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The God of “Beginning Again.” Says Eikhah – אֵיכָה Lamentations 3: 23: “They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness”. God gives us the opportunity to begin anew each day. This should be a reason for rejoicing for all of us, that God inherently created the physical world on earth where each day, we […]
All that the LORD has spoken, we will do! Today I decided to address our community in the same way that Deborah did in the book of Shoftim, in the day of the judges when she stood in the gap until a strong male leader was willing and ready to accept his role and his […]
Sukkoth or “Z’man Simchateinu” (The time of our rejoicing) is a festival of remembrance and rejoicing for the miracles that God has performed for us and how He has preserved us. Also known as Hag Asif – חַג אָסִיף –— Festival of the Ingathering is the culmination of all the Biblical festivals. I call Sukkoth […]
Rise Up to a New Cycle by Mauricio Quintero and Alejandro Alvarado Rosh Hashanah (רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה) is a commemorative day during which God gives us the opportunity to rise up. We should not confuse Rosh Hashana, (literally the head of the year) with the first of Nisan which our Creator calls the first month of […]
“Strengthen your Weak Hands and make firm the tottering knees.” 16 Elul 5780 By Alejandro Alvarado: Before these holidays, we read this double portion that we studied before Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Our Creator reaffirms His covenant by speaking to His people in the merits of Abraham, Isaac and Yaakov, reminding them of the […]
What is the use of knowing the Torah…if we don’t apply it to our lives?” The reading of this week when we have missed our Rabbi Percy Johnson is understood from the pshat (פשט direct meaning) pointing out the following: Devarim 26: 1 says: “And it shall be when you come into the land which […]
There are No Choices with Moral Values! Elul 9 5780 בלוג כִּי-תֵצֵא, ט’ אלול תש”פ In Parashah Ki Tetze Moshe randomly presents seventy-four injunctions as if he is trying to remember everything that he wanted to say before he left. I challenge you to read them and see to which of the Ten Commandments each […]
Act, Speak Up against Injustice! Elul 2 5780 בלוג שֹׁפְטִים, ב’ אלול תש”פ Act, Speak Up against Injustice! Parashat Shoftim שֹׁפְטִים begins with the appointing of judges, shoftim שֹׁפְטִים and officers, shotrim ְשֹׁטְרִים (also policeman or leaders) entreating us to always pursue justice… “צֶדֶק צֶדֶק, תִּרְדֹּף Justice, justice, you must pursue”. This sense of justice […]
Not All That Glitters is Gold! Av 25 5780 בלוג רְאֵה, כ”ה אב תש”פ This parashah Re’eh (See) begins with a blessing (brachah)בְּרָכָה and a curse (klalah) קְלָלָה. Moshe was warning (tokhechah – תוכחה) his people, for their own good, that if they obeyed the principles that the Bore Olam handed him at Mount Sinai, […]
What are You Afraid Of? Av 18 5780 בלוג עֵקֶב, י”ח אב, תש”פ Ranebi This portion Ekev together with Vaetchanan, emphasizes the first three of the Ten Principles given by our Creator to Moshe Rabenu at Har Sinai. These Ten Principles are divided into three parts, with the first three being mitzvot (commandments) from which […]
