This shabbat, I will speak about loving God. In every service, we sing the words, “And you shall love the Lord your God.” What exactly do these words mean? The rabbis teach that there are many paths to loving God. One of them is Humility. Taking a humble approach to life—whether our experiences with the wonders of nature, art and music, or God—opens a possibility. Tonight, I will talk about what we can learn from the Jewish tradition about this possibility.
Why Prayer Works Prayer works not because it changes God, but because it changes us. Jewish prayer trains the heart through three movements: gratitude, petition, and praise. When we give thanks, we learn to see with fresh eyes. When we ask, we keep hope alive. When we offer praise, we step out of ourselves and remember […]
Cultural Christmas This is going to be a fun one. There was a tradition at the congregation that I served in Chicago to involve Christmas carols written by Jews in the service closest to Christmas. There was always a crowd. I’m sure many of you love the cultural aspects of Christmas; by that, I mean […]
This week’s Torah portion tells the story of Jacob wrestling with the angel. Jacob is alone at the river when the angel appears, and the struggle begins. No name is given, no reason explained—only bodies wrestling in the dark. Fear rises, pain sharpens, exhaustion presses in, yet Jacob continues the struggle, discovering that growth is […]
