Bereshit is an endlessly fascinating parasha, with the creation of humankind one of its most thought-provoking themes.
And G-d said, “Let us make man in our image, after our …
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By Rabbi David Etengoff
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10/24/19
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Some pasukim of the Torah are “luckier” than others and their frequent repetition has enabled them to become active components in our tefilah experience. The beginning of our parasha, …
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By Rabbi David Etengoff
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10/10/19
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Teshuvah, the process of returning to the path of Torah observance, is discussed throughout Rabbinic literature. In particular, Talmud Bavli, Yoma 86a-b presents a number of salient aspects of …
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By Rabbi David Etengoff
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10/3/19
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Shabbat Nitzavim, the concluding parasha of the Jewish calendar year, is an ideal time for in-depth introspection. As we approach Rosh Hashana we reflect on our past shortcomings and intensify …
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By Rabbi David Etengoff
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9/26/19
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Our parasha, Ki Tavo, contains a passage that has gained considerable fame due to its inclusion in the Haggadah: “And you shall call out and say before the L-rd, your G-d, ‘An Aramean …
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By Rabbi David Etengoff
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9/19/19
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Shichaha, the commandment to leave behind a forgotten sheaf of grain for the needs of the poor, is a key agriculturally-based mitzvah that appears in our parasha, Ki Tetze: When you reap your …
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By Rabbi David Etengoff
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9/11/19
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At the end of our parasha, we find a verse that contains some of the most important theological concepts of Judaism: “For if you keep all these commandments which I command you to do them, …
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By Rabbi David Etengoff
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8/23/19
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Our parasha, Shoftim, begins with the celebrated words, “Shoftim v’shotrim teeten lecha b’chol sh’arecha” (“You shall set up judges and law enforcement …
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By Rabbi David Etengoff
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9/6/19
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Like the Shoah, Tisha B’Av brings us face to face with the problem of evil: “If G-d is truly good, why does He allow evil to exist?”
In his essay Sacred and Profane, Kodesh …
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By Rabbi David Etengoff
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8/7/19
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A crucial aspect of the Three Weeks that is often ignored is that of introspection —cheshbon hanefesh. In my estimation, this period is precisely the time for looking in the mirror of …
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By Rabbi David Etengoff
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7/31/19
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