For many years, my husband has studied with pre-B’nai Mitzvah students and guided them in the preparation of their D’vrei Torah. Two of his recent students expressed an interest in further text study, so my husband prepared a lesson on Pirkei Avot (The Ethics of the Fathers). As part of their exploration of this body […]
Archives for August 2011
Reeh Limerick
Reeh has many themes including prohibitions against pagan worship; deliniating the holiday cycle and the importance of taking care of the stranger and those less fortunate in our midst. It also continues the Deuteronomic theme of blessings and curses. God gives a commandment this day A Blessing for those who obey But if you choose […]
Episode Five: How To Emulate God
In Episode Five of The Tisch Rabbi Michael Rose Knopf invites us to join him in his weekly tisch at Har Zion Temple in Penn Valley, PA. Rabbi Knopf is in the midst of studying Rabbi Moses Cordovero and his concept of forgiveness in preparation for the High Holidays. http://media.blubrry.com/jcasttotalfeed/www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/jcastnetwork.com/storage/Tisch/005.mp3Podcast: Download
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Torah Commentary – Va-Etchannan
I have four words to introduce the Portion, Va-Etchannan – “midrash” and “back-to-school.” Let’s start by making a midrash. A midrash (plural-midrashim) is a story commentary which Rabbis throughout the ages have created to “fill in the blanks” in the Torah narrative and to answer perplexing questions which the narrative raises. In the opening lines […]
Episode Eleven: How Long?
In the Eleventh episode of The JCast Journey, host Darone Ruskay talks about his own Obsessive Compulisive Disorder and his personal need to be able to finish the podcasts he begins. He then debates the question of how long The JCast Journey podcast should be as well as the length of the future podcasts on […]
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Eikev Limerick
This week’s parasha continues with Moses’ admonition to the Israelites not to forget the lessons learned during the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. In particular, it addresses the concept of hubris: understanding that any successes and/or failures in the land are directly the results of God’s reward or punishment. When you’ve tasted the […]
Episode Four: How To Emulate God
In Episode Four of The Tisch Rabbi Michael Rose Knopf invites us to join him in his weekly tisch at Har Zion Temple in Penn Valley, PA. Rabbi Knopf is in the midst of studying Rabbi Moses Cordovero and his concept of forgiveness in preparation for the High Holidays. http://media.blubrry.com/jcasttotalfeed/www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/jcastnetwork.com/storage/Tisch/004.mp3Podcast: Download
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Ki Gadol Kayam כי גדול כים
Lamentations 2:13: מה אעודך מה אדמה לך הבת ירושלם מה אשוה לך ואנחמך בתולת בת ציון כי גדול כים שברך מי ירפא לך׃ “What can I make testify? What will I liken to you? O daughter Jerusalem! What can I compare to you(that) I may comfort you, Daughter Zion’s girl? For great, like the sea, […]
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Episode Ten: Going Solo
In the Tenth episode of The JCast Journey, host Darone Ruskay talks about the positive and negative aspects of doing this project solo rather then finding a larger, already established organization to work within. Darone asks the listener “How much autonomy would you give up for the safety and security of working for others?” The […]
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Vaetchanan
This week’s parasha is the Motherlode. It contains, arguably, the most important Jewish texts in the Torah -the Shema and Aseret Ha-Dibrot– the Ten Commandments. Moses continues with his review of the journeys of the Israelites – reminding us that even though he will not enter into the of Canaan himself, we still need to […]