Ki Tisa- Cracks of Light                                          Michael Carr               03/11/2023

It’s been said that we don’t see things as ‘they are’; we see things as ‘we are’ because we see reality through our emotional history.

Each of us experiences emotional sensory situations differently when we read, listen, or taste. These sensations may evoke pleasure, pain, distaste- well you […]

This week’s Parsha includes the final three plagues that G-D created for the benefit of the Israelites and imposed upon Pharaoh to let the Israelite Slaves go. As we know Pharaoh was opposed to any meaningful changes in the kingdom.

In fact we read year after year in the Torah and during Pesach about the terrible […]

Parsha Vaera brings to mind the idea of FUD. It’s the acronym for fear, uncertainty and doubt. This idea was probably more pervasive than ‘hope’ for getting the Israelite slaves out of Egypt. Fear of a autocratic and stubborn pharaoh who imposed his autocratic rule daily created uncertainty and doubt about a meaningful life for Israelite […]

If we zoom out for a moment on Genesis there are any number of injustices that highlight the first book of Torah.  For example: Cain kills Abel and walks; Lots daughters rape their father; Abraham lies about his wife twice, attempts to sacrifice his son, and becomes a patriarch; Jacob deceives his own family members […]

One of the many stories in Bereshit is that of Adam and Eve. In particular it is the shame that Adam and Eve experience upon eating the forbidden fruit. Rabbi Manis Friedman, co-author of “Living a Life that Matters” relates Adam and Eve’s emotional response to these three aspects of shame: 1) humility, embarrassment and […]

Today’s Torah portion tells the story of Korah the cousin of Moses and Aaron who questions the ‘spirtual leadership’ of the Israelites. Moses defends the divine appointment of Aaron as Kohen Gadol  and clarifies the wearing of Tallit.

Like Moses, Korah was a Levite and born in Egypt and a witness to the miracles of the […]

In this weeks parasha Shelach (which means to send, send to you, send for yourself)  God commands Moses to send 12 men (SPIES) – to check out the promised land before the Israelites enter the land.

As we find out the expedition was less than remarkable for 10 of the ‘SPIES’ – perhaps due to a […]

Picture this – you are Moses (for the moment) you know the prophetic leader of the Israelites who was blessed with a stutter (or so we have read in Exodus).  Also consider – that you have just received a directive from G-d  to ‘get the word out’ about the recently published laws or ‘commandments’ and […]

Of the messages in this week’s Parasha (which is the parasha that is located actually in the very center of the entire Torah),   Acharei Mot literally means, ‘After the Death’ in reference to the deaths of Aaron’s sons Nadav & Avihu.  

It is said that after one hears the title of the Parasha the intent […]

Parshah Tzav begins with priestly instructions for sacrifices as a sanctification and ritual to spiritually connect with G-d. Details with what to wear, time of day and who can consume the sacrifice are outlined. The parshah includes instructions for kosher eating and sanctification of priests.

As Rabbi Eve Posen points out in a 2020 message to […]