Essays
Cholent: The Purpose of Exile
The purpose of exile as explained through the metaphor of cholent, a stew eaten on the Jewish Sabbath. What cholent teaches us about the meaning of exile.
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Totalitarianism Today
The connection between accepting the yoke of Heaven and Rosh Hashanah. What kind of person can accept the yoke of heaven? Can you?
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Family Loyalty
A discussion of family loyalty illustrates the idea of forgiveness in Judaism. A story of the Seer of Lublin.
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The Materialistic Spiritualist
Is materialistic spirituality an oxymoron? When striving to carry out the will of his Creator, is man justified in requesting the fulfillment of his personal desires? A discussion of Rosh Hashanah and the nature of man’s soul.
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The Return: The Incense Offering
The spiritual dimensions of the ketoret, or the incense offering, are discussed in conjunction with the concept of teshuvah.
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The Mitzvah of Sukkah: The “Easy” Mitzvah
An examination of the mitzvah of dwelling in the sukkah and why it is the mitzvah singled out by the Talmud as G-d’s “easy mitzvah.”
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Unity in Three Dimensions: The Four Kinds on Sukkot
A discussion about joy as the dominant theme of Sukkot, and the inner dimensions of the four species and other observances during the holiday.
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Chanukah: An American Holiday
Both the American Revolution and Chanukah’s message of freedom and transcendence is as relevant today as it was two millenniums and two centuries ago.
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Chanukah celebrates what?
The word “Chanukah” comes from the word chinuch, which means “initiation.” Chanukah celebrates the renewal of the service in the Holy Temple after it was liberated from the Greek defiler, purified, and rededicated as the seat of G-d’s manifest presence in our world.
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A Liquid Joy: The Sukkot Water Pouring Ceremony
Learn deep mystical lessons about the spiritual meaning of the Sukkot water pouring ceremony. Explore the significance of the Jewish festival of Sukkot.
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