I was recently in China and visited the old Jewish community in Kaifeng. I bought as a souvenir a bright-blue, handmade,silk yarmulke with Chinese characters on it (which I don’t plan on wearing, its way to garish.) Walking around in a place where almost no one at all wears a yarmulke makes one more aware…
Interest in your Fellow Jew. Rabbi Becher explores some misconceptions about the prohibition of charging interest on loans and how they have contributed to antisemitism. View this video directly on VIMEO
Praying for the Israeli Soldier Rabbi Becher speaks about an experience when he was in the Israeli Army and discusses incidents that have happened to religious Israeli soliders during the “9 Days.” View this video directly on VIMEO
Positive Empowerment Moses shows us how to rebuke someone in the correct way – not by crushing them but by raising them up. View this video directly on VIMEO
The people of the United States of American just celebrated July 4th, Independence Day, so I think that it is appropriate to reflect briefly on the blessings of the USA. Abraham’s relationship with God was rooted in a covenant, an agreement between two parties, each having obligations toward the other. Abraham and his descendants were…
We just observed the fast of the Seventeenth of Tamuz, which occurs exactly three weeks before Tishah B’Av and we are now in the middle of the period of mourning known as “The Three Weeks.” The Mishnah states: Five things happened to our ancestors on the Seventeenth of Tamuz: The First Tablets were broken, the…
The Power of a Vow Rabbi Becher discusses the power of speech, and its ability to create and destroy is a theme of the parsha, a theme of the Three Weeks of mourning for the Temple, and an important lesson for those involved in controversy and dispute. View this video directly on VIMEO
One of the shortest, but most optimistic verses in the Torah appears in Parshat Pinchas. Rabbi Becher explains that the sons of Korach give all of us hope. View this video directly on VIMEO
This week our family just celebrated the marriage of our son, Pinchas to his bride, Mari. I would like to wish mazal tov to them and to all of us and you, because every marriage is a celebration for the whole Jewish people. In honor of the wedding below is an excerpt from my book,…
I would like to try to explain a very strange statement in the Talmud. A Roman approached the great sage Shammai and said that he would like to convert to Judaism on condition that he is taught the entire Torah while standing on one foot. Shammai promptly ejected the Roman from his house, and frankly,…