By templebethshira in Sermons
You know, every family thinks their mishigas is unique… until they open Parshat Vayeishev. Then suddenly you realize, “Oh — compared to Jacob’s family, we’re basically the Waltons.” In this week’s Torah portion, Joseph brings bad reports about his brothers to their father. You see, Joseph was that kid. The tattler. The golden child. The […]
By templebethshira in Rabbi, Sermons
In Parshat Vayishlach, Jacob stands on the threshold of confronting his brother Esau. Before the encounter, he wrestles — literally — with a mysterious figure, often understood as an angel, or perhaps as his own conscience. This struggle is more than physical; it is a night-long internal conversation, a reckoning with fears, past choices, and […]
By templebethshira in Rabbi, Sermons
This week’s portion, Toldot, describes a moment many of us will recognize. In Isaac’s old age, his eyes had grown dim. How many of us, when reading, see blur instead of letters—or when driving at night, struggle to make out the road ahead? Things that used to be effortless now require extra care. But the […]
By templebethshira in Rabbi, Sermons
An engineer was hired to repair factory machinery. His proposal: $10,000. The company balked at the cost and hired a cheaper alternative. Months later, after repeated failures, they called the original engineer. He spent mere minutes inspecting the machine, struck it once with a hammer, and the machine worked. When the manager hesitated to pay […]
By templebethshira in Rabbi, Sermons
Vayeira: The Measure of a Community This week’s Torah portion, Vayeira, opens with a simple, unforgettable image: Abraham, recovering from his circumcision, sits at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day when three strangers appear. Without hesitation, he runs to greet them, bows low, and offers food, shade, and rest. It’s […]
By templebethshira in Rabbi, Sermons
When Righteousness Isn’t Enough There’s a paradox in this week’s Torah portion. Noah is called “a righteous man, blameless in his generation.” He obeys every command — but the Torah never records his voice. When God warns that the world will be destroyed, Noah doesn’t protest or plead. He just builds. Our tradition praises his […]
By templebethshira in Rabbi, Sermons
The Torah isn’t just a sacred text — it’s a living, breathing work of art. Every mark, every space, even the parchment itself tells a story of divine inspiration and human devotion. A Torah scroll is written entirely by hand — no printing, no shortcuts — on parchment made from a kosher animal, using natural ink and a feather quill. Each […]
By templebethshira in Rabbi, Sermons, Sukkot, Sukkot
On Sukkot, we read the biblical book of Kohelet, known in English as Ecclesiastes—and it’s traditionally attributed to King Solomon, said to be reflecting late in life on all he has seen and done. If the book of Proverbs, also attributed to Solomon shows him at his most confident—full of wisdom and certainty—Kohelet shows him […]
By templebethshira in Rabbi, Sermons
Parshat Ha’azinu is Moses’ great song — lofty, poetic, and weighty. And after the High Holidays, with all their intensity, I think we could use a lighter song of our own. So let me share with you one of the Bible’s lesser-known gifts: baseball. You didn’t know baseball was in the Torah? It’s right there […]