Category: Uncategorized
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Parasha VaYikra — March 16, 2013
A Call to Leadership March 17 marks an important anniversary in Jewish history of the 20th century. March 17 is the 21rst anniversary of the bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The attack killed 29 people and injured 250 others. Among the victims were Israeli diplomats, children, clergy from the church located…
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Parasha VaYakhel Pekudei
A preacher went into his church and he was praying to God. While he was praying, he asked God, “How long is 10 million years to you?” G-d replied, “1 second.” The next day the preacher asked God, “God, how much is 10 million dollars to you?” And G-d replied, “A penny.” Then finally the…
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Parasha Ki Tissa
On Wednesday morning, I woke up, opened my email, and my heart sank. There it was, a message I did not want to see — Pages and pages with the words, “Mailer-Daemon Failure Notice.” My email had been hacked yet again. My privacy had been violated. A message that I had not sent had been…
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Parasha Tetsaveh
Last week Pope Benedict shocked the world by announcing his retirement. As you know, he will become the first Pope in some 600 years who does not die in office. Since that time, there have been many articles analyzing this decision and the legacy that Pope Benedict would leave. One such article in the Chicago…
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Parasha Bo
Crossing Over to Idolatry Two events stunned the world of sports this week, both off the playing field. This week Lance Armstrong, in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, admitted to what he had adamantly denied over the course of his illustrious career — that he was a user of performance enhancing drugs while he was…
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Parasha Vaera
Turning Points When it comes to forgiveness from G-d, is there a point of no return? We are taught repeatedly in Judaism that G-d wants our repentance. We read that the gates of forgiveness by G-d are always open. That even if a person repents the day before their death, that repentance is accepted.…
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Parasha Shemot
To Your Own Self Be True There was once a king who ruled his kingdom with wisdom and compassion. As he approached the end of his days, everyone in the kingdom wondered who would be the next ruler. Would it be one of his children? An adviser? A general? As the king lay on his…
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Parasha VaYechi
Nick and Jake and the Pains of Parenthood Some of you may have heard about Nick Crews, a retired submarine commander of the British Royal Navy, who, last month, created an international sensation with an email that he sent to his three children. The email was released to the press by his daughter, with his…
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Parasha VaYigash
Further Thoughts About Newtown Connecticut The Shulchan Arukh is the standard legal code for all of Jewry. It was published in 1575, and ever since that time it has been studied and mastered by rabbis who needed to guide their communities in all manner of daily life. It is divided into four volumes that cover…
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Tragedy at Newtown, Connecticut
This week our nation has been profoundly shaken by the tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty six people died senselessly among them twenty first graders ages six and seven. Our hearts go out to all of the families who are in mourning as well as to the members of that…
Rabbi Marc D. Rudolph 