Mishpatim and the Stranger (Ger) Revelation does not end in ecstasy. It descends into law. Parashat Mishpatim follows Sinai’s thunder not with poetry but with procedure. The Torah moves immediately from fire and voice to damages, courts, restitution, and restraint. Holiness, it insists, is not proven by spiritual intensity but by the ordering of power. Among these
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Before it was given as a commandment, it was an interruption—an interruption in the day-by-day toil of life. What exactly is this thing we call Shabbat—the Sabbath? Where does it come from, and what was it meant to be? Modern society has rebranded the Sabbath as a “day off,” preserving the language of rest while
Jesus said to is disciples:“You are the salt of the earth.But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?It is no longer good for anythingbut to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.You are the light of the world.A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.Nor do they light a lamp and
The Torah portion Yitro spans a dramatic arc. It begins with recognition—an acknowledgement of G-d’s reality—moves through preparation and ordering, and culminates in revelation at Sinai. The Israelites arrive at Sinai having been freed, sustained, and guided. Yet, when the moment of revelation is upon them, the dominant themes are not intimacy or union, but
Hatred. This is, perhaps, one of the ugliest words in the English language—its counterparts in other tongues no less so. Hatred is, first and foremost, an inner posture. It can exist without speech or action, and it is not dependent upon violence to qualify as such. It is an entrenched enmity—often quiet, hidden, and enduring—often
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Blessed are the poor in spirit,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn,for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek,for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful,for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the
This is the 16th weekly Torah portion. B’Shalach is taken from Exodus 13:17-17:16. It marks the true beginning of Israel’s journey as a free nation, into the wilderness, leaving Egypt under divine protection. Pharaoh changes his mind yet again and pursues them to the Sea of Reeds where G-d parts the sea for the Israelites then closes
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A friend recently forwarded me a video discussing the work of Simone Weil. In this particular piece, she detailed a kind of extreme, spiritual exhaustion. An exhaustion that goes beyond simple physical exhaustion; more than being tired from the day’s trials, demands of home, office, and other obligations. An all-encompassing exhaustion where every borrowed meaning
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In this, the third Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Gospel reading opens not with triumph but with absence. John the Baptist has been imprisoned, his voice silenced by power threatened by what it cannot control. It is at this moment that Jesus begins His public ministry, taking up John’s message rather than abandoning it: “Repent, for the
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Parashat Bo completes the Exodus from Egypt and begins Israel’s transformation from an enslaved population into a people of formation. While the final plagues force Pharaoh’s capitulation, the narrative quickly shifts away from Egypt and toward Israel’s preparation to leave. Time is recalibrated, ritual is instituted, memory is commanded, and departure is framed not as
