How big was Noah’s ark? Torah is very specific: 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high. A…
Schadenfreude
My one-week vacation in the United States was a breath of fresh air. A whole week of conversations with family,…
Two Creations, One Philosophy (Bereisheet)
For first century philosopher Philo of Alexandria, there is only one true philosophy of life. Both of his favorite philosophers…
Real Love
At our Shabbat gatherings at synagogue, we read from the Torah about the adventures of our ancestors in the wilderness,…
Living at the Edge: Kohelet in Ecclesiastes
Kohelet — narrator of the book of Ecclesiastes — lives on the edge. The edge of fulfillment, that is. “I’m…
Ladder of Prayer
Jewish communal prayer is both liturgy and experience. The liturgy expresses a theology — a theory about God. The experience stimulates inner…
On Eagle's Wings (Ha'azinu)
Every time I see a bald eagle soar, my heart soars, celebrating the return of this majestic, intelligent bird to…
Questions
Stability. Listening. Change. The cycle appears in all our lives. Each of us strikes a different balance. To whom do…
Poetry, My Witness (Nitzavim-Vayelech)
“This poem will be my witness,” says God to Moshe (Deut. 31:19). Here, God refers to a poem predicting future…