I ❤️ ISRAEL: Bread and Jerusalem
One of the deepest spiritual experiences I have in Israel has to do ironically with food. More specifically, eating a meal with bread, something...
I ❤️ ISRAEL: The Western Wall and Aladdin’s Lamp Syndrome
JERUSALEM, BEFORE SUNSET
For the past week, I have been in Bak'a, a beautiful neighborhood in Jerusalem. Last Shabbat, my wife and I decided to...
BALAQ: Moshe’s Humility vs Bilam’s Arrogance
WHO WAS BILAM?
Although one of the Perashiot we read this week is named after the King of Moab, Balaq, the main protagonist is a...
ISRAEL 2023: Where can you find God?
"If you will follow My decrees and keep My commandments, and you shall perform them. And I will give your rains in their time,...
SHELACH LEKHA: The Biblical Origin Of Fake News
The Israelites are in the desert, ready to conquer the promised land. Moshe decides to send twelve men on an intelligence mission, behind enemy...
Rabbi Menashe ben Israel (1604-1657) the most famous Jew in the world
Portrait of Menasseh ben Israel by Rembrandt
Ribbi Menashe was born in Portugal in 1604, under the name Manoel Dias Soeiro. His family moved to...
LASHON HARA: Words and Arrows
"His tongue is like a poisoned arrow... with his mouth, he speaks cordially... but in his heart, he lays a deadly trap".
Jeremiah 9:7
WHAT IS...
The Blessing of the Kohanim
יברכך ה' וישמרך
יאר ה' פניו אליך ויחנך
ישא ה' פניו אליך וישם לך שלום
Bircat Cohanim, the blessing of the Priests, is found in this week’s...
IDEAS OF SHABUOT #1: My Treasure
SEGULA OF SHABUOTועתה, אם-שמוע תשמעו בקולי ושמרתם את-בריתי והייתם לי סגולה מכל-העמים כי-לי כל-הארץAs we know, the giving of the Torah took place within...
IDEAS OF SHABUOT # 2: My Kingdom of Priests
ועתה, אם-שמוע תשמעו בקולי, ושמרתם, את-בריתי--והייתם לי סגולה מכל-העמים, כי-לי כל-הארץ. ואת תהיו-לי ממלכת כוהנים, וגוי קדוש
This coming Saturday night we will celebrate Shabu'ot...
