by Rabbi Altonaga | Oct 22, 2026 | Lech Lecha, Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Weekly Parsha
Why can cutlery teleport but not time travel? It’s silverwhere, not silverwhen Our forefather Abraham was tested with 10 tests. Things like having his wife abducted, going to war against overwhelming odds, and being asked to sacrifice his son to God. ...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Oct 15, 2026 | Noach, Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Weekly Parsha
It’s getting cold again. My kids daycare told me that I have to start sending boots and a jacket. So I had to fish through the winter stuff and brace myself for having to dress 3 kids in 17 layers of clothes every time I want to leave the...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Sep 17, 2026 | Haazinu, Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Weekly Parsha, Yom Kippur
In this week’s Torah portion, Haazinu, Moses begins by calling out to the heavens and the earth to hear his words. On the last day of his life, in his final speech, why is Moses spending time talking to the heavens and the earth? There is a medrash that...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Aug 20, 2026 | Ki Seitzei, Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Weekly Parsha
The Torah does not usually tell us the reward for a mitzvah, so it’s eye catching when it does. In this week’s Torah portion, Ki Seitzei, one such mitzvah does appear. The mitzvah to shoo away a mother bird. כִּ֣י יִקָּרֵ֣א קַן־צִפּ֣וֹר | לְפָנֶ֡יךָ...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Jul 23, 2026 | Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Tisha B'Av, Weekly Parsha
Over Tisha B’Av, we read kinnos. Tragic poetry to help get us in the mindset of the day. One such kinnah that really struck me related to the death of Zechariah ben Yohayada. Zechariah was a prophet in the First Temple period. He rebuked...
by Rabbi Altonaga | Jun 18, 2026 | Korach, Rabbi Michael Altonaga, Weekly Parsha
This week’s Torah portion discusses the Rebellion of Korach. Much ink is spilled over the arguments brought by Korach and his followers and how Moshe dealt with the confrontation. Off the page though, hidden away in a Sanhedrin 109b, our Sages reveal how...
