Parashat Ha Shavua Commentaries

Throughout antiquity, most people assumed that illness was a punishment from the gods. Incensed at some infraction of ritual law, pagan gods were forever visiting terrible diseases, sometimes to the point of death, on their worshipers. In fact, this tendency to attribute divine disfavor to any manifestation of sickness runs rampant in our society as well (although only for the illness of someone else!). Read more...

We are, I believe, by nature, curious people. The desire to learn more is a powerful impetus propelling us to discover new worlds, to fly through the orbits of space, and dive into the depths of oceans. No one is more curious, however, than the young toddler who begins asking questions almost as soon as they can talk. "Why do I have to go to school? Why is that lady here? Why are we Jewish - why? Why? Why?" Read more...

"Real men don't eat quiche," proclaims one bumper sticker. "Would you kill flipper for a tuna sandwich?" inquires another. Both messages assert a connection between what we eat and who we are. Our community and our character are reflected in our choices of food. Vegetarians, macrobiotics, those who limit their cholesterol intake, those who won't eat red meat, all are asserting that we are, indeed, what we eat. While concerns of physical health remain the predominant factor in guiding contemporary people's diet, the link between eating and identity remain strong. Read more...

Admit it - it's fun to gossip. As entertainment, gossip is still the choice of millions, because it's free, because it's easy, and because it's accessible. Besides, everyone does it, so a little harmless fun can't hurt anybody, can it? Read more...

Here's something that is probably impossible to fathom and even a little hard to swallow. Imagine working for a non-profit and making a desperate pitch for funds to build your organization or to keep it afloat. The money and materials start coming in...and do not stop. At a certain point you simply cannot handle the intake and realize you could never use it all. What do you do? Tell people to stop, right? Wait, really? Would you do that? Read more...