As we enter the month of Kislev, and the weather turns colder, we start thinking about Chanukah, menorahs, latkes and donuts. Some of us, of the more nerdy variety, start to think of Philo Judeaus, the Septuagint, Alexandria and Greek tragedies. One aspect of the Greek opposition to Torah was their objection to the idea that any one people could be “chosen” or have a Divine revelation. Their campaign against ...
Read MoreYour spiritual level is determined by your destination, and not by your current location. View this video directly on VIMEO
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With the long winter nights now starting so early, I have started to think about day and night and their significance in Jewish thought. We know that in secular law, the calendar day starts and ends at midnight, however, in Jewish tradition the day starts the evening beforehand. So for example, Shabbat, starts Friday evening around sunset and it ends on Saturday night when the stars come out. So both ...
Read MoreA child MUST be educated according to the needs of the child. Rabbi Becher explains the disaster that ensued when this rule wasn't followed for Esau... View this video directly on VIMEO
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The Jewish community and the entire world recently lost living Torahs, Rav Dovid Feinstein and Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. This week’s Torah reading Chayei Sarah discusses the first ever Jewish burial and Avaraham’s care for his deceased wife, Sarah. I believe that it is appropriate to discuss the mitzvah of burial and respect for the deceased. The earliest mention of burial is found in Genesis, when G-d speaks to Adam: ...
Read MoreThe Jewish world - no, the ENTIRE world - has lost two great individuals this week: Rabbi Dovid Feinstein and Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sachs. Rabbi Becher speaks of the greatness of both men so that we can properly understand our loss. View this video directly on VIMEO
Read MoreRabbi Becher quotes source after source exhorting us to pray for the welfare of our government, for without a government, one man would swallow the other alive! View this video directly on VIMEO
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Sarah is described by the Torah as being beautiful. (Bereshis 12:11) What is beauty? According to the Getty Museum ancient sculptors used canons—sets of “perfect” mathematical ratios and proportions—to depict the human form. The earliest known canons were developed by the Egyptians, whose grid-based proportions influenced Greek sculptors in the archaic period (700–480 B.C.). Over time, sculptors and painters sought to create a canon that would allow them to depict ...
Read MoreWill you "Boldly go where no man has gone before"? Or will you cling to G-d for dear life? Rabbi Becher explores different relationships we have with G-d in different situations and eras. View this video directly on VIMEO
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Abraham and Sarah, the parents of the Jewish people were renowned for their kindness and hospitality and indeed their children have, for thousands of years, also been noted for their philanthropy. Every Jewish community in the world, no matter how small or poor, has always had charitable societies and funds. A typical example was the Jewish community of Rome in the 17th century. Although numbering only a few thousand, they ...
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