Parashat Ha Shavua Commentaries

Ours is probably the wealthiest society in the history of humanity and, at the same time, the poorest. We are rich in the possession of things, and impoverished in the possession of time. Contemporary life is so frenetic, so harried, that rather than being in control of our schedules and our obligations, it is more accurate to say that time controls us. Read more...

One of the blindnesses of human nature is our recurrent ingratitude and our appalling lack of memory. Saying please always comes more readily than stopping to say thank you. Somehow, acknowledging assistance never seems as urgent after we’ve already gotten the help we wanted in the first place. Read more...

Last year, the annual reading of Parashat Va-Era fell close to the new American Memorial Day in honor of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., the great Black civil rights leader. Read more...

One of the most moving speeches I have ever heard was a Kol Nidrei appeal of Sherry Miller, a past president of Congregation Eilat. She spoke lovingly of her childhood memories of her Bubbe and Zayde, and of the many beautiful Shabbat meals she enjoyed with them in her youth. Read more...

Ours is a society that almost worships titles. When foreign royalty visits America, the newscasters televise the thousands of Americans who wait for hours to fall on their knees for a king, a queen, or a prince. When the talking heads of radio or television want an authoritative fix on a current issue, they interview someone with a Ph.D., trusting the title to give the comments added weight and authority. When we need advice about children, we tend to ask someone with letters after their name, whether or not they have been personally involved in raising children. Read more...