The Torah whispers a radical idea in our ears: G-d said to Moses: “Make for Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell in them.” Not “in it,” but “in them” — within the people who build it.
G-d dwells within each of us. Every one of us can become a sanctuary. We can turn our bodies into G-d’s temple.
Mishpatim »
Make G-d Your Partner
What is your morning routine? For billions of people around the world, it involves a familiar sequence of activities: exercising, showering, drinking coffee, eating breakfast, checking social media, and rushing off to work. Then there is the Jewish way to start the day. Jews begin with Torah study and prayer.
The first words out of our mouths are a thank you: Thank You, G-d, for returning my soul to me. We thank G-d for our sight, our strength, our ability to walk, to dress, and to function. We praise Him for His kindness and for the wondrous works of Creation. We declare our faith in Him and ask Him for a good day. Some Jews study Torah before prayer, some after prayer, and some do both, filling their minds with Divine thought at the very start of the day. Read the full story »
The Gift of Being “Extra”
When we are jealous, we measure our value by others’ success. We can’t be like others. We were born to be ourselves. When we accept that limitation, we begin to shine.
Nothing To Fear But Fear Itself
When you trust in G-d, you know that circumstances and people can’t harm you. You have nothing to fear but fear itself.
Why Jews Need An Army
When we want to pray, our minds wander; it is a battle to maintain concentration. When we want to give to charity but feel drawn to use the money for ourselves, we are at war with ourselves. When we struggle with lust, greed, dishonesty, pride, anger, and envy, we are at war.
Fostering Empathy In Our Children
Moses was chosen for his empathy. He learned empathy from his parents. We mold our children into what we model for them. It is our sacred duty to model empathy.
Don’t Waste A Crisis
You can be free wherever you are. Even if your body is incarcerated, your mind and soul can be free.
A Diaspora Blessing that Gives us Courage
Every Friday night, we bless our children with the words, “May G-d make you like Ephraim And Manasseh.” Why them of all people in Jewish history?
The Bondi Massacre: Choosing to Live for G-d
Fifteen Jews were murdered in Bondi purely for being Jewish. They died for G-d, the least we can do in their memory is choose to live for G-d.
Stop Dreaming
In the aftermath of the Bondi Attack, we might want to hide our Judaism and blend in. This essay cautions us against living a lie.
Parsha Insights »
The Whip
The whip is usually an instrument of punishment, but it can also be a gift. Teachers of old used the whip to administer corporeal punishment. However, the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, once wrote about a teacher that was beloved by his students. This teacher never used the …
Yearly Cycle »
Shavuot the Festival of Weeks
Sunday, May 27, marks the beginning of Shavuot, the Jewish festival of weeks. Its name reflects the seven-week period that commences on the second night of Passover and concludes on the first night of this festival. During this time the Jewish ancestry journeyed from Egypt to Sinai and prepared to …
Concepts »
Bo: The Miracle of Nature
Months and Years
Have you ever wondered why there are annual cycles in the lunar calendar and monthly cycles in the solar calendar? Think about it. The solar calendar is defined by the cycle of seasons as the earth tilts on its axis for three-hundred-and-sixty-five days; nothing in this calendar lends …
Rabbi’s Desk »
What Can We Do?
These past two days have been the most difficult for our people in the last fifty years. It was Simchat Torah, a time for rejoicing, yet it was a time of horror. Nearly a thousand members of our family were brutally murdered, more than a hundred were taken hostage, and …
