Parshah Columnists

Daily life may desensitize us from the beauty of Judaism. How do we rekindle that spark?

G-d took us under His Divine wings at Sinai and told us, “I will always love you. You are My cherished people, and no matter what happens, we remain deeply connected.”

Many of us have an inner ache, a discontented restlessness, without knowing why.

The greatest threat to morality is if every individual believes that the purpose of creation, the mission of the Jewish people, and the fate of humanity is out of his or her control. The greatest assurance that people will make the correct choices in life is when each individual understands that G‑d looks to him or her as the center of the universe.

Do we really need the Torah to tell us to “choose life”? Which person of sound mind would choose death?

By standing firmly by our principles and convictions we can move forward in life.

Other people may not understand this. Apparently well-meaning and reasonable people might advise their Jewish friend: “Why bother? Take the easy way out.”

Why was the Tanya so novel? Who was the Rebbe's target audience and what was his objective for them? Looking no further than the Tanya's title page we read the Rebbe's self-stated mission statement spelled out lucidly.

Though exile is a time when G-d’s presence in our lives isn’t manifest as it was—and will soon again be—during the Holy Temple glory days, it by no means signals a hiatus in our relationship with Him.

Every individual possesses some unique advantage over every other. Each member of the nation has some positive quality that is unique to him or her. Every individual is uniquely needed and indispensable.

The classical questions, the theological contradictions, the Kabbalistic foundations, the Chassidic interpretations... Insights, essays and stories on "Freedom of Choice"

Something remarkable happens in this week’s parsha, almost without our noticing it, that changed the very terms of Jewish existence, and has life-changing implications for all of us. Moses renewed the covenant. This may not sound dramatic, but it was.

A bat or bar mitzvah is not a “confirmation.” It involves no voluntary acceptance of Jewish identity. That choice took place more than three thousand years ago.

Is the Torah an ancient book for a vanishing people, or is it alive and well in you?

Imagine a prison that allows its prisoners a free pass, should they choose to use it. Everyone is handed a “Get Out of Jail Free” card, and if they present it to the warden, they are set free...

This week's Torah portion, Nitzavim, is always read on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah. There are so many things about this portion that connect to Rosh Hashanah.

It is through our togetherness, both "united," and "as one," that we don't take into account the level of the other, and we see every Jew as important and necessary.

Deep within each one of us lies enormous strength and a rich reservoir of wealth waiting to be cashed in—and even we may not be aware of it.