Midrash

November 2, 2023

41 Thoughts on Genesis 18

This is not the D’var Torah I will be speaking from the pulpit, even though Genesis 18 is in this week’s Torah reading, Vayera. I’ve been making these tentative notes through the week, reading the chapter with the actuality of Israel and Gaza ever present. H/t to Rabbis Tali Adler and Aryeh Klapper, of whose… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Current Affairs, Ethics, Gaza, History, Israel, Midrash, Parashat Hashavua, Tzedek, Vayera
October 13, 2023

Two Kinds of Darkness, Two Kinds of Light, Two Kinds of Torah

This is (I think) the D'var Torah I have for services this Shabbat tomorrow. The Torah reading begins with the very beginning of the Torah. It's one week since the Hamas atrocities began. Thank you to Rabbi Rebecca Rosenthal and Rabbi Aryeh Klapper for helping me unlock this, though if anything is off it's on… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Bereshit, Calendar, Current Affairs, Eight, Gaza, High Holidays, History, Holidays, Hope, Israel, Midrash, Noach, Parashat Hashavua, Patience, Prayer, Simchat Torah, Terrorism, Tikkun Olam, Torah, Yamim Noraim
October 1, 2022

My Rosh Hashanah Sermons From Last Week

Here are my sermons from Rosh Hashanah 5783: First day:Help Me Talk About What I've Been Through and Who I Am Second day:Right-ology: How to Be Right Better in the New Year Wishing everyone a Shana Tova Umetukah, a good and sweet new year! Continue reading

Calendar, Coronavirus, Current Affairs, Election, Elul, Ethics, Gratitude, Hakarat Hatov, High Holidays, Holidays, Hope, Middot, Midrash, Prayer, Rosh Hashanah, Soul, Speech Ethics, Spirituality, Synagogue, Talmud, Teacher-Student Relationship, Television, Teshuvah, Theology, Torah, Tov! Podcast, USA, Yamim Noraim
July 26, 2022

More Daughters of Tzelophechad, Less Pinchas: How to Stand Up Today

This is my D'var Torah from last Shabbat, Saturday, July 23, 2022. “It’s not a movement if everyone’s just sitting.” That’s a line from a conversation between then-Professor Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her 15-year-old daughter Jane in the film On the Basis of Sex, which is partly the story of how RBG, zichrona livracha, came… Continue reading

Community Relations, Current Affairs, Equality, Feminism, Gender, Inclusion, Justice, Leadership, Midrash, Moshe, Parashat Hashavua, Patience, Peace, Pinchas, Tikkun Olam, Torah, Tzedek, USA
March 16, 2022

Tov! Special Purim Episode Is Out!

I haven't posted a Tov! update for a while, but a few new episodes are out the past month and one of them is keyed to Purim which begins tonight. Listen right here or on YouTube (it's just audio), or check out the episode page with the audio and full show notes. Or just subscribe… Continue reading

Calendar, Esther, Ethics, Feminism, Gender, Holidays, Leadership, Middot, Midrash, Purim, Tov! Podcast
February 1, 2022

Na’aseh V’Nishma Meets Yes-And

This was my D'var Torah on Shabbat morning, Saturday, January 29, on Parashat Mishpatim. When I was trying to decide whether to apply to rabbinical school, as a senior in college, I gave myself an ultimatum: I would not apply until I was putting on tefillin every day. Tefilllin are basically mezuzas but for the… Continue reading

Education, Freedom, Holidays, Jewish Education, Midrash, Mishpatim, Parashat Hashavua, Patience, Prayer, Rabbi, Shabbat, Spirituality, Study, Synagogue, Tefillin, Temple Beth Abraham, Theology
January 11, 2022

Rechavia, Sabba Moshe, and the Night Before Leaving Egypt: A Midrash

I wrote this midrash on the 5th of Sheva 5782 (January 8, 2022) as my Dvar Torah for Parashat Bo, and in particular chapters 11-12 of Exodus, which introduce and lead into and through the last of the ten plagues in Egypt. I was thinking about issues of collective accountability and responsibility, which are the ethical… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Bo, Books, Calendar, Coronavirus, Current Affairs, History, Holidays, Hope, Justice, Leadership, Midrash, Parashat Hashavua, Pesach, Shabbat Hachodesh, Tikkun Olam, Torah, Tzedek, USA
June 22, 2021

Parashat Chukkat — Is Judaism More Red Heifer or #SelfCare?

This was my D’var Torah for Saturday, June 19, 2021, Parashat Chukkat. The article I reference at the start is really good, in ways that somewhat connect to my theme and also jump off in another important direction. I was in the middle of thinking about the parah adumah — the red heifer with its potpouri… Continue reading

Chukkat, Halacha, Harry Potter, Middot, Midrash, Movies, Numbers, Parah, Parashat Hashavua, Ritual, Spirituality, Torah, Young Jewish Adult
January 23, 2020

Daf Yomi: Ch. 2 of Berachot Begins

Again, I'm behind in my post though not my studies… The second chapter of the Talmud begins with a discussion of the concept of kavvanah, which means "intention." The specific issue is whether one can fulfill the mitzvah of reciting the Sh'ma by mechanically vocalizing the sounds, or whether kavvanah is required. The Talmud begins by positing: yes. There… Continue reading

Bavli Berachot, Books, Calendar, Daf Yomi, Jewish Education, Midrash, Prayer, Study, Talmud, Theology
May 14, 2013

Erev Shavuot 5773

Dear Friends: According to the Torah, when God brought the Israelites to Mount Sinai, they heard God's voice directly, as a group, for the one and only time in history. And God said…. "Do not steal." But surely people already knew that! "Do not murder." Did the people really need God's voice to get them… Continue reading

Holidays, Midrash, Revelation, Shavuot, Study, Temple Beth Abraham, Tikkun Olam, Torah
November 18, 2010

Parashat Vayishlach: A Midrash About Rachel

I wrote this midrash early in rabbinical school — it's somewhat rough and unpolished, but it has some interesting things in it and I've left it pretty much as it was. I was thinking about how we add the phrase "Elohay Rachel" (God of Rachel) to our prayers, yet we do not have as many… Continue reading

Feminism, Midrash, Parashat Hashavua, Spirituality, Vayishlach