This parsha features another installment of Moshe’s Wilderness History 101 crash course for the second generation entitled, “Where your parents messed up at the Golden Calf.” It includes Moshe’s account of how he went up the mountain for three 40-day spans, and how G-d wanted to destroy the people but didn’t, on account of Moshe’s prayer. more

EYES: “That looks like delicious chulent. I like the way it appears chunky with meat and potatoes. I see beef flanken and some chicken on the bone. There seems to be some slabs of kishka as well. The beans and barley appear to be compact and not too runny.” more

The special election is on September 13, less than a month away. How ideal are the candidates seeking to represent us? more

With the summer season nearing its end we now become ever more mindful of the upcoming season of the High Holidays and their themes and observances. However, we first have coming up next week what Rabbi Abraham Twerski calls the greatest of our holidays, Tu B’Av. more

With the Three Weeks of restrictions, the Nine Days of mourning, and the yearnings of Tisha b’Av behind us, a feeling of spiritual ascension is now upon us as we prepare for the Yamim Noraim. For those of us who are single, an early sign is Tu b’Av, a day celebrating matchmaking, hinting at the upcoming month of Elul, whose Hebrew acronym symbolizes the meaning of love for all Jewish couples. more

“Comfort ye, Comfort ye” Isaiah writes, G-d rhymes. The question is asked, “why ‘nachamu’ two times?” more

“To be or not to be” is not always the question. Sometimes the question is how to be? Should we be happy, or should we be sad? Should we be at war, or should we be at peace? Should we feel hate, or should we love? more

Tisha B’Av is a date on the calendar most noted by observant Jews. Differently affiliated Jews generally confine their annual Jewish fasting to Yom Kippur. The concept of sadness or a connection to the darker side of our people’s history is by no means exclusive to any group. History’s enemies of the Jewish people (some of whom continue to make history now) never differentiated between how people practiced their Judaism, as much as they obsessed over the fact that Jews identified as Jews. more

A famous hasidic tale teaches: A man once went around spreading lies about the rabbi. Eventually he began to feel remorse for the wrong he had done. He went to the rabbi and begged his forgiveness, saying he would do anything to make amends. The rabbi said, “Take a feather pillow, cut it open, and scatter the feathers to the winds.” more

Dear Aviva, I recently lost my husband after a long battle with a degenerative illness. I’m relieved that he is out of pain now, but I am having a very hard time coping now. I thought the hard part was supposed to be over, but now it seems even more difficult. I’m just so alone now. I don’t have motivation to do much of anything. My kids and grandkids are really trying to tend to me, but it’s not helping. They keep telling me that I need to see someone to speak to. I’m really not interested in going for therapy because I don’t see how talking about the past can help me right now. -Woeful Widow more