Tag: DRosenbach
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Sukkos & Simchas Torah
Simchas Torah 2012: You Don’t Have to be Einstein…
Depending on how many people regularly attend your synagogue, you may be called to the Torah once a month, once a year or somewhere…
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Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur 2012: Maintaining Focus
We begin the prayer services for Yom Kippur with one of the strangest announcements: "Anu matirin l'hispalel im ha'avaryanim" -- "We sanction prayer with…
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Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur
Rosh Hashana 2012: “Olam HaHafuch”
In Judaism, names are seen as very significant. This is the reason why things are often given multiple names: each name represents a distinct…
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Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur
Elul: 50 Shades of Black
I know you, you're that new guy in shul, praying slowly and intently line by line. But I will give you no respect, 'cause…
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Jewish Life
Dvar Torah Ki Seitzei: Hanging Out with God
This week's parsha opens with perhaps the most famous trifecta of storylines -- the captive woman, the two wives and the wayward son (Deuteronomy…
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Jewish Life
Dvar Torah Chukas: Unrevealed Revelation
Someone approached me to tell me how nice of a piece I had written about this week's parsha, and I responded that I hadn't…
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Jewish Life
Dvar Torah Beha’aloscha: reVisions
The Menorah plays a central role in the opening verses of this week's parsha and the Akivan/Ishmaelian divide plays a central role in understanding…
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Jewish Life
Dvar Torah Emor: Moses and the Blasphemer
The Akivan view purports that the entire Torah was given to Moses on Sinai -- general principles along with all of the particulars --…
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Jewish Life
Dvar Torah Tazria-Metzora: Inclusion Criteria
The notion of there being ten commandments -- that is, the Ten Commandments -- permeates Judeo-Christian religious philosophy, despite the fact that the Old…
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Jewish Life
Dvar Torah Shmini: A Hair’s Breadth’s Perspective on Wrongdoing
Imagine the most awesome and splendid of occasions accompanied by the most fabulous and incredible fanfare and it would approximate the scene that was…
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Pesach
Passover 2012: A Personal Encounter with the Rasha
Immediately before we begin the Yom Kippur Eve Kol Nidrei prayer, a short paragraph is recited by the chazzan that ends with the following:…
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Jewish Life
Dvar Torah Vayikra: The Fundamental Rift
There often lies within each parsha the potential for a disagreement between the Akivan and Ishmaelian perspectives, and although it may appear as a…
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Jewish Life
Dvar Torah Ki Sisa: A Divine Peep Show
We could talk for months about this week's parsha, and I might just have to write for FrumSatire for another 10 years to give…
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Jewish Life
Dvar Torah Tetzave: Divine Dwelling
I was really excited by talk of a flat-tax because it would be so much easier to work with than what we have now. …
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Jewish Life
Dvar Torah Va’era: Moses’ Contribution
Although the Five Books of Moses is only about three thousand words longer than Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, it enjoys relative immensity…
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Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur
Rosh Hashana 2011: Heads and Tails
We are taught that we eat the head of a fish so as to enter the year on a positive note, rather than a…
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Jewish Life
Dvar Torah Pinchas: Warning (Spoilers)
What exactly did Moses receive on Sinai? Some, like R' Akiva, advance a maximalist approach and claim that Moses received everything, while others, like…
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Jewish Life
Dvar Torah Shlach: Remember to Remember to Remember…
At the conclusion of this week's parsha, we find the third and final paragraph of the Shema Yisroel prayer, and although Jews are bidden to…
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Jewish Life
Dvar Torah Naso: Hearing Voices
This week's parsha concludes with a statement about Moses' communicatory habits with God -- apparently, after the construction (or at least the dedication) of…
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Jewish Life
Dvar Torah Bamidbar: Idealism vs. Realism
A few weeks ago, I discussed the Torah's exclusion of those with particular physical deformities from Temple service, proposing the notion that the divine…
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Jewish Life
Dvar Torah Emor: Establishing a Reputation
As a result of my father's mild cerebral palsy, he suffers from a moderately atrophied right hand and walks with a somewhat disharmonius gait. …
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Jewish Life
Dvar Torah Kedoshim II: Jewish Time
A particular distinction of Judaism is the towering role that time plays -- for instance, everyone knows that the schmorg is removed precisely one…