Hollywood is filled with movies of one individual who saves the world through pure strength of will and heroics. This hero may have a supporting character or two (often primarily for comedic effect or to...
by Rabbi Gotlib | May 22, 2024 | Behar, Rabbi Gotlib, Weekly Parsha
The first mitzvah we learn about in this week’s parsha is shmittah – the idea that every seven years, the land of Israel should rest from farming. Interestingly, this parsha also begins with an unusual formulation; “וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר הֹ’ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בְּהַ֥ר סִינַ֖י...
by Rabbi Shaps | May 17, 2024 | Omer, Rabbi Zischa Shaps, Weekly Parsha
We are at the halfway mark of the Omer period. As we count the days until Shavuos, it is worth asking why we call it the counting of the Omer. On the second day of Pesach an offering from the new barley crop was brought in the Beis Hamikdosh. This offering was known...
by Rabbi Altonaga | May 9, 2024 | Kedoshim, Lauren Shaps, Weekly Parsha
Passover is behind us, but this week’s parsha gives us the opportunity to reflect on a question that may have come up at our Seder. Why did the birth of our nation take place after being in Egypt for over 200 years? Rabbi Shalom Rosner, in his collection of...
by Rabbi Altonaga | May 3, 2024 | Acharei Mos, Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Weekly Parsha
There is an interesting TikTok phenomenon going on right now of people asking/answering the following question: If your daughter was alone in the wilderness, would you rather that she encounter a bear or an unknown man? It seems like a straightforward question, but...
by Rabbi Gotlib | Apr 25, 2024 | Pesach, Rabbi Gotlib
Is it a coincidence that the Hebrew word for evil is ra and that Ra just so happens to be the most powerful of the Egyptian gods (the very one that pharaohs were often said to be incarnations of)? Many academic scholars argue that it is not! Indeed, the fact that...
