Off the Pulpit: White Lies

June 10, 2022

By RABBI DAVID WOLPE

Are you allowed to lie? The Bible tells us to “stay far from falsehood” (Ex. 23:7). But the Talmud records an argument between the school of Hillel and Shammai concerning whether one should praise a bride...

Person in the Parsha: Naso

June 02, 2022

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“THE MOOD OF THE PRIESTLY BLESSING”

I am sure that you have a most favorite activity. I know that I do.

I am also sure that you...

Off the Pulpit: Turning Away

June 02, 2022

By RABBI DAVID WOLPE

On either side of the ark in the Temple were two keruvim, delicately carved golden angels. In the book of Exodus (25:20), we are told that they are to face each other. In the book of...

Person in the Parsha: Shavuot

May 27, 2022

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“A MESSAGE FOR THE ENTIRE TEAM“

All beginning students of Torah face this obstacle: in their original, the primary texts of our Jewish tradition have no punctuation. There are neither commas nor periods...

Off the Pulpit: At Home in Torah

May 27, 2022

By RABBI DAVID WOLPE

Why does the Torah begin with a bet?The qu estion receives many answers in Jewish tradition.One co mmon answer is that since bet is the second letter, it shows there is no true beginning to study;...

Person in the Parsha: Bechukotai

May 20, 2022

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“THE WALKING TOUR”

I am the type of person who has always believed that the only way to learn about something important is to buy a book about it. For example, it has...

Off the Pulpit: Your own two feet

May 20, 2022

By RABBI DAVID WOLPE

“For God brought about the victory. Once Beowulf had struggled to his feet, the holy and omniscient ruler of the sky easily settled the issue in favor of the right.”

What is striking about those lines...

Person in the Parsha: Behar

May 13, 2022

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE”

It is a lesson I first learned in a course I took on the skills of interviewing long ago. The instructor taught us that...

Off the Pulpit: Building a Life

May 13, 2022

By RABBI DAVID WOLPE

“What should I do with my life?” The question pursues us to the very end of our days. Whether we are fulfilling our destiny in this world is a constant challenge and provocation.

Judaism offers both...

Person in the Parsha: Emor

May 06, 2022

By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB

“INTROVERT/EXTROVERT”

Although many of his adherents deny it, he definitely had an anti-Semitic streak and was at least, for a time, sympathetic to the Nazi cause. Yet he was one of the major...