Ancient history

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פסח

מישהו אמר באוזניי לאחרונה שהוא לא מבין או רואה איך אפשר לדבר על משהו חדש בשולחן הסדר בפסח – כל מה שאפשר היה להגיד ולפרש כבר נאמר בכל עשרות השנים שהוא חוגג את חג הפסח. אמרתי לו שאני חושב שההשקפה שלו בנוגע לסדר פסח החג קצת... READ MORE →

Yechezkel And The Middle East

I am not usually given to interpreting prophecy or dealing with messianic and/or apocalyptic visions. However, I have recently been reviewing the book of the prophet Yechezkel and could not help but think that many of the prophecies recorded in the middle section of the book are eerily similar to events that are occurring in our present day Middle Eastern part of the world. The prophet... READ MORE →

Chanuka

Timing is everything. This is true in financial matters, personal choices, national decisions, as well as in historical events. Nevertheless, we are able to see that the present is not necessarily the past and that options and opinions that are currently relevant and popular once held no sway. Our ancestors the Hasmoneans engaged in the same type of struggles, physical as well as spiritual, that... READ MORE →

Old Blessings, New Beginnings

The Torah completed its annual cycle of weekly readings this past week with the parsha of V’Zot Habracha. It begins our new yearly reading of the Torah this Shabat with the reading of parshat Bereshith. Rashi points out to us that when Moshe came to bless the tribes of Israel before departing this world he purposely connected his blessings to the past blessings of Yaakov to his children... READ MORE →

Fast Days And A Slow Summer

Summer here in Israel is the time for Saturday night demonstrations. Most of the time the demonstrations are gatherings looking for a cause rather than a cause inspiring demonstrations. It is just the thing to do on the warm Saturday nights in Tel Aviv. For many years the demonstrations concentrated on the peace process with the Palestinians. However it has become clear to the vast... READ MORE →