Rabbi Rachel Axelrad: What’s In a Relationship? Parashat Ki Teitze.
In the attached article, Rabbi Axelrad compares and contrasts the relationship issues in this parashah to contemporary customs.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, z/l: Shoftim The Greatness of Humility
Rabbi Sacks writes about the meaning of humility, and when leadership incorporates it and when they don’t. Many great leaders, elected or otherwise, possess many good qualities, but not always humility. The parashah refers to kings, who typically were never humble, yet should have tempered their power with humility.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, z/l: Parashat Re’eh
Rabbi Sacks looks at parashat Re’eh from the perspective of joy, and rejoicing, a contrast from the frequent intense focus on social justice and righteousness. He observes that simcha occurs 7 times in this parashah alone. Please follow the link below to read his full article:
Rabbi Rachel Axelrad: Parashat Re’eh
Moses continues to communicate God’s message to the people, telling them that God gives them a choice of blessing or curse: when they possess the land they must obey God’s laws to ensure continued blessings; otherwise they will be cursed.
Rabbi Adam Ruditsky: Parashat Re’eh
Rabbi Ruditsky focuses on the repetitive theme of social concerns relating to the Shemitah, Kosher laws, and Peah. He connects it to the reference in the Aleinu prayer to perfecting the world under the sovereignty of the Almighty. Among other things, this is analogous to ridding our world of hate and discrimination, aka social action.
Cantor Orly sings Yad B’Yad
Cantor Orly sings Yad B’Yad
Rabbi Adam Rudisky: Parashat Eikev
The theme for the parashah and for the haftarah is God’s unending love for Israel. Rabbi Ruditsky writes of people—biblical and other—who dare to question God in their personal and unique perspectives.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, z/l: The Spirituality of Listening
Rabbi Sacks writes about the word Shema: it is fundamentally untranslatable. Hearing and listening have so many meanings. Rabbi Sacks refers to the 2 key influences on Western culture: Ancient Israel and Greece. While Greece was a visual culture, Judaism is based on a faith in an invisible God.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, z/l: The Power of Why
In parashat Va’etchanan, Moses speaks of the uniqueness of Jewish history, the singularity of Israel’s redemption by God. While so much of the Torah is about “what” to do, or “how” to do it, Va’etchanan is about “why”: Why did God choose Israel for redemption?
Rabbi Adam Ruditsky: Parashat Va’et’chanan
Rabbi Ruditsky writes about seeing versus hearing, as depicted in the Shema, and links it to Tisha B’Av, where we mourn the impact of words said and their outcome.