Torah

Wise Words: 'You Shall Not Judge Unfairly'

By:

Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell, Jewish Exponent Feature

SHOFTIM, Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9 The opening words of this week's portion instruct the Israelites to "appoint magistrates and officials," judges and judicial administrators "in all [your] settlements ... [to] govern the people with due justice." Twenty years ago, my daughter spent her 13th summer chanting these verses, over and over, as she prepared for her Bat Mitzvah. In the past month,...

Torah

What Defines the Ideal Relationship With God?

By:

Rabbi Joshua Runyan

RE'EH, Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17 This week's portion presents a near impossible religious imperative. Beginning a long list of laws covering everything from what foods may be eaten to the fixing of the three major festivals, the portion devotes nearly a third of its text to ridding the Land of Israel of idolatry. Should a false prophet arise, or should an entire...

Torah

Be Satisfied With What Grows in the Backyard

By:

Rabbi Danielle Stillman

EKEV, Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25 A weekly ritual of my summer is to pick up vegetables at the farm where my family has a Community Supported Agriculture share. This week, I filled my bags with beets, cucumbers, zucchini, corn and the first tomatoes off the vine. I tucked some dill and basil around the sides of the heavier produce, and then hoisted...

Torah

Darkness Has Always Led to Greater Strength

By:

Rabbi Howard A. Addison

VA'ETCHANAN, Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11 Throughout the ages, prophets, philosophers and mystics have wondered, "Where might God be found?" A fascinating answer was offered by Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav, great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov. The Torah describes the revelation of the Ten Commandments: The people stood afar, but Moses entered the darkness in which God was found. Rebbe Nachman indicates that...

Torah

Ancient Tradition Can Be Linked to Existential Angst

By:

David Ackerman

At the heart of the observance of Tisha B'Av -- the annual day of national mourning that marks the destruction of the ancient temples in Jerusalem -- lies the chanting of the biblical book of Lamentations. A collection of five distinct poems of lament, Lamentations -- or Eichah in Hebrew -- serves as the source for our tradition's language of...