December 26, 2012
Blog Archives
Religious Jews Commit Crimes? Couldn’t Be!
I first thought of writing this a few weeks ago when a jury in a major American city convicted an ultra-Orthodox Jew of committing a heinous and reprehensible crime. This is not an apologia. (I hate apologetics.) It is an attempt to remind ourselves that as surprising and distressing as our co-religionists’ failures might be … Continue Reading
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Why A Tzaddik? Why Rebbe Nachman? Why Uman?
Chances are you’ve been to Uman. If not, you certainly know someone who’s traveled to that now-famous Ukrainian town for Rosh HaShanah or another time of the year to pray at Rebbe Nachman’s gravesite. Maybe the prayers were for health, livelihood or children. Maybe they were prayers to find one’s soulmate, or to find oneself. … Continue Reading
The Real McCoy
“The people said to Aharon, ‘Make us a god who will lead us because this man Moses, who took us up from Egypt—we don’t know what happened to him’” (Exodus 32:1). I’m often asked about the importance of having a rebbe. I’m also asked what is a rebbe. What does it mean to have one? … Continue Reading
TRANSPARENT
As longtime readers of Pathways know, for Parashat Tetzaveh, in which Moshe Rabbeinu’s name does not appear even once, we often write about the concept of tzaddik. We’re doing it again this year! I’m often asked, “What does it mean to be m’kushar (attached) to the tzaddik?” For those yet unfamiliar with this idea, allow … Continue Reading
A Chassidic Story (#19)
A Chassidic Story (#19) We promised you last week a classic chassidic story. Here it is. For some reason it seems apropos to Parshas VaEra and Avraham Avinu serving guests. But it’s classic because of the Rebbe Reb Zushia’s simple tefilah (prayer) which is so easy to imitate in the saying, but almost impossible to … Continue Reading
Tzaddik: LEADER, TEACHER, INTERMEDIARY?
Moshe received the Torah at Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua; Joshua to the Elders; the Elders to the Prophets; and the Prophets transmitted it to the Members of the Great Assembly (Avot 1:1). The entire body of Judaic Law, written and oral, came through Moshe, who received it directly from God. God did not … Continue Reading
A Chassidic Story (#13)
A Chassidic Story (#13) In the feudal system that existed during the Baal Shem Tov’s lifetime, the lord of the manor would lease the right to handle his agricultural business to the highest bidder. Often this was a Jew, as is the case in our story. In fact, our story involves two such Jews. The … Continue Reading
A Chassidic Story: The Rebbe, Reb Shmelka (#8)
A Chassidic Story (#8) Here are two stories from Shemen HaTov, a collection of Torah commentary and insights (Part I) of, and stories (Part II) about the Rebbe, Reb Shmelka of Nikolsburg. Throughout I will refer to this tzaddik as the Rebbe, Reb Shmelka because that’s what we chassidic cognoscenti do. Once, Reb Chaim of … Continue Reading
A Midrash for Monday (#7)
A Midrash for Monday “The roads of Zion mourn” (Lamentations 1:4). Rav Huna says, “Everything in Creation seeks to fulfill its purpose. In order to have puppies, a pet lapdog went out to a cliff in the wilderness to give itself to a male.” Rav Ami says, “Even cedar trees want to fulfill their purpose. … Continue Reading
Dvar Torah for Parshat Matot
Dvar Torah for Parshat Matot Based on Likutey Halakhot, Sheluchin 5:17 “Moshe spoke to the Israelite tribal heads, saying: ‘This is the word God has commanded’” (Numbers 30:2). Rashi comments that when any mitzvah was introduced, the tribal heads had the privilege to be the first to learn about it, directly from Moshe Rabbeinu. Rashi … Continue Reading
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