Torah Portion

To try, to fall, to fear, and yet to keep going: that is what it takes to be a leader. That was Jacob, the man who at the lowest ebbs of his life had his greatest visions of heaven. 

So many aspects of our lives are impacted by misinformation and enhanced by genuine communication. 

The pure righteous do not complain of the dark, but increase the light; They do not complain of evil, but increase justice.

This tension between the heroes of Rome and the sages of Jerusalem will not last forever. The prophet Obadiah prophesied the resolution of this struggle.

Jews do not accept the world that is. They challenge it in the name of the world that ought to be. Walk ahead. Take personal responsibility. Judaism is God’s call to responsibility.

No spiritual experience, no matter how lofty, takes precedence over simple acts of kindness, such as welcoming guests, visiting the sick.

We are, in some sense, responsible for the society of which we are a part. It is not enough to be good. We must encourage others to be good. There are times when each of us must lead.

Our sages remind us that even in a time of chaos, our world relies on values and principles. Our learning, prayer, and good deeds can contribute to the stability of the world.

No matter how deep the sin or how severe the corruption, if a person repents and resolves to become better, God will welcome him or her back.

Everything created in the six days of creation requires action, such as mustard needing to be sweetened, lupines needing to be cooked, wheat needing to be ground, and even man needing to be perfected