Sermons
-
When David Ben Gurion made his first state visit to the United States as prime minister of Israel he gave a speech about the power of Jewish memory. How many Americans, he asked, know what day the Mayflower set sail for North America? How many Americans know what food was eaten on the Mayflower? And…
-
Where can God be found? Perhaps the most comprehensive and famous answer given to that question was formulated by the 20th century Jewish philosopher, Uncle Moishy, who declared, “Hashem is here. Hashem is there. Hashem is truly everywhere.” And yet, Sefer Devarim introduces a spiritual innovation that transformed Jewish life. Even though “Hashem is truly…
-
About eighteen months ago a small boutique bakery opened steps away from the shul where I worked at the time. I thought it would be a perfect win-win opportunity if the bakery would agree to kosher supervision and so even before the bakery opened for business, I sought out the owner, introduced myself as the…
-
If you were approached without warning and asked to name “the most important mitzvah” what would you answer? This morning I want to suggest that the most important mitzvah is the one you do not yet observe. There are many ways to classify mitzvot. There are commands and prohibitions. There are time-bound mitzvot which can…
-
This week was my first “holiday” week at Ohev Sholom. Because the “holiday” in question was Tisha b’Av, I didn’t have to worry about cooking a big holiday meal, but preparing for Tisha b’Av was stll a major focus of the week. And, in the midst of my preparations for Tisha b’Av, I had stolen…
-
One of the techniques used by television writers to build excitement as a TV series reaches its grand finale is to bring back characters from earlier episodes for cameo appearances in the final episode. This resolves plot lines, brings closure to narrative arcs, and rewards the loyalty of viewers who can appreciate seeing a character…
-
One of my favorite rabbinic jokes is particularly appropriate for a Shabbat such as this one. I first shared it publicly ten years ago, I shared it again a few weeks ago, and I’m going to share it here this morning: There was once a new rabbi who, in the excitement and business of moving…
-
While packing up our apartment last week I found these handwritten notes which are my father’s notes from the speech he delivered at my bar mitzvah. I don’t remember much of the speech itself because, as I remember it, my father was so overcome by emotion, he was not able to make it through most…
-
On April 15th, 1936, a group of Palestinian insurgents loyal to Izz Ad-Din al-Qassam, shot and killed two Jewish motorists on the road between Nablus and Tulkaram. Days later two Palestinian laborers were shot and killed while sleeping in a hut on a banana farm near Petach Tikvah. Wide scale violence then erupted which claimed…
-
There are two great movie versions of the story of Yetziat Mitzraim, the exodus from Egypt: Steven Spielberg’s Prince of Egypt and Cecille B. Demille’s The Ten Commandments. Both draw heavily from midrashim to flesh out sparse details of the Torah’s own narrative. Both can be watched as a sort of modern midrash that reflects…
- Parasha
- Acharei Mot
- Acharei Mot-Kedoshim
- Baha'alotcha
- Balak
- Bamidbar
- Behar
- Behar-Behukotai
- Behukotai
- Bereishit
- Beshalach
- Bo
- Chayei Sara
- Devarim
- Eikev
- Emor
- Ha'Azinu
- Hol HaMoed Sukkot
- Hukkat
- Hukkat-Balak
- Kedoshim
- Ki Teitzei
- Ki Tissa
- Kol Nidre
- Korach
- Lekh Lekha
- Ma'asei
- Matot
- Matot Ma'asei
- Miketz
- Mishpatim
- Naso
- Nitzavim
- Nitzavim-Vayeilech
- Noach
- Pekudei
- Pinchas
- Re'eh
- Rosh Hashanah
- Shavuot
- Shekalim
- Shemot
- Shimini Atzeret
- Shlach
- Shmini
- Shoftim
- Tazria
- Tazria Metzora
- Terumah
- Tetzaveh
- Toldot
- Tzav
- Va'Etchanan
- Vaera
- Vayakhel
- Vayakhel-Pekudei
- VaYechi
- Vayeilech
- Vayera
- VaYeshev
- VaYetzei
- VaYigash
- Vayikra
- VaYishlach
- Yitro
- Yom Ha'atzmaut
- Yom Kippur
- Shavuot
- Year
Rabbi David Wolkenfeld 