…at every level of their existence and yet – while they sat betzila de-mehemnuta, “under the shadow of faith” (this is the Zohar’s description of the succah: Zohar, Emor, 103a) – they were able to rejoice. That is spiritual courage of a high order. I have often argued that faith is not certainty: faith is the courage to live with uncertainty….
…mentioned in connection with Succot? Three times. Can you see? Source seven [Vayikra 23:40] …usemachtem lifnai Hashem Elokaichem That’s in parshas Emor. And in Devarim it says [Devarim 16:14]: Vesamachta bechaggecha… and vehayita achsame’ach. That is all about Succot. Succot is called Zeman Simchateinu because simcha is mentioned three times in relation to Succos, once in relation to Shavuos, no…
…and strengthens the bond between you. ACHAREI MOT-KEDOSHIM: Clear rules and proper discipline help to establish, maintain and expand order for more fulfilled children, families, and society. Love is not enough. Relationships need rules. EMOR: Do not rely exclusively on To Do lists. Use a diary. And live by the Jewish calendar to experience the things that give life a…
…why we spill a drop of wine when we mention each of the Ten Plagues. Some people go further and they say look very carefully at the two passages in the Torah which really examine the festivals in parshat Emor and parshat Re’eh. Look carefully and do the arithmetic and you will see that simcha, rejoicing, is mentioned once in…
…and we can achieve greatness. [1] Morality: Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times, Hodder, 2020. [2] John Kay and Mervyn King, Radical Uncertainty, Bridge Street, 2020. I referred to this book in Covenant and Conversation Emor. [3] Richard Rumelt, Good Strategy/Bad Strategy, Crown Business, 2011, 79. [4] Amy Chua, Political Tribes, Penguin, 2018. [5] Kiddushin 41a. [6] A…
…by its alignment with the will and word of its Creator. Vayikra Tzav Shemini Tazria Metzora Acharei Mot Kedoshim Emor Behar Bechukotai Bamidbar (Numbers) The central theme of Bamidbar, the book of Numbers, is the second stage of the Israelites’ journey: physically from Egypt to the Promised Land, mentally from slavery to freedom. It is among the most searching, self-critical…
QUOTES Chiefly Quotes: A collection of quotes from Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt”l The Rabbi Sacks Legacy is delighted to share ‘Chiefly Quotes’, an inspirational PDF collection of 1600 quotes collated by Rabbi Johnny Solomon through his research of Rabbi Sacks’ canon of written work, and then arranged by theme. You can also find our growing bank of Rabbi Sacks…
…people to be ambassadors as well. Emor: On Not Being Afraid of Greatness The leadership challenge of Parshat Behar is: count the years, not the days. Keep faith with the past but keep your eyes firmly fixed on the future. Behar: Think Long That is what I mean by the strange, seemingly self-contradictory idea I have argued throughout these essays:…
The Parsha in a Nutshell Acharei Mot describes the service of the High Priest on Yom Kippur. It was a dramatic and powerful ceremony during which he cast lots on two identical goats, one of which was offered as a sacrifice and the other was sent into the wilderness. This is where the idea of a “scapegoat” comes from. Then…