Torah portion:  Mishpatim; Exodus 21:1-24:18

One of my closest rabbinic friends was a lawyer for many years before becoming a rabbi. 

Torah portion:  Yitro; Exodus 18:1–20:2

We cannot do it alone.

Torah Portion:  B'shalach;  Exodus 13:17-17:16

A few weeks ago, I let you know about the arrest of Nofrat Frankel, a Women of the Wall member who “dared” to wear her tallis at the Kotel, the Western Wall, in Jerusalem.  A few weeks later, Anat Hoffman, the director of the Israeli Religious Action Committee and an active member of Women at the Wall, was arrested, fingerprinted, and informed she was being investigated for committing a felony offense – disturbing the sensitivities of others at a national religious site.

Torah Portion:  Bo;  Exodus 10:1-13:16

One of the most powerful teachings I learned from my rabbi, Ken Weiss, is that it’s not God who’s making horrible things happen to you; it’s God in the hands of the people who are trying to help.  This teaching has come to my mind many times these past few weeks as we continue to witness the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti.  Yet, in the face of such devastation, what can we do to make God’s presence known in the world?  What can we possibly do to help?  The answer is, we can do so much. 

Torah Portion:  Va-eira, Exodus 6:2-9:35

In lieu of my weekly comments, please read the following letter from the Chairman and President of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) regarding support to Haiti following this week’s earthquake:

Torah Portion:  Sh’mot;  Exodus 1:1-6:1

The story that begins in this week's Torah portion, Sh'mot--of our people's redemption from Egypt--is one of the most prevalent stories in Jewish life.  We mention it in almost every prayer, we read it for weeks every year in the Torah, and it is retold during Passover, the most observed Jewish holiday.  Clearly the story of the exodus, of our turning from slaves into free people, is a critical part of our people's identity.  Yet, the factual truth of this story is not so easy to prove.  A few years ago, Rabbi David Wolpe, one of my college teachers and currently the Senior Rabbi at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, CA, came under attack when he delivered a sermon saying there was no archeological evidence supporting the idea that hundreds of thousands of people marched from Egypt to what we now call the land of Israel.  This assertion--which archeologists, Biblical scholars, academics, some rabbis, and many others agree with--causes a strong reaction because it seems to undercut this most critical story of our communal identity.  If this story isn't REAL, then who are we really? What is our relationship with God?  With the land of Israel?  Do we still need to "care for the stranger," if we were NEVER "strangers in the land of Egypt"?  These are serious questions that require serious answers.

Torah Portion:  Va-y’chi;  Genesis 47:28–50:26

Every time we finish reading a book of Torah, we arise and recite as a congregation the words, “Hazak, hazak, v’nithazek,” “be strong, be strong, and we shall be strengthened.”  This week, we read the last parsha (portion) in the book of Genesis, Vayechi.  The portion contains the story of both Jacob and Joseph’s death, and Jacob’s final blessing and words to his children.  Jacob is not always positive—in his last moments he rebukes Shimon and Levi for their “lawlessness” and “wrath.”  Yet overall, as he blesses his children he presents an image of a relationship with God that is filled with meaning, strength, and love.  He says that God has been his “shepherd from birth to this day,” and that God “redeemed him from all harm.”  He assures his family that God will be with them, just as God was with him and his fathers, Abraham and Isaac.  The message Jacob leaves us with is one of love: family love and divine love.  This is a message that I think we can all take to heart.

Torah Portion:  Vayigash;  Genesis 44:18-47:27

When I was in my first year of rabbinical school in Israel, the movie The Prince of Egypt was released.  It was fascinating to see this incredible animated version of the story of Exodus—and even more amazing to see the Hebrew subtitles quoting words of Torah!  One of my favorite songs in the movie contains the line, “look at your life through heaven’s eyes.”  When life doesn’t go exactly as we’ve planned, when we face an unexpected hardship, when we get sick, it is natural to focus on the moment—our pain, our loss, the hard road ahead.  Believe me, I do this, too!  The Prince of Egypt lyric, however, reminds us that there is a bigger picture we should focus on instead—we should “look at our lives through heaven’s eyes.”

Torah portion:  Mikeitz;  Genesis 41:1-44:17

In this week’s Torah portion, Mikeitz, we continue reading about the saga of Joseph and his “Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”. 

Torah Portion:  Vayeishev;  Genesis 37:1 - 40:23

Hanukkah is not about presents.