By Rabbi Shawn Zell No cigar for the Torah personality of this coming Shabbat, the heathen diviner Balaam son of Beor. As exceptional as he was with his enduring Mah Tovu, when he exclaimed, “How goodly are your tents O Jacob. Your dwelling places Israel”, Balaam would have been even more prophetic, had he proclaimed, … [Read more…]
By Rabbi Shawn Zell I read obituaries. Every so often, I find material useful for a Dvar Torah. Rarely does an obituary grate on my nerves. Recently, I came across one of those rare obituaries. A month ago, Richard Rubenstein, a rabbi, theologian, and a denier of G-d’s existence, died at the age of 97, … [Read more…]
By Rabbi Shawn Zell At roughly the same time the Roman poet and philosopher Titus Lucretius Carus was sharing his thought that“One man’s meat is another man’s poison,” the sages of the Talmud were handing down essentially the same teaching. Regardless of its source, we would benefit greatly, if we were to pay heed and … [Read more…]
By Rabbi Zell One of the earlier works for Burt Bachrach and Hal David (What the World Needs Now, I’ll Say a Little Prayer for You) was the rarely remembered “Twenty-four Hours from Tulsa”. Although it centers around falling in love, the song is pitiful and pathetic, in that it is addressed to one who … [Read more…]
by Rabbi Zell Jerry and Ruth Finkleman were among my parents’ closest friends. By day, Jerry was a salesman at a clothing store where finer gentleman acquired their attire. By night, Jerry, an accomplished saxophonist, led an ensemble that brought music into people’s lives at various venues – more often than not, at Jewish weddings. … [Read more…]
By Rabbi Shawn Zell Because my formative years were spent in Canada, it wasn’t until after I moved to New York City, that the American national anthem took on special meaning in my life. Thanks to Hamas and its desire to turn everyday life into a living hell for Israelis, there is one particular phrase … [Read more…]
Ever wonder why the Ten Commandments were handed down in two tablet form? All joking aside, wouldn’t it have made more sense, for all Ten Commandments to have been inscribed in smaller letters on one tablet. Perhaps, HaShem could have handed down the Ten Commandments in ten separate forms, much like charms on a charm … [Read more…]