Tuesday, May 13th 2025 |
By RABBI DAVID POLSKY, Congregation Anshe Sfard
We would say that the Louisiana Purchase is among the biggest real estate steals in history. But also right up there is Abraham’s purchase of the cave of Machpeilah that we read about...
By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB
“Abraham the Negotiator, Sarah the Queen”
Before I entered the classroom that evening, I already knew that Zalman would come prepared with some dazzling piece of scholarship. The regular reader of this column...
By RABBI DAVID POLSKY, Congregation Anshe Sfard
All of us are familiar with the importance of hospitality, but a commonly known midrash elevates its significance beyond what we would expect. At the beginning of this week’s parsha, Abraham is communing...
By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB
“Trials and Tests”
I arrived quite early to the fourth session of the weekly class, in which we were using the book of Genesis as a source for studying leadership.
Three of the...
By RABBI DAVID POLSKY, Congregation Anshe Sfard
Circumcision may reasonably be viewed as sacrilege. After all, removing the baby’s foreskin tampers with God’s creation. By commanding Abraham to circumcise himself, God rejects this manner of seeing the world. Although He...
By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB
“The Active Leader”
If you are reading this column regularly, you may remember that Miriam was the shy participant in the class that I have been describing. You will surely remember that this...
By RABBI DAVID POLSKY, Congregation Anshe S’Fard
We would expect the person chosen by God to rebuild humanity would be incredibly righteous. Indeed, the Torah itself states at the beginning of this week’s portion that Noah was the most righteous...
By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB
“As He, or She, Could Be”
The three women in the class unanimously favored one point of view. The six men were evenly split, three agreeing with the women and three disagreeing vehemently....
By RABBI DAVID POLSKY, Congregation Anshe S’Fard
“And God said, “Let there be light! And there was light” (Genesis 1:3) This bold and beautiful turn of phrase by the King James Bible enables it to express the power and majesty...
By RABBI TZVI HERSH WEINREB
“Time Management”
This happens all the time. You meet someone new, either being introduced to him by someone else, or taking the initiative yourself by saying, “Hi, my name is Tzvi Hersh. What...
