What Does Judaism Think

The Torah contains a number of stories about people who committed sins and received their punishment. Everything from the snake to the Egyptians to the Golden calf worshipers involves appropriate consequences. One story, however, stands out in that an entirely new creation came into being just to punish the wrongdoers. That story is that of Korach.

Korach mounts a rebellion against Moses, and God creates a mouth in the earth to swallow him up, together with his fellow rebels. This unique demise teaches us a critical lesson about Judaism. Read More

The fast of Tisha b'Av had its origin on the ninth of Av in the year when Moses sent the spies to the land of Israel. It was on that tragic day that the people heard their evil report, and cried about their feared fate. They chose to listen to the 10 spies who said that the land of Israel was impossible for them, instead of listening to Joshua and Caleb were sure them that they could, indeed, successfully inhabit the land. Since they cried for no justified reason, God decreed that they should be a crying for generations. It was Tisha b'Av.

Since that time, however, the Jewish people have repeatedly demonstrated their love of The Land of Israel. We have fought, sacrificed, cried and dreamed, for millennia. Indeed, that love of the land of Israel was demonstrated on the very next day! And yet, it failed to change the decree. Why? Read More

Jewish law and the Jewish values have guided the Jewish people since antiquity. At many times in our history, society at large presented alternative values, and the Jewish people found themselves on the defensive. Assimilation was often the result. The situation is similar to what is happening today.

How can traditional Judaism respond? It's not easy. A very great person from our past was puzzled by this very same question, and had to be given an answer directly by God. Read More

The commandment of the Sabbatical Year applies only in the land of Israel. Why? After all, the weekly Sabbath is obligatory worldwide. Isn't letting the land lie fallow modeled after the Sabbath?

The answer sheds light on a crucial perspective when it comes to crafting our connection to Judaism. Just how religious do we want to be? Read More

Israel is not perfect. None of us are perfect either. In fact, the flaws of many well-known people are being waved about in public more, it seems, than ever before. As a result, some of these people have become like lepers, to be shunned and rejected. Tragically, because Israel is not perfect, some have chosen to treat her the same way.

In honor of Israel's Independence Day, I wish to state that we must all support, love, and cherish Israel. The story of Israel's national anthem, for example, embodies the wonder of this incredible, and crucial, country. And I believe this obligation comes directly from the Torah. Read More

Why these 10? The rabbis question the custom of standing while the 10 Commandments are read in synagogue. Why show respect over and beyond what we show to the entire Torah? These verses are no more holy than any other. For that reason, many suggest that the congregation rise before the entire reading, so as not to show favoritism to these verses in particular.

Further, if we are able to measure the importance of commandments, it would most probably be done on the basis of the punishment for their violation. If so, there are many commandments that would deserve a place here in the Decalogue. So why these 10? Read More

Congratulations. You have ascended the throne. Now, what kind of a leader will you be? In the Western world, we judge our leaders harshly. Just look at all the invective hurled at Pres. Trump, and before him, at Pres. Obama, and before him at President Bush. Are and were they good leaders, or bad ones?

I would like to suggest a paradigm of leadership that can apply to every human being, not just presidents. And it starts with a change in route taken by the Israelites on their way out of Egypt. Read More

Legendary business coach Dan Sullivan once said, "The problem is not the problem, it's how you look at the problem that's the problem." Very often, we have a problem with certain events in our past. The problem is not those events themselves, but how we look at them. The Torah gives us guidance for this, if we scratch a little to understand its deeper meanings.

For example, a small detail of the Exodus, when looked at with a microscope, becomes a major turning point for the history of the Israelites and the Jewish people. Read More

It's no secret that Jews strive for excellence, and very often achieve it. Just look at the tremendously disproportionate number of Jewish Nobel prize winners! Why is this important, and how did it come about? The answer may lie in the story of the Exodus from Egypt. Read More

"What's in a name?" asked Mr. Shakespeare. In fact, a LOT. It is our essence.
How so, if it's just an external thing?

We actually have three names, according to our sages. What are they, and how are they able to help us tremendously? Read More

There are five words that I believe summarize what a Jew is meant to be. These words must inform every goal and every action that a Jew takes in the world. When they are not actively in our hearts and minds, we are prone to error and inappropriate behavior. When they are present in a vibrant sense, we can achieve great things for the world.

What are they, and what does this have to do with biblical Joseph's wife? Read More

From the beginning of the Bible until the latter half of the book of Exodus, the main focus is in the realm of interpersonal relationships. It is interesting that no society was punished, no city destroyed, no worldwide flood brought on account of idolatry. Every Divine punishment was brought as a result of failed interpersonal relationships.

So we see that this aspect of our lives is important. A fascinating window, and a clue to a quick fix for all interpersonal problems, can be gleaned from the story of Joseph and his brothers. Read More

The beauty of our Torah and its stories is that nothing is whitewashed. We hear all about our patriarchs, their ups and downs, in a way that is free from judgment. The commentaries often point out where they feel a biblical character has erred.

Our common father, Jacob, is often singled out for second guessing. Did he need to deceive his father into believing he was Esav? Was it wise to show favoritism to Joseph?

And, yet, he is the ultimate father of the Jewish people. He is called "the man of truth." How, if he made so many questionable decisions, is he the paradigm of truth?
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It's no secret. Centuries of anti-Semitism have had a deep psychological impact on the Jewish people. In fact, it all seems to have started in the days of Isaac, Abraham's son. How is the vulnerable Jew to live his life in such a challenging world?

And what does the romance of Isaac and Rebecca, and their relationships to their two sons, have to do with it? Read More

Sometimes, people behave in consistently destructive ways. They either remain in abusive relationships, or persist in deleterious habits. On the flipside, habits and consistency in good things keep us healthy and whole. How can we escape the bad ones, and embrace the good ones?

Hidden inside a simple detail about Sarah's age when she died lies a powerful mindset. This mindset may be the solution.
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