H istory repeats itself. I don’t know the origin of that cliché, but I do know that our Sages held a similar point of view — Ma’aseh avot siman labanim (what happened with … more

Although the rest of the world refers to the Five Books of Moses as the Pentateuch, traditional Jews refer to it as the Chumash, stressing that it is comprised of five very different sections, … more

It is an old word, and it describes a behavior that has been around since the beginning of history. Yet the word seems to me to be used more and more frequently these days, and the behavior it … more

Dead. Unburied. Abandoned. Forgotten. What can be a worse fate? I once read a very moving novel about the events immediately preceding World War I and the fate of those who were caught up in the … more

The sinner may cause cosmic consequences, yes. But each one of us, as individuals, can cause compassion and kindness, helpfulness and sensitivity, unity and friendship, and a world at peace. I … more

He was a character straight out of the novels of Charles Dickens. Scholars have long found Dickens’ attitude toward Jews problematic. The character Fagin in the novel “Oliver … more

He was an old man, and in many ways came from a very different world than I. And yet he taught me more than anyone else ever did. One of the things he taught me was that no one suffers as much as a … more

There was a time when I would only go out of my way to listen to speakers who were older and more experienced than I. Recently, however, I changed my preferences and began to seek out speakers, … more

Last week, we finished the Chumash of Shemos and learned about the construction of the Mishkan. We were able to appreciate the ethical and spiritual benefits of giving, of the importance of the … more

This week’s Torah portion, Vayakhel, begins on a familiar note. After all, it was just last week, on Purim, that we read Queen Esther’s dramatic response to Mordechai’s request that … more