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Decide Today – Who is your Husband?
by Yosef “Rami” Danieli (Reprinted by permission) In Hebrew, “husband” is “Baal.” As I wrote in the past, one of the main biblical meanings of “husband” is directly connected to the first sexual intercourse between a man and his virgin wife (“Liv’ol,” and/or, “Be’eelah.” לבעול, בעילה. A good example is found in Isa. 62:5, where…
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At the Blowing of the Shofar
by HaShomer StaffThe Jewish holiday season is quickly approaching. It is a special time for us, personally and as a nation, to reflect on our lives over the previous year and take account of ourselves, our relationships, and most importantly, our relationship with Adonai. I don’t know about you, but I find it more physically…
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On the mountain top of the Lord
By Wendy CohenReprinted by permission of the author What follows is a story about American politics, but its message is universal, as it discusses how all of us are required, by God, to handle emotional, mental, and spiritual blackmail. It also provides understanding about how prophecy can be misinterpreted and used incorrectly. I hope you…
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Insights From Ruth
by Rabbi Jeffrey AdlerOne wonderful item shared by so many is the accounting that continuous study of Scripture leads to ever new insights, even after many years of reading the same Biblical text. Such an event occurred with me recently when reading the 4th chapter of Ruth, a text I have read frequently over more…
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“Psalm” Choices Are Better Than Others
by Rabbi Jeffrey Adler As Rosh haShanah comes around with its emphasis on repentance, it is well to heed the message of the 1st Psalm. A major factor in character development is the choice or choices of the influences to which we expose ourselves. The 1st Psalm addresses this: “Happy is the one who has…
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Law And Grace In Eden
by Rabbi Jeffrey Adler God’s creation of Man occurred on the 6th day of Creation. This act of creating Man in His Image capped off the entire creation project, resulting in His assessing all as “tov m’od”, “very good”. Adam was the capstone, God’s best and favorite, the pinnacle of what He had made. (8)…
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An Inexhaustible Constant
by Rabbi Jeffrey Adler Psalm 115 is the 3rd of the Hallel Psalms, so often associated with the Passover season, but, so appropriate at any time, any circumstance. The Exodus from Egypt followed hundreds of years separated from our promised homeland, from our divinely determined destiny. It culminated in many years of oppression and slavery…
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Shavuot
Tonight begins the festival of Shavuot, a time of joyous celebration when G-D gave Moshe the Torah on Mount Sinai. G-d has had His hand on our Jewish people over centuries of persecution, slavery and exile, but the one tangible thing that has held us together as a people is the Torah. Shavuot is in…
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The 3 Elements of the Passover Seder
By Rabbi Jeffrey Adler A reading of the Passover Haggadah will bring one to the statement by Rabbi Gamaliel that he who does not make mention of the three elements of the Passover- the lamb, the matzot (unleavened bread), and the bitter herbs- has not done his duty. Gamaliel, traditionally Rabbi Paul’s mentor, was, I’m…
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Jephthah, the Bandit Judge
by Rabbi Jeffrey Adler Very often, the people Adonai chooses would not make our list of acceptable candidates. Judges 11 tells us of one such individual. In the 10th chapter, Israel had, again, fallen into idolatry. 10:6 begins, “Then B’nei-Yisrael again did what was evil in Adonai’s eyes. They worshipped the Baalim, the Ashtaroth, gods…
A Watchman To Watch Over The People