Welcome to Shabbat Awakenings, a weekly reflection as we make our way toward Shabbat. Do not underestimate the power of Shabbat. If you breathe, you appreciate Shabbat. Everywhere we look now, scientific studies assert the importance of pausing, stopping, turning off and breathing deeply as a healthy practice in the course of our lives. Our […]

Welcome to Shabbat Awakenings, our weekly reflection as we move toward Shabbat. What does God really want from us? The Torah, then the Mishnah and joined by the Talmud seek to understand the desires of the Divine. In this week’s Torah portion, we learn how to ascertain what God wants. That is the good news. […]

Welcome to Shabbat Awakenings, a weekly reflection as we head toward Shabbat. It is a curious explanation. Let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. (Exodus 25:8) Let me explain. We have moved from redemption as slaves in Egypt to the acquisition of Torah at Mt. Sinai and, in this week’s […]

Welcome to Shabbat Awakenings, a weekly reflection as we move toward Shabbat. As we move from the focus on the Ten Commandments in last week’s portion, we turn our attention to the legislation of kindness this week. Through these verses, we discover a methodology to practice caring whether it is our enemy and his ox […]