To Sleep, Perchance to Dream
May 07, 2012
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Filed in: Scholar In Residence |
Do you have a nightly ritual as you prepare for sleep? Do you remember your dreams come morning?
If you were fortunate as a child, your parents tucked you into bed and wished you happy dreams. Now, in adulthood, you likely tuck yourself into bed. Doing so is serious business, first preparing your body for sleep, then covering yourself in sheet and blankets.
Read More…Campfire Stories to Prepare for Pesach
Apr 09, 2012
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Twenty years into the wilderness, two campfires.
About one campfire, four generations – those who had been grandfathers when they came through the sea, fathers who came with children in tow, boys too young to be in awe of the moment, children born
during the journey that still had twenty years to go.
“Tell us again,” the young ones said. “Tell us again!”
Read More…Break-Through Prayer
Mar 02, 2012
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This emanates from a teaching of Kalonymus Kalman Epstein (1753-1825, Cracow). Born to a bagel maker, he used to peddle the bagels as a young boy and eavesdrop as best he could at the local house of study. One day a macher caught him and asked, “Did you learn anything?” He repeated the teaching word for word, with a full explanation. Thereafter he no longer had to eavesdrop. He was admitted to the front table.
Read More…Love Story
Jan 30, 2012
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The only holiday Jews observe in February is Valentine’s Day. I didn’t say Valentine’s Day is a Jewish holiday. It’s a holiday Jews observe, sort of like Halloween. Both holidays are dangerous to ignore. If we don’t have candy by the door on Halloween, we might be in for a trick. And, if we don’t have something for our beloved on Valentine’s Day . . . God help us.
Read More…Reflections on Rabbi Jack Riemer
Jan 03, 2012
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It may be that every Jewish book published in the world goes through one set of hands for review, the hands of Rabbi Jack Riemer. Not only every Jewish book, perhaps every Jewish newsletter and congregational bulletin. All of this is somehow absorbed and processed. So what does he do with it?
Read More…Hannukah Back Then
Dec 19, 2011
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Back then is about 35 years ago, when I was invited to speak at a Kiwanis luncheon in Homestead.
Back then Homestead was the real South, not an extension of Long Island, like Miami and Miami Beach. I was asked to speak about Cha-nu-kah. Cha-nu-kah, by any pronunciation, was new to the members of Kiwanis.
Read More…A Month of Thanksgiving
Nov 09, 2011
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The celebration of Thanksgiving comes toward the end of this month. If we’re fortunate, we’ll have family and friends around the table and give thanks for the big things – mostly for our family and friends. And, in this economy, we’ll give thanks for a job, if we’re fortunate to have one.
Read More…Praying Naked
Sep 01, 2011
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That was the name of the course I taught in August at the National Havurah Institute at Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire. We all came to class fully clothed. “Naked” refers to exposure, as in naked options in the financial markets. At the time of this writing, exposure seems a good word to describe the feelings of many in these financial markets. But how many of us feel exposure during prayer?
Read More…Writing Upside Down
Jun 28, 2011
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With the advent of the new paradigm, all conventions need to be reconsidered.
In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, Salman Khan argues homework should be for the classroom and class lectures are best taken at home. He’s established Khan Academy “to deliver free online education.
Read More…
