Person in the Parsha: BEMIDBAR (SHAVUOT)

May 06, 2013

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“FLOURISHING IN THE DESERT“

I trace back my love of poetry to Mr. Perle. He taught freshman English in the high school I attended. I remember him as diminutive in stature, but not...

Person in the Parsha: BECHAR-BECHUKOTAI

May 06, 2013

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“THE PROCESS OF SIN“

It is a word that one hears frequently these days, in many contexts. The word is “process.” It is a word that reflects our growing recognition that there are...

Person in the Parsha: EMOR

April 26, 2013

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“LIKE ALL OTHER BOYS”

The custom is fairly prevalent nowadays, but it was not a common practice thirty years ago when my friend raised his sons. He would seek out especially pious rabbis,...

Person in the Parsha: ACHAREI MOT-KEDOSHIM

April 18, 2013

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“HOLINESS: A DEFINITION”

He never returned phone calls. He certainly never returned e-mails. He rarely smiled.

He had very sophisticated tastes in wine and fine liquor. A seven-course gourmet dinner with a wine...

Person in the Parsha: TAZRIA-METZORA

April 10, 2013

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“GOING AT IT ALONE”

“No man is an island.” “It takes a village.” These are just some of the clichés that are used to convey the importance of social groups, of the realization...

Person in the Parsha: TAZRIA-METZORA

April 06, 2013

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“GOING AT IT ALONE”

“No man is an island.” “It takes a village.”

These are just some of the clichés that are used to convey the importance of social groups, of the realization...

Person in the Parsha: SHEMINI

March 29, 2013

By TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“AGING GRACE”

We all applaud when an old man runs in the marathon. We expect that his physical powers diminished long ago, and when he proves otherwise we celebrate for him. We are impressed...

Person in the Parsha: VAYIKRA

March 15, 2013

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“FORGIVING FALLIBILITY”

“I was wrong. I am sorry. Please forgive me.”

These are rare words indeed, but I heard them pronounced clearly by a woman I once worked for, and whom I still...

Person in the Parsha: VAYAKHEL-PEKUDEI (Shabbat Hakodesh)

March 08, 2013

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“WORDS OF FIRE!”

“Words, words, words!”, he shouted at me. He was a young man, raised as an observant Jew, but now in rebellion against his traditional upbringing. His parents had asked me...

Person in the Parsha: KI TISA

March 01, 2013

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“THE INEVITABLE COMEDOWN”

It was over 40 years ago, but I remember the feelings very well. They were overwhelming, and were not dispelled easily.

It was just after I had completed all of...