Waiting and Praying for Rain: Ekev 5786
When will it finally rain? The weather for the past month in the UK has been gorgeous–sunny and dry, but this is too much of a good thing. Hosepipe bans have been imposed to conserve water, lawns and gardens are turning tan, and flowers are fading. According to the Fire Severity Index, much of England…
Time to Weep, Time to Dance: Sukkot 5780
Enough with all this happiness! The Torah commands, and we dutifully sing, “rejoice on your festival… and be entirely happy” (Deut. 16: 14, 15). The Rabbis explain the original form of rejoicing to be the consumption of the “happy sacrifice” (קרבן שמחה) during Temple times; thereafter everyone should rejoice in their own way—by drinking wine,…
Eyes on the Prized Land: Ekev 5776
Everyone wants our attention, and technology has made it both easier and more difficult to focus on what is truly important. Facebook keeps nudging me about the birthdays of people I haven’t spoken with in years, if ever, and there is no escape from the latest escapades of our politicians. Disasters cluster and clamor for…
Reimagining God: Ekev 5774
On the surface, Parashat Ekev is about what kind of people God expects that Israel will become. We read that Israel’s God “demands” many things—reverence, love, obedience and devotion. Israel is warned of the afflictions of affluence—ingratitude and materialism, and is reminded of the many benefactions that God has bestowed upon them since the days…