Is There a Jewish Hell? — By Ben
Even though I didn’t grow up very religious, I always liked the idea that Judaism doesn’t have a hell. The concept of a never ending torture fest because you didn’t […]
Tag Archives: parsha
Ki Sisa – Remember What You Have
I’m pretty sure even the most disconnected uneducated atheist has some awareness of the infamous sin of the Golden Calf. Much like the “apple” from the Garden of Eden and […]
Tetzaveh – Moses Redacted
Tetzaveh may be considered a bit of a dry parsha as it mostly details the clothing and duties of the Kohanim (Priests of the Temple). But there’s an interesting oddity […]
Joy – A Tale of Two Adars — By Ben
This year Purim won’t be in the month of Adar. Well, it’s not going to be in the first Adar. It’ll be in the second one. Second one? Funny story. […]
Tests and Miracles — By Ben
I have a friend who recently got back from leading a trip to Israel. A tremendously inspirational and committed person, she, like me, is a baal teshuvah. Her dedication to […]
Bo – Coming and Going
Parshas Bo contains the final three plagues of Egypt. The title of the parsha, “Bo” refers specifically to the way God instructs Moses to approach Pharaoh as he warns him […]
Vayechi – End of Days — By Ben
With parsha Vayechi, we end the book of Bereishis (aka Genesis). It feels just like yesterday we were at Rosh Hashanah closing in on the end of the Torah. As […]
The Torah’s Mr. White — By Ben
Whether it is Breaking Bad’s Walter White, Harvey Keitel’s character in Reservoir Dogs, or the Casino Royale Bond villain, there’s something about naming a bad guy Mr. White. You might think […]
Facing Unpleasant Truths — By Ben
When I lived in Manhattan I had this job at a restaurant near the Natural History Museum. The management was abusive, the tips were abysmal, the brunch shift was a […]
Chayei Sarah – How a Wedding is Like a Funeral – By Ben
There’s a line in Koheles (Ecclesiastes 7:2) that basically says, If there’s a choice between going to a wedding and a funeral. Go to the funeral. The reason being that nothing connects […]
Six Degrees Of Kosher Bacon 