by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 8, 2023 | Good and Evil, Vezot Haberachah
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz The Torah is not really a very large book. In a mere 79,976 Hebrew words, the Torah (Five Books of Moses) covers all of history from the creation until the Jews were ready to enter the Land of Israel. With such a wide-reaching agenda, it...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 5, 2023 | God, Israel, Kindness and Compassion, Psalms, Temple
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz The construction of my house was an epic saga I am passionate about telling. I was the contractor for my house in Gush Etzion, and when the builder was short on workers I showed up to help pour the foundation. I loved my house. Israel is...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 4, 2023 | God, Psalms, Shabbat
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz Psalm 29 (The Israel Bible, pp. 1503-1504) is special in a deep way. Even though it is only 11 verses, it contains the name of God 18 times. 18 is an auspicious number in Judaism. The gematria (numerical value) of 18 equals chai (חי), meaning...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 2, 2023 | Parenting, Shabbat, Vayechi
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz Without a doubt, the sweetest part of the Sabbath is blessing my children. My children are older and no longer live at home. But when we do gather together at the end of a busy week, placing my hands on their bowed heads, invoking God’s...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 1, 2023 | Faith, God, Prayer, Psalms
By Rabbi Avraham Norin David does not give any indication as to when he composed Psalm 31. Nonetheless, it seems clear that he wrote it while running from an enemy. The commentators assume that it was written as David was fleeing from Saul, after being betrayed by the...
