Refael Kramer: Parashat Beshelach
Refael Kramer references Likutei Halachot, Tolaiim 4, in comparing Beshelach to Rabbi Nachman’s story of The Queen’s Daughter, who escaped the unwelcome attentions of an evil suitor by entering a castle of water.
Rabbi Shraga Simmons: Parashat Beshelach
Rabbi Simmons references the Stockholm Syndrome, as it applies to the Israelites under Pharaoh.
Rabbi Adam Ruditsky: Parish Bo – Getting to the Heart of the Matter
In the Torah, both good and bad deeds come from the heart. In contrast, Pharaoh considered himself a god in his heart, with the right to decide life and death. Yet Pharaoh made the very human choice to be led by his yetzer harah.
Cantor Seth Ettinger: Ani Ma’am for Yom Hashanah
Cantor Seth Ettinger sings Ani Ma’amin For Yom Hashoah – Congregation Beth Israel of Scottsdale AZ.
Titan Cooper: Parashat Bo. Justice or Mercy?
An inherent tension exists between justice and good in the patriarchs. For instance, Abraham argued with God against the killing of everyone, both good and wicked, in Sodom and Gomorrah. Moses, in contrast, used both force and collective punishment to succeed in his mission of creating a holy nation. A similar ethical tension exists in modern Israel, in their relations with the Palestinians.
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, z”l: The Necessity of Asking Questions
Rabbi Sacks, z”l, observes that while you need an army to defend a country, you need education to defend a civilization. Furthermore, freedom is lost when it is taken for granted. The Torah emphasizes that children must ask questions. This is further incorporated into the Passover Hagaddah, which is tailored to not only answer questions from different mindsets, but also to education when the child does not know how to ask. In Judaism, we do not believe in blind obedience, but rather in questioning.
Rachel Scheinerman: The Eight Genders in the Talmud
Gender in the Talmud is beyond binary, and incorporates 8 gender designations, including male, female, androgynous, lacking sexual characteristics, identifying as a different identity from one’s birth identity. The rabbis recognized that 6 genders were neither male nor female, and that the first human was both.
Cantor Tannoz Bahremand Foruzanfar sings Baraye Iran—For Iran, For Freedom
A tribute from Stephen Wise Temple for the people of Iran and all those seeking personal freedom
Cantor Rachel Goldman: Hashkiveinu
Cantor Rachel Goldman
Vaera: Spirits in a Material World – Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
Moses initially refused to lead the people because he thought that they would not listen. However, the reason they did not listen was not because of him, but because their spirit was broken and the labor was harsh. Maimonides emphasized that the Torah has two goals: the well-being of the soul and the well-being of the body. Both are required.