Do not add to the word which I command you, nor diminish from it, to observe the commandments of the Lord your G-d which I command you. Your eyes have seen what G-d did at Baal Peor…(Deuteronomy 4:2-3)The verse above warns us not to add or subtract mitzvot. From an academic perspective, this is obvious and […]
Messages from July 2020
A long while back, I noticed a new face in shul; I introduced myself and asked where he was from. He had recently moved from Memphis; I asked him what made him decide to move. “My life was like a country song.” I looked puzzled. “I lost my job, my girlfriend broke up with me, […]
Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22)An Uncluttered MindThis week’s Parsha contains part of Moses’ parting words said during the last five weeks of his life. It begins with his giving rebuke to the nation, and we can learn from the way he does it.The Jews of that generation made a number of poor choices, decisions that […]
The first three-point shooting contest was in 1986 at the NBA All-Star game in Dallas; eight all-stars were selected for the competition. The Celtics’ Larry Bird was known as a trash talker. When he walked into the locker room as one of the competitors he asked, “which one of you guys is going to finish […]
In the last month, we have seen the tearing down of statues of many famous historical figures. Much can be said about how we remember people with problematic pasts or what modern ethics we can impose upon historical figures. We can also use this as an opportunity to discuss the role of statues and monuments […]
This week’s Parsha introduces us to an anti-Semite named Balak. He hired the wicked Bilaam to destroy the Jews; Bilaam agreed and even attempted to do so but was unsuccessful. At one point, Bilaam uttered a remarkable statement; something we would not have expected to come from the mouth of such a malicious person.Let me […]