Messages from January 2021

Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: Beshalach (Exodus 13:17-17:16)Believe in Miracles?

January 29, 2021
Exodous
Beshalach

Manna makes its first appearance in this week’s Parsha. It is more a concept than a food; it’s actually an ideology. The modern thinker finds it difficult to accept that millions of people were fed each day with food descending from heaven.We look at manna as a miracle because it came in a way that didn’t use […]

Rabbi O’s Weekly: Bo (Exodus 10:1-13:16)Advice from a Redhead

January 22, 2021
Exodous
Bo

Why did it take two years from the beginning of the Civil War for the Union to accept African Americans for full service? Racism still existed but they were able to set it aside for the bigger purpose of defeating the South. By the end of the war, even the South accepted slaves for service […]

Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: Vaeira (Exodus 6:2-9:35) Titanic Reality

January 15, 2021
Exodous
Vayera

The sinking of the Titanic on her maiden voyage was a great nautical catastrophe but the real tragedy is that it could have been avoided. Many mistakes were made but one of the most foolish was that the ship’s radio operators received 21 warnings of ice, all of which were ignored. The Titanic serves a metaphor for Pharaoh, the […]

Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: Shemos (Exodus 1:1-6:1)To Thine Self Be True

January 8, 2021
Exodous
Shemot

Imagine a soldier in the U.S. army on kitchen duty who was told by a General to speak with him after dinner about an important covert mission. Would this soldier need permission from his Sergeant? Whether it is the head football coach changing a play or a CEO overruling a district manager, all understand that […]

Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: Vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26)How Do You Fly? “

January 1, 2021
Genesis
Vayechi

Mario Zacchini, Sensational Human Cannonball, Dies at 87” was the headline of New York Times obituary for the last survivor of an era of men whose livelihood consisted of being propelled from a cannon across a circus tent into a net. He once said, “flying isn’t the hard part; landing in the net is.” Some people […]