A man goes on a business trip to a foreign country with his spouse. In preparation for this journey, he studies a bit about the culture, the people and the laws of the land. There is much to fear, though the reward of traveling there outweighs the fear....

I ran into one of the prophets at Schnucks. He was looking over the fresh fruit. Someone spotted him and he signed a cantaloupe with this: I love you with all my broken heart.Then he started to recite poetry. Three weeks I sat in sadness, he declaimed,...

Shelach Lecha is the fourth portion in the fourth book of Torah, called Numbers or Bamidbar. God tells Moses, shelach lecha, send for yourself spies to check out what I’ve already told you is a good land. So Moses, at God’s request, deployed 12 sons...

It has been said that beginnings are difficult, and that old aphorism holds a great deal of truth. It has also been demonstrated as a law of physics that a body at rest tends to stay at rest, while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. This week,...

Ok, I’m going to come out and say it. I hope no one will think less of me.  Here goes.  I don’t like fruit salad.  I don’t like how all the fruits get mixed up and taste generically fruity.  I like my fruits individuated. I like my apples to...

The political season has arrived!  There is buzz all around as to who is truly electable and who will best represent our country and the desires of the voters.  And, certainly with every election year, at least for me, comes the internal struggle with...

Every parent knows that there are certain moments in the life of your child that can never be forgotten. Specific liminal events, which will forever be etched into your consciousness - engraved indelibly upon your heart. For me, one such moment took place...

There is a proverb that reads, ‘without vision, people perish.' The Torah projects a vision for what is humanly possible. This week's portion, Re'eh, is found in Deuteronomy, the book which emphasizes social justice, personal ethics and neighborly responsibility....