Holiday Thoughts

We are about to celebrate Shavuot and I’m told it is the Season of the Giving of the Torah. But isn’t there another holiday when we celebrate with the Torah?

Is there such a thing as bad art? Amoral logic? The 20th century has settled the question once and for all, driving home the truth embodied by the "Wheat Harvest Offering" of biblical times

Newlyweds think the question doesn't apply to them and never will: they are the first to discover marriage and the final authorities on it too.

Why did the Jews go to sleep the night before getting the Torah? “Because sleeping on Shavuot night is sweet, the night is short, and the mosquitoes did not bite!” Is there a deeper meaning lurking behind this odd Midrash?

Can there be a relationship which is defined by what it is not, rather than what it is? Actually, every marriage starts as such, and our relationship with G-d is no exception.

Miracles are a concession to the human need to see things from a different perspective in order to apprehend what they've already seen. Shavuot is when G-d believes in us enough not to indulge it

What's behind the custom of eating dairy products on Shavuot? I'm not complaining, I love cheesecake - I'm just looking for a deep spiritual excuse to eat more.

It was the commercial that first attracted me. Then there were the bonus gifts, and by the time my free-trial period was up I'd forgotten that my credit card was being billed monthly...

Does Shavuot not seem somewhat orphaned and bereft of imagery? What prominent symbol do we hold aloft to represent the season of the Giving of the Torah?

Recently, renewing wedding vows is very much in vogue. The name seems to imply that eventually marriage becomes stale and musty -- which leaves the couple with two options: trash it, or "renew" it. What is the Jewish take on this new trend?

Why the "countdown" to the holiday of Shavuot? What is the connection between numbers and counting and the special gift which our nation received on this holiday?

At the time, I thought her a demanding mother, completely oblivious to my limitations. Today I know better. The words, "Yes you can," are not oppressive. They are empowering.

G‑d is saying: "Let's get one thing straight from the beginning: I am. The stars and the planets, the animals and the green trees and even humanity exist only because I am, and to serve My 'I am.' If you follow these Ten Commandments, you will join me in 'I am.'"

Sinai unequivocally states that you do not have to resign yourself to a life of duality

What is the significance of the number three, a prominent number in our history and tradition?