In Parasha Ki Tissa, we encounter one of the most searching moments in Israel’s story. The golden calf has just shattered the spiritual innocence of the wilderness generation. The covenant is strained. The people are anxious. It is in that…
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Terumah – God’s Presence in Our Homes, Hearts, and Worship
God’s Desire to Dwell Among Us The central question that runs through the book of Exodus is both simple and profound: “Is God with us or not?” This is not merely a theological inquiry but a practical one. For Israel…
Mishpatim – The Covenant of Being
If the Exodus teaches anything essential about Judaism, it is that redemption is not merely remembered. It is embodied. Israel’s foundational story does not simply recount that God once intervened in history. It proclaims something far more daring, that history…
Hanukkah – The Miracle of Light by Dr. Marty Maketansky
by Dr. Marty Maketansky Who has ever personally witnessed a miracle? When I was growing up there are two events that I remember that were and still are called miraculous. Were they really miracles? I leave the answer to you,…
Toldot – Fast Food vs. Soul Food
The story of Jacob and Esau is really a story about appetite, purpose, and the lifelong tension between living for the moment and living for meaning. Their struggle begins before they are born. Rebecca, feeling the chaos in her womb,…
Lech Lecha – Faith, Covenant, and Risk
I’ve lived in the same house since 1997. My wife and I have raised our family there. We’ve filled it with books, photos, memories, and plenty of things we probably should’ve thrown out years ago. And the thought of moving —…
Shabbat Shuvah – Scandalous!
The Bible is the best-selling book of all time—and one of the least read. Even those who profess deep love for Scripture, quoting chapter and verse with ease, rarely read it from cover to cover. We tend to skip the…
Pinchas – Cut Into Covenant: The Passion and Promise of Messianic Judaism
There are always two unseen guests at every bris — neither of whom ever gets an invitation, and both of whom probably wouldn’t RSVP even if we sent one. But their presence is felt nonetheless. One is Elijah — the beloved…
A Tale of Two Mountains
If we are going to talk about Shavuot, let’s begin at Mount Sinai, where, according to our tradition, the first Shavuot was inaugurated. The mountain trembled violently. There was thunder, lightning, a thick cloud, and fire descending from heaven. The…
Priests and Protocol
In Parashat Shemini, we are confronted with the sobering story of Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, who bring what the Torah calls esh zarah, strange or unauthorized fire, before the Lord. While the exact nature of their offense…