Weekly D'var Torah

The counting of the Omer is one of the least understood yet most inspiring Jewish practices.  Here’s a rundown.
 
1. The forty nine days between Passover and Shavuot are known as the Omer, or the Omer Count.  What is an Omer?  It actually has two meanings.  The...Read more...

The Seder is when we mindfully create a positive Jewish family memory, made up of equal parts connection, fun, ritual, special foods and personal meaning.  The Seder focuses on all of us with starring roles for each and every participant.  The key to a great Seder is preparation.  While there are infinite lists of Seder-enhancing activities all over the internet, only you know who will be at your Seder and you can craft the...Read more...

How can a substance that purifies those who are impure at the same time pollute those who are pure? 

This is the riddle of the Mitzvah of the Red Heifer, the most mysterious commandment in the Torah.  The ashes of this sacrifice- a blood red year-old female...Read more...

The Shabbat before Purim is marked by the reading of the passage
relating to the nation of Amalek, the nation of Haman:

Remember what Amalek did to you as you left Egypt, came upon you on the journey, and, without regard slaughtered those weakened and lagging behind.  When you...Read more...

We know that many see having basic self defense skills such as situational awareness, keeping cool in difficult situations and even knowing some basic techniques allowing us to escape in the worst situations as essential, especially in trying times.  But does the Torah have anything to say about studying self defense?

King David in Psalms actually gives us a blessing:
Baruch M’lamed Yadai L’Milchama-...Read more...

The website describes the congregation as “a welcoming, experiential, irreverently pious Jewish community engaged in spiritual practice that connects the heart, mind, and body to foster human flourishing.”
 
Members of Adath Shalom, Cantor Avima and I spent a...Read more...

For the past 20 years, we have been treated to the constant creative output of American and Israeli acapella groups releasing song parodies about Chanukah, Passover and Purim. ...Read more...

I was so proud of our community as we hosted Din Tesler and
Dvir Kupershtein and stood with them in support and witnesship of what they, like so many others, have been through.  Several of our Morris County Commissioners were in attendance and honored our guests and community.  Please read the Morris County Press Release below.

May Adath Shalom continue to stand and serve in the Jewish and greater...Read more...

Take a look at Rabbi Paul Kipnes’ ideas for adding Jewish inspiration to your Thanksgiving Celebration!

Among the Twelve Tribes of Israel is the tribe of Judah- our...Read more...

In the opening stories of Genesis, we are taken to two failed worlds: the world of the Flood and the World of the...Read more...

Dear Rabbi Rafi, Danit, Daniel and the other great hearts of Ofakim, the Beautiful City of Heroes-

Our hearts are torn into pieces with the tragic and awful news of the death of six of our hostages, including our fellow American Hersh Goldberg Polin as well as Carmel, Eden,...Read more...

In this week’s Parsha, we learn the answer to the question: Just how many times did Moses go up Mount Sinai?

We know that the first ascent was on the Sixth of Sivan, the Festival of Shavuot.  That’s when we all heard G-d’s Voice giving the Covenant of the Ten Commandments. ...Read more...

Ah, constructive criticism….how we say we love you!  And in reality - maybe not so much…
 
After all, how can we improve ourselves without frank and truthful feedback?  Who of us can truly be aware of our shortcomings?  We are hard-wired it seems to...Read more...

In 586 BCE and again in 70 CE, millions of lives were lost and we were exiled from our land when the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed.  Through reliving this season of sorrow by withholding from joyful activities, we are able to increase our understanding of history and our compassion for...Read more...

Our Torah is meant to guide and inspire us through all of life’s journeys.  Unfortunately, conflict is a feature in almost all of them.  Conflicts within families, conflicts within ourselves, conflicts with nature, conflicting values… and conflict in the most horrific, violent...Read more...

Rabbi Rudin

And you shall count from the gathering of the first Omer of barley seven weeks: fifty days and then at the wheat harvest make a new offering... (Leviticus...Read more...

In this week’s Torah portion, the final portion of the Book of Leviticus, we are told to be sure to allow the Land to lie fallow every seven years in celebration of the Sabbatical Year.   Not only that, but during the same sabbatical year, shemitta in Hebrew, we are to free all indentured...Read more...

Shalom Friends;

Below, please find a greeting we prepared and sent to the Ofakim Community, our partner community in Israel (located in Southern Israel) in conclusion of Passover and wishing them a Happy Israel Independence Day.

 Ofakim and Metrowest have been in a partnership since the 1990’s- a partnership dramatically strengthened and reinforced this past year in the...Read more...

Our trip to partner community Ofakim

Resilience, Hope, Solidarity- Final Thoughts

Our group in front of the memorial mural of October 7th when fifty citizens of Ofakim lost their lives, many in the acts of defense that eventually drove the terrorists out of the city.

The shelter of anonymity...Read more...

Memorial at the Nova Music Festival Site

Four intense days of volunteering, supporting, bearing...Read more...

A few weeks ago, Rabbi Rafi Tvizer of Ofakim, Israel, part of a delegation to the Greater MetroWest Jewish Federation sent from the communities that had been devastated by the horrific events of Black Shabbat, arrived to stay with me for two nights as part of the home hospitality featured in these emotional and powerful delegations.  I have known Rabbi Rafi- we met while both volunteering during cleanup from Hurricane Sandy when he was...Read more...

A disturbing pattern appears throughout the Torah narratives.

At first, everything seems pristine and pure.  G-d’s intention and plan moves forward to a stunning and holy conclusion- and then there’s a sudden dark turn that forces G-d’s hand as it were and a new, broken reality...Read more...

A Message for Jewish Disabilities Awareness and Inclusion Month

Can you imagine a situation in which you make a donation to a worthy cause - only to be told, no thank you?  We have enough?

That’s what...Read more...

Counting Birds

Note: This Shabbat, Shabbat Shirah, the Shabbat of Song has a tradition to feed birds.   We devote one Shabbat a year to focusing on songs to G-d: birds sing to G-d constantly!  In gratitude to our winged friends, we scatter crumbs and seeds for them, especially in the winter.  Also, please take part in the worldwide bird count which runs from February 16-19, collecting important data on bird...Read more...

This month’s, (the Hebrew month of Shevat (January/February)) zodiac sign is Aquarius.  In Hebrew it’s called by the more prosaic name of דלי D’li- which literally means a bucket, water container or vessel.

Part of the meaning is purely geographical: in the...Read more...

In this week’s Torah portion, Vayechi, the long-estranged tribes of Israel are finally united once again.  The burden of generations of rivalry and hatred that...Read more...

                                                                        Page O Chanukah...Read more...

Beyond being the sacred text that molded western civilization and has had the most impact of any work of literature ever, the Bible in and general and the Torah in particular contain what can only be described as incredible storytelling.

Take this week’s parsha.  Jacob and Esau,...Read more...

Sarah Imenu, Sarah Our Mother, whose life is celebrated in this week’s Parsha, exemplifies the authenticity and moral courage that nurtures the Jewish people to this day. It is appropriate to share the words of one of our community’s spiritual successors of Sarah as we continue to be nurtured by her example.

This week’s D’var Tora comes to us from Adath Shalom alumna, Carly, who celebrated her Bat Mitzvah at our shul and...Read more...

In this week’s Parsha, Lech L’cha, we are introduced to Abraham. 

Kind of a weird introduction, actually. “G-d said to Abraham, ‘Go from your country, your birthplace, your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will bless you and magnify your name and through you all the families of the...Read more...

If you’ve seen or heard about Simchat Torah celebrations in New York, Moscow, Boston, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, London, Johannesburg, you know that they are huge, joyful spectacles where we dance our Torahs out into the streets and the joy, music and celebration are explosive and...Read more...

Every year we are asked to run a spiritual marathon - 25 hours of prayer, reflection, repentance and… fasting!

I hear stories of our ancestors in the old country making it a literal marathon where they are in shul for the entire time, everyone dressed in white robes,...Read more...

D’var Torah for Selichot Services, 5783/2023

Selichot services take place on Saturday night and we hear again the plaintive...Read more...

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The plaintive cry of the Shofar is a highlight of Rosh HaShana but what exactly does it mean?

Tenth Century whiz-kid Rabbi (he was appointed head of the largest Yeshiva in Babylonia at only 36 years old) Saadia Gaon gives us ten spiritual associations that the Shofar...Read more...

This week’s parsha declares that in every circumstance, we have the opportunity to wrest blessings from challenges.

In a difficult summer that saw the highest recorded temperatures in history, filled our skies with smoke and challenged us with the anxieties of uncertain times,...Read more...

     Listen to Rabbi Rudin - Click HERE 
 

There are Two 24 hour Fast Days in Judaism: the White Fast of Yom Kippur and the Black Fast of Tisha B’Av.

Many people fast during...Read more...

 Know for certainty that every descent we experience in life is only for the sake  of rising up even higher

-Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav

 On the Ninth of Av, the Temple was destroyed and the Jewish people...Read more...

This week’s Parsha, Korach, describes a terrible schism in the Jewish people.  The once righteous but ultimately mistaken and sinful Korach, who has been passed over for priestly leadership in favor of his cousin, Aaron, gathers a large group and attacks Moses...Read more...

Once a month I take part in an interfaith conversation with a group of Christians, Hindus and Muslims. Over the time that our Interfaith Council has met, we have learned to trust each other and become friends. Our discussions are open-hearted. Despite...Read more...

What is Shavuot?  Well, seven weeks ago we celebrated the anniversary of the Exodus. Freedom from slavery and the horrors of Pharaoh’s Egypt. ...Read more...

Contemplating the Conclusion of the Jewish Year, 5783

Looking at Jewish spiritual life, it’s really astonishing just how much stuff we do.  I mean look at it:  We start the year by blowing loud blasts on Ram’s...Read more...

                                                                                      See/hear this week's message on the go:  

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Who is the one who desires life, who loves their days and sees good?  It is the one who guards their tongue from speaking ill, and their lips from guile, turning aside from hurtfulness, seeking peace and pursuing peace.

-Psalm 34:13-15

Judaism doesn’t...Read more...

Abraham and Sarah, the first Jewish couple, give birth to Isaac. Isaac marries Rebecca.  They have twin boys, Esau and Jacob.  When it comes time for Isaac to choose which of his two sons will receive the blessing of Abraham to become the progenitor...Read more...

Among the gifts that the Jews have given the world is the gift of gratitude- for gratitude requires a source.  Seeing each day, seeing the world, as a gift given rather than an ordeal to endure, that is truly a revolution in how each human sees life, for no matter what we face,...Read more...

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Where does Abraham get the Chutzpah to Challenge G-d?

In this week's Torah portion, we find Abraham and Sarah living with a small group of their students, followers and families at the edge of the wilderness...Read more...

In this week's Torah portion, we retell the primordial tale of the Great Flood, followed by the confusion of tongues in the Tower of Babel.

Question: why was the first thing that the next generation after the flood did was build a...Read more...

ויאמר אלוהים יהי אור- ויהי אור

And G-d said: Let there by light- and there was light!

As we set out on a new Jewish year, the...Read more...

The holiday of Sukkot follows Yom Kippur by only a few days.   Why do we head out to live in booths right after the yearly ordeal of purification and renewal?

Maybe it’s like this: On the...Read more...

The Voice of the Belly and the Still Small Voice: A Preparation for Yom Kippur

In every book, movie, comic or even spoof about a spiritual quest, the seeker after truth is at first confused by their encounter with the master.  I'm dating myself here but one of the most iconic spiritual master/seeker disconnects was when aspiring Jedi Luke Skywalker meets the great Jedi Master...Read more...

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The image of the High Holidays is that G-d's Presence is more revealed than at any other time.  The theology: is G-d immanent (close) or transcendent (distant), can an omnipresent G-d be "more present" at one time or place than any other etc. doesn't really come up. ...Read more...

When we grieve, we traditionally tear our garments.  Why?

Jacob, Job, King David, the Judeans at the walls facing the...Read more...

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For all that we are a people of memory, we don't venerate the past.  Instead we live our history through the here and now by remembering and focusing on how ancient lessons can help move us forward.  

This Sunday we commemorate the 17th of Tammuz which begins the "Between the Straits", the 3 Weeks leading up to the Black Fast Day, Tisha B'Av.  Why do we need to relive the dark days when our Temple was destroyed, we...Read more...

This week's D'var is dedicated to Temple HaTikvah, the shul that made me, whose farewell gala last night both broke my heart and filled me with new hope and inspiration.  The holy sparks created by this amazing community will continue to inspire through the ongoing Jewish connection and community-building of the generations of beautiful Yidden who carry and live the truths of this holy Kehilla.  We welcome those families who...Read more...