Refusing Greatness at the Burning Bush — By Ben
I was recently working with a Bar Mitzvah student on a speech for Shemos, when we started discussing Moses and God at the burning bush. God calls on Moses to […]
Tag Archives: Shemos
Coincidence, Mourning, & God’s Name — By Ben
There are many things in my life I have to be thankful for. Health, love, and family, to name a few. But there are few things I treasure more than […]
The Women of the Exodus — By Ben
I don’t think there is a more packed parsha than the first reading of the second book of the Torah. Shemos contains like the whole first half of the movie […]
When Will It Finally Happen? – Mikeitz — By Ben
…וַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ שְׁנָתַ֣יִם יָמִ֑ים The parsha starts out with the phrase, “It happened at the end of two years…” as Yoseph is finally released from his Egyptian prison. From here […]
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. […]
Denial isn’t Just a River in Egypt — By Ben
In this week’s parsha (Va’eira) there is the big showdown between Moses and Pharaoh. God sends Moses to plead with Pharaoh for the Jewish people’s freedom and every time Pharaoh says […]
Five Times No – Shemos – By Ben
If ever there is an iconic image from the Torah recognized by the religious and the secular world alike, it would probably be Moses and the burning bush. Throughout the Torah, […]
Pesach: The Matzah! – By Ben
It’s that time of year again. Where you’re stuck eating that stale saltine cracker for a week while your non-Jewish friends say, “Matzah? I love that stuff!” Yes, everyone’s favorite […]
Pekudei – The Relationship Perspective – By Ben
Pekudei ends the 2nd book of the Torah, Shemos (Exodus). This parsha is reminiscent of previous parshas, dealing mostly with the building of the Mishkan. And though there is plenty to […]
Terumah – Separate and certainly not Equal –By Ben
This week’s parsha is one of the driest in the 5 books. It reads like a set of Ikea instructions. There’s no story and there’s not even weird Mitzvahs for you […]
Six Degrees Of Kosher Bacon 