Rabbi David Wolkenfeld

Sermons

  • Baha’alotcha 5776: “How to Be a Mensch and Why”

    In 2007 an anonymous Jewish blogger attempted to classify all 613 mitzvot of the Torah into those that were likely to be supported by Democrats and those that would be supported by Republicans. He went through each mitzvah and asked, which American political party in 2007 would be more likely to vote for an imaginary piece…

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  • Naso 5776: “Arba Avot Nezikin: Four Kinds of Damage”

    On March 24, 1999, NATO warplanes lead by the United States Air Force began an eleven-week aerial assault on Serbia to prevent and reverse an ongoing humanitarian crisis in Kosovo. During the course of this brief war, NATO forces dropped 1,392 cluster bombs on Kosovo and Serbia. A cluster bomb is a large bomb that opens as…

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  • Behar 5776: “But What Does That Have to Do With the Price of Tea in China?”

    One of the fun things about Israel is the way in which Jewish culture infiltrates small details of daily life and culture. Instead of using the English idiom, “but what does that have to do with the price of tea in China?” in Israel one says, מָה עִנְיַן שְמִטָה אֵצֶל הַר סִינַי “what does Shmittah…

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  • Kedoshim 5776: “Baseless Love or Solidarity?”

    History is important, not only as it occurs and is recorded, but also as it is remembered and retold.   Sometimes old and well known stories get told in new ways. And, sometimes an event from the distant past, for example the election of 1800 or the Hamilton – Burr duel, can become newly relevant to…

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  • Tzav 5776: “Jewish Power from Sushan to Washington”

    I speak a lot from this pulpit about the daily minyanim here at Anshe Sholom and the need to strengthen their reliability and grow the attendance, of men and women in this community, at our weekday Shacharit, Mincha, and Maariv minyanim.   Well, I had an interesting experience at a few weekday minyanim this week. As…

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  • Vayikra 5776: “If Destruction Be Our Lot”

    Judaism is a tradition of great debates: Hillel vs. Shammai. Mystics vs. Rationalists. Hasidim vs. Mitnagdim. Rashi vs. Rabbenu Tam. But, without a doubt, the most confounding debate in Jewish tradition is the debate between Rambam…and Maimonides.   Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, was known by his Hebrew acronym Rambam in the world of classic Jewish learning and was…

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  • Pekudei 5776: “Exodus and Revolution”

    [Two significant milestones in the shul this week that deserve mention. 9pm Maariv minyan completed six months without interruption. Impressive bein adam l’havero and bein adam l’makom. Daf Yomi completed Gittin and begins Kiddushin on Sunday morning].   ****   After July 4, 1776 a lot changed. Even at the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue in New York, which was…

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  • Shekalim 5776: “Renew Us, As of Old”

    I want you to try imagining being in the following situation (but keep your eyes open – no falling asleep).  Imagine you are traveling out of state and before returning home you go to catch an early dinner at a kosher pizza restaurant (the only thing Lakeview is missing). Before you place your order, the mashgiach,…

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  • Ki Tissa 5776: “Legal Creativity”

    When Sara and I were newlyweds we moved into our first apartment in Somerville, Massachusetts. It was in the process of furnishing that small apartment that I discovered a latent talent, a gift, if you will. We purchased several small pieces of furniture that required assembly and, to my great joy, I discovered that I have a natural…

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  • Tetzaveh 5776: “Function, Form, & Esthetics: Architecture and the Art of Argument”

    One can learn a lot about a community through looking at its architecture.   Sixty years ago, when this building was built, the small playroom off the back of the shul served as the shul sukkah. The room had a removable roof that was replaced with branches and, presto, instant sukkah. We can learn something about…

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