My daughter, the animal lover, has a father who isn\’t. A hamster is the biggest pet I\’ve gotten talked into so far. It lives in her room, and basically I wouldn\’t even know it was there except for one thing — it\’s nocturnal.
There is logic to honoring one\’s parents. There is a rationale for not stealing or murdering. But for purification in a ruddy, bovine shower, why would God ask such a thing of us?
I\’ll be honest with you. I don\’t know. But neither did King Solomon, the wisest of men. It seems that this is part of the definition of a chok, that its raison d\’etre remains a mystery.
Offering a korban (from the word karov, to come close) is a hands-on project.
But this very human need is not given free rein; rather, the offering of sacrifices is governed by strict regulations, in order that we tangibly relate to God in a true, proper way.
One of the more unusual characters in Jewish literature appears in the Book of Esther.
Jacob spent 20 long years in the home of his father-in-law, Laban, before he could return to the land of Canaan, his home and homeland.
This week\’s Torah portion opens with a fascinating topic: the psyche of a soldier at war, and the ethical boundaries that even a soldier must observe.
Jerusalem, in her pinnacle of glory, was the center of wisdom and Divine service.
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