Posts in TORAH
No in Bo

BO EXODUS 10:1 - 13:16

The “no” of the Jewish people was “No, we don’t want to be slaves.”
The “no” of Pharaoh was “No, I will not listen to you, I will not hear you.”

From the story in this week’s Torah portion, we can learn that like Moses and Aaron and the Jewish people in Egypt, we can keep saying “No” in all the ways we need to until we are heard. And we can remember not to be like Pharaoh. We can hear someone else’s “No”.

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Chag Urim Sameach - Happy Chanukah!

MIKEITZ GENESIS 41:1 - 44:17

It wasn’t only a war of independence. The Maccabean revolt against the Greeks rose from an atmosphere of spiritual and cultural conflict. That they needed to oppose Antiochus who established Zeus in the Temple was clear, but to what degree could Jews adopt Greek culture and still be Jewish? 

Did we really reject it all? 

 

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It's Time For a New Story

VAYESHEV GENESIS 37:1 - 40:23

I believe our bodies are the most external expression of our souls. When we move our bodies in the world, I believe we are moving the most external expression of our souls in the world. When we touch someone else's body, I believe we are touching the most external expression of their soul with the most external expression of our own soul. 
 

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A Pillar of Salt

BY AMY JOSEFA ARIEL
VAYERA GENESIS 18:1–22:24

Why did Idit look back? Did she miss her neighbors, or did she want to watch them burn? Was she aching for her two daughters who refused to leave, or was she upset about her material losses? Our Torah does not answer these questions. All we know is that she looked back.

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You Standing Ones

NITZAVIM-VAYEILECH
How do we, with our bodies and our souls, best take in and express - best experience our relationship with God? How do we best honor the relationships with God others experience? Perhaps we could broaden the way we think about the concept of standing, of being upright in soul and in body.

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