Harry’s Video Blog – The Taxi Driver – Parshat Ki Teitzei 5783

Harry Rothenberg asks, "Are we honest in business?" View this video directly on VIMEO The Taxi Driver - Parshat Ki Teitzei  This week we're reminded of the prohibition against using false weights and measures when buying or selling. It’s so severe that you can't even own a false weight or measure because you might come to use it. And then in the next passage, after these laws, we're told to remember what Amalek ...

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Shofaros of History

As the baal tokeah for Gateways on Rosh Hashanah I bought a new shofar two years ago.  It had caught my eye at the Judaica store: it was not polished beautifully, it had a rustic, earthy look to it, but it had a beautiful sound.  I removed the numerous layers of price stickers and found underneath a certification from the Beit Din of Gush Katif. This shofar, a reminder of ...

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Are You Listening?

As we approach Rosh Hashana and anticipate the blowing of the shofar during prayers, I would like to present five different shofar soundings from our history. The sixth will be, G-d willing, the shofar that heralds the redemption and the Mashiach. Shofar During the Inquisition - Sefer HaTodaah, Rosh Hashanah, Eliyahu KiTov Ferdinand and Isabella, King and Queen of Spain, expelled the Jews from Spain in 1492. It was the ...

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A Brief History of Time

According to Jewish tradition, before God created the first human being, a debate took place in the heavenly court. When the Holy One blessed Be He came to create man, the ministering angels formed into groups, some saying that man should be created, some saying that he should not be created… Kindness voted to create man, because people would perform acts of kindness, Peace voted not to create man, because people ...

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