We are in the middle of the Jewish month of Cheshvan. This is a very special month; it is the only month on the Jewish calendar where we are not celebrating something or doing something different. It is 4 weeks of 6 ordinary days and a shabbat. It is also part of the longest period of mundane-ness in the Jewish calendar. We go two months, starting the day after Simchat Torah (the end of the High Holy days period) until … Continue reading
Don’t judge a book by its cover. Don’t be so judgmental. Judge fairly. Ladies and gents, here comes the judge… The name of the this week’s parsha (Torah portion) is called Judges (or Shoftim in Hebrew), and it is a seemingly haphazard, hodgepodge, patchwork parsha. Let’s see what kind of theme we can find in it! It starts out talking about appointing judges and how they should be honest. It then talks about idolatry and how to find someone guilty … Continue reading