Shavuot

Part of me wants to cry from joy, another part wants to cry from exhaustion, while a third part wants to cry from the doubt that creeps inside.

Did my mother in-law miss us? Of course. Did she want us near her? Absolutely.

Too much of our world seems dense and impervious to any glimmer or shard of light. But that nucleus remains. In each of our souls. In each kernel of creation.

Do I love them enough as they are? Or am I always trying to fit them into a “perfect” picture.

As children, we sometimes make the mistake of thinking that we have to be our parents.

I have a bad habit. Ever since I was a young girl, I have not been able to kick the tendency to manicure my cuticles with my mouth.

When the Jewish people journeyed through the desert, they were doing more than covering physical ground; they were taking a series of progressive spiritual steps.

What if you could see with your ears?

Shavuot is the holiday where each one of us has the ability to acknowledge our potential and, with G‑d’s help, actualize it. It’s the day when we affirm, “I can. With G‑d’s help, I can!”

The ironic thing about my not fitting in is that I have an eclectic group of friends from all over the world who, even though they do fit in somewhere, also find themselves not really fitting in—and in one way or another, we all fit together.

We were free people. But freedom is not automatic. It is something that needs to be learned, integrated and experienced. And if you have never been free, you may not know how to do it . . .

Even from afar, he looked a little scary. He was heavily tattooed, had a large chain swinging from his pocket, and was smoking a cigarette. He walked with a swagger that gave off an “I dare you to pass judgment on me” vibe . . .

Judaism doesn’t allow us to be alone. Not in our time of joy, and not in our time of pain. We are a community. We are one people, with all of our differences...

We measured our words carefully and got to the point. I told my husband, “I want to grow. I’m looking for someone who wants to grow with me. Relationships require work. Marriage is hard work. Are you willing to work?”

Can two women love the same man and live in peace? If the MIL/DIL relationship could work with a minimum of hang-ups and negativity, these two lucky ladies would have worlds to offer each other...

On the one hand, using just enough impact to break through a walnut shell, leaving the nut intact, is a supernatural feat. On the other hand, it is only natural for a butterfly to break out of its bonds and leave its cocoon...

I could believe the world was real. But was it possible to know it? What had to be added to that belief in order to convert it into knowledge?

If I am to truly leave Egypt behind, it won't be as a result of getting that black belt, becoming proficient with a .45 semi, engaging in more therapy, reading self-help books, meditating on Hebrew letters or Your divine attributes, eating right, increasing my daily fiber intake, or even praying. There is no solution other than to cry out to You, I suppose...

"Why did he hit her over such a trivial thing as Kapla?" I thought to myself. "How do I teach him not to get angry, and to show his frustration in a different manner?"

At that moment the angels understood what it means to be human and to have to deal with the challenges that we deal with. It took them a hundred and something years to recover from it...

After trial and error I have now discovered that when facing the sticky situations that I find myself in- instead of asking why to a question that has no answer, the best thing to do is just clean up the mess, and move on...

When we look more deeply into the Ten Commandments, we will find not only spiritual advice for enhancing our marriages, but very practical and essential guidelines as well.

It is amazing to me how ten simple utterances could provide the basis for an entire civilization. And not only did they apply to the people then, but they do just as much for each and every one of us now...

What mattered was not what he intended to do, but what he actually did. He stole the bike...

You can imagine my shock when my two daughters decided they wanted to spend their hard-earned allowance and birthday money buying… yup, a stuffed animal. And then it hit me. I figured out the secret ingredient...

From little kids who insist on wearing short sleeves and sandals in the middle of winter, to teenagers willing to sport the most outlandish hair styles and adults who cannot possibly use the same décor for their parties—we all try to distinguish ourselves in some way . . .

So much time, energy and emotion go into preparing for the big days, the days that change your life, your status, your identity forever. And then what?

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...

Exhausted and breathless, I couldn’t sing anymore. But I didn’t have to; the first cry of the baby as he emerged into the world was a beautiful song in itself...

It’s eight o’clock in the morning. My husband leaves to take the kids to school. I am sitting on the couch nursing our three-week-old baby. Four hours later he returns and finds me in the same spot, doing the same thing. I have barely moved; I have not accomplished anything that I planned to do....

Shavuot recipes: Blintzes, cheesecake, and many other traditional Shavuot delicacies. And a dose of healthy and kid-friendly recipes too . . .

Essentially, G‑d is not just up there, but as my children sing, everywhere. Meaning, not just in a crisis or religious setting, but in those moments of little mountains, of the small tests and trials of everyday life.