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Tisha B’Av is a confusing day in the Jewish calendar. It shares some contradictory dimensions. It’s known as the saddest day in Jewish history but simultaneously...
One of the most popular Jewish teachings is from the Mishna, that says, “When the month of Adar enters, we increase our joy.” And so, as...
These aren’t exactly the best of times … And even if they aren’t the worst of times either, having Europe toy with a third World War,...
“That’s some new kitchen Sandra just had done. State of the art!” “Hey, did you see that brand-new car Mark just bought? Every gadget in the...
The people complained that they were thirsty. G-d commanded Moses to “speak to the rock” to produce water. Instead of speaking to the rock, he...
According to our sages, Korach made many valid claims about the worthiness of the Jewish people. Chief among them was that he reckoned that, as all...
A high school teacher decided to demonstrate to his class the dangers of alcohol abuse. So, he conducted an experiment. He took one glass of water...
Many consider the end of this week’s parsha, the longest in the Pentateuch, to be boring and repetitive. Truth be told, of the portion’s 176 verses,...
“And they came to the Sinai Desert, and they encamped in the wilderness, and there Israel camped before the mountain.” The festival of Shavuot celebrates receiving...
Bechukotai starts with a famous invitation from Hashem, “If you will walk in my laws…” after which He lists the many blessings that we will receive...
Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest footballer of our generation. Although he may be in the twilight of his career, upon his transfer to Paris Saint-Germain...
This week’s Torah portion, Emor, begins, “And G-d spoke to Moses, ‘Emor – say to the kohanim priests, the sons of Aharon, ve’amarta (and tell them).’”...
So, Israel is 74 years old. Well, actually we’re 3 000 years old, but whether it’s our modern state or our ancient people, the incredible truth...
The Book of Leviticus covers a lot of territories – from the Yom Kippur offerings to banning adultery, from the most universal ethical aspirations to the...
Pesach is an interesting and stressful time of the Jewish year. There are so many unique mitzvot that have to be performed, so much food that...
What would you expect would lie at the centre of the five books of the Torah? Something pretty central to Torah values? Perhaps the paragraph of...
“My family watched the Zoom with your rabbi in Ukraine, and my daughter got her whole class at Herzlia to write letters to the kids there....
A rabbi was walking down the road and couldn’t help noticing how one of his prominent congregants entered a non-kosher restaurant. He couldn’t believe it! So,...
This week’s Haftorah (Jeremiah Chapter 7 & 9) concludes with the powerful verse: “Thus says the Lord: let not the wise man praise and boast of...
This Shabbos, we take out two Torah scrolls. From the second, we read, “Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey, after you left Egypt,...
The distressing events unfolding in Ukraine have captured our hearts and minds. We have been praying for the innocent who have been under attack over the...
Parshat Vayakhel is a detailed account of the construction of the vessels for the Mishkan and the building of the Mishkan itself. The Torah often withholds...
I was sad when I read Howard Feldman’s column in last week’s SA Jewish Report (10 February 2022) advocating for shorter shul services. He writes beautifully,...
This week’s Torah portion, Tetzaveh, conveys that each person has a role in perfecting this world, and should be allowed to perform in the areas in...
In this week’s parsha, Hashem tells us of the building materials that were required to create the beautiful Mishkan, the tabernacle – opening with gold, silver,...
Living in South Africa, we see how bribery and corruption result in the decay of our social institutions and unless checked, can lead to the breakdown...
This week we read the portion of Yisro, which contains one the most famous passages of the Torah – the Ten Commandments. We read of the...
They say adapt or die. But must we jettison the old to embrace the new? Is the choice limited to modern or antiquated, or can one...
I’m writing this only hours after watching the online kindling of the Menorah at the Kotel on the second night of Chanukah, which was dedicated in...
This month can certainly use some light. Our community has experienced the emotional toll of terrible losses in the past days and weeks. It almost feels...
The shocking incident of Dinah’s abduction by Shechem and his father, Chamor, is one of the themes of this week’s parsha. They thought they could take...
In Vayeitzei, we once again experience Yaakov’s wonderful dream of the ladder reaching up to heaven, on which angels ascend and descend whilst Hashem promises protection...
Theories abound about the Tembisa 10. Something seems not quite kosher about the birth of those decuplets. And, there was something not so kosher about the...
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks said, “The name of our parsha seems to embody a paradox. It’s called ‘Chayei Sarah’ [The Life of Sarah], but it begins...
Our sages teach of the obligation of every Jew to ask, “When will my actions reach those of our illustrious patriarchs and matriarchs?” We see the...
In this week’s Torah portion, Lech Lecha, we read about the first Jew, Avraham, who resisted the tide of paganism, idolatry, and immorality. Society had moved...
The world loves a hero. Every season, Hollywood invents new superheroes to fill the box-office coffers. Today, we even have a Jewish girl as the latest...
“As an eagle that stirs up its nest, hovering over its young” Rashi, one of our greatest commentators, explains that Hashem is compared to an eagle...
This week’s fundraising campaign for Community Security Organisation Medical in Cape Town and Hatzolah in Johannesburg beautifully replaces our obsession with daily infection statistics, hospital occupancies,...
There is a three-word phrase in our formal prayers that conveys the essence of Judaism. Being such a powerful phrase, it features appropriately in every formal...
