Mercy Vs Justice : Names of God — Va’eira — By Ben
I had an English teacher in 9th grade who delighted in making fun of us in front of the whole class. I remember one time he knocked Yuriy Teslyar’s notebook […]
Category Archives: Parsha
The Luxury of Pessimism – Shemos — By Ben
Imagine you go to the grocery store to pick up a bottle of wine for Shabbos dinner. You’re going to run in, grab the wine, and pay for it. […]
Mixed Blessing – Vayechi — By Ben
It’s a Shabbos meal. There’s the vibrance of the candles, the welcoming songs, and the beauty of the home. But just before the host makes Kiddish, the parents take a […]
Unlikely Success and The Disaster Artist – Vayigash
You may or may not be aware of the bizarre 2003 cult classic film, The Room. (Not to be confused with Room, the 2015 Oscar nominated masterpiece). The Room was a passion project of […]
Soften Your Gaze By the Candlelight — By Barbara Heller
One thing I love about living in the “shtetl” as some of my friends and family sweetly call the Jewish community that I live in, is that there are […]
Hidden Agenda – Vayeishev
The story of Joseph may be the most compelling story in the whole Torah. There are dreams, the conspiracy of the brothers, getting sold into slavery, Potiphar’s wife’s seduction, prison, […]
Wrestling With God – Vayishlach — By Ben
It’s the night after Thanksgiving and I’m eating an extraordinary Shabbos meal in Dallas, Texas. I am being hosted by a family with a fantastic house, a loving and beyond […]
How Batman Helped Me Understand the Parsha (Toldos) — By Ben
In parshas Toldos Yitzchok and Rivka desperately want a child. I don’t know what it is about our fore-parents, but Hashem really gives them a hard time about having kids. […]
Givers, Takers, and Salt Shakers — Vayeira — By Ben
Parshas Vayeira has plenty to talk about. From Avraham ditching God to do hospitality, to Avraham arguing with God about destroying Sodom and Gemorroah, and ending with possibly the most troubling […]
A Good Man Goes To War — Lech Lecha — By Ben
I’ve always had a reverence for parshas Lech Lecha. We have Avram prominently featured and with him, the real the start to the Jewish people. We have the famous commandment […]
Six Degrees Of Kosher Bacon 