Tag: faith
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Into the Wilderness
There is a cartoon by the artist Mari Andrew showing two identical drawings of a woman holding a suitcase, staring at the road in front of her. On one side, she stares at an empty road ahead, and the caption reads: “I’m leaving.” On the other side, there is a road leading to a city,…
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When your fellow comes to ruin….
Woe to the person who falls on hard times! In ancient Rome, a creditor could legally imprison a person who owed him money in his own private dungeon. He could chain him to a block; sell him into slavery, or even worse. England had an infamous London prison called the Marshalsea, where debtors were sent.…
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New Beginnings
Passover is a time of new beginnings. The egg which we place on our seder plates represents the cycle of life and the chance for a new beginning. The parsley represents Spring. One of the names of Passover is “Chag Ha-aviv” — the Festival of Spring. Spring is also a time of renewal. The Talmud…
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Today we are bombarded with the comings and goings of the rich and famous on social media, television, magazines and newspapers. Scientific American magazine reported a study that a desire for fame solely for the sake of being famous was the most popular future goal among a group of 10-12 year olds. That is, when…
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Cultivating Humility
Our Torah reading juxtaposes two men who are of very different character. When Moses approaches Pharoah to let the Israelites go, Pharoah responds, “Who is this God that I should heed him and let Israel go. I do not know the God of Israel, nor will I let Israel go.” (Exodus 5:2) Thus Pharoah asserts…
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Pray for Your Country
This Shabbat, as we do every Shabbat, Jewish congregations around the world will pray for the welfare of the government of their respective countries. The prayer in the congregation where I worship asks God to bless the government of the United States, its leaders and its advisors, so that they may govern wisely and bring…
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Returning the Hostages
Dear Friends, Today we received news of the impending release of some Israeli hostages held by Hamas in conjunction with a cease fire agreement between Israel and the terrorist organization. I want to share with you the words of Rabbi Tamar Elad Appelbaum from Jerusalem who expresses so beautifully the hopes and fears of Israelis…
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The Proper Attitude in Prayer
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, the great Chasidic master, was once visiting a town. He came to the community’s synagogue but refused to enter. The townspeople were astounded. Why was he refusing to cross the threshold of their House of Prayer? they asked. “The synagogue is too crowded,” he replied. The townspeople looked at one…
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To Be Ever Fresh and Fragrant
Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlov, the great-grandson of the founder of Hassidism, the Baal Shem Tov, was born in 1772 and died at the age of 38 in 1810. Rabbi Nachman is buried in Uman, in Ukraine, where he spent his final years. His grave has become a place of pilgrimage for tens of thousands who…
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A Broken Vessel
Our holy Torah knows of no perfect people. Even the founder of our religion, Abraham, the first Hebrew, is a flawed individual. Between the ages of 75, when, as Abram, he received his promise from God that he would become “a great nation” to the age of 99, when Sarah gave birth to Isaac, the…
Rabbi Marc D. Rudolph 