By Rabbi James Stone Goodman
• Published November 23, 2011
Isaac entreats God, and God is entreated. Same verb, different structure. It is one of the words we encounter in Torah that is considered prayer.The same root, transitive and reflexive. Isaac entreats God, and God is entreated. We cannot actually translate...
BY RABBI HYIM SHAFNER
• Published November 16, 2011
This week's Torah portion, Chayei Sarah, "The life of Sarah," begins with Sarah's death following the story of the akedah, binding of Isaac, at the end of last week's portion. Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, known as RASHI, a famous 11th century French commentator...
In this week's Torah portion we see two very different sides of our patriarch Abraham. God tells Abraham He plans to destroy the wicked city of Sodom and instead of being happy that God is removing wickedness from the world, Abraham argues to save the...
By Rabbi James Stone Goodman
• Published November 9, 2011
At the end of his lifeAbraham ascended to the top of the chariot of Ezekielit was covered with the dew of light. Abraham dressed in hand-me-down celestial garmentssaw the future -a vision of reconciliationfrom what was missing in his generationhe saw...
By Rabbi Lane Steinger
• Published October 26, 2011
Are you familiar with the "Noahides"? Noahides, or "B'nai Noach/Children of Noah," are non-Jews who commit themselves to living by the Seven Noahide Laws, which were derived by the Talmudic Sages from this week's Torah Portion.The Parashah for the week...
We are beginning, again. How is it possible that the words of Torah continue to have power in our lives? How is it possible that year after year the same words continue to have relevance? Torah is often compared to water, and like a river, it is impossible...
BY RABBI JOSEF DAVIDSON
• Published October 12, 2011
Five days after Yom Kippur the joyous festival of Sukkot begins. It is the one holy day period on which Jews are actually commanded to rejoice. The other major festivals (Pesach and Shavuot) are also joyous and celebrate important events in...
I was disappointed by the Sept. 14, 2011 D'var Torah. Rabbi James Stone Goodman's prose was certainly interesting, and it would be to the Jewish Light's advantage to publish it more often, perhaps in a column dedicated to our local poets and writers.Unfortunately...
First, a clarification: I'm writing about the traditional reading of the Yom Kippur Torah portion. For reasons I thoroughly understand your congregation may substitute a more "relevant" reading, however, I do feel the traditional reading has much to teach...
By Rabbi Brad Horwitz
• Published September 28, 2011
During this season of the Jewish High Holidays, it is our responsibility to do tshuvah (repentance). Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur there are ten days called Aseret Yemei Tshuvah or the Ten Days of Repentance. It is this time when we focus on our...
By Rabbi James Stone Goodman
• Published September 14, 2011
It shall be when you enter the Land that Hashem your God gives you as an inheritance and you possess it and dwell in it; that you shall take of the first fruit of the ground that you bring in from your land where Hashem your God will choose. - Deut. 26:1-2I...
By Rabbi Roxanne J.S. Shapiro
• Published September 7, 2011
Several years ago, I had a sixth grade student who attended both the Milwaukee Jewish Day School and my congregation's religious school. She came to me with a complaint that she was learning the same things at each school. When I asked her to explain...
