Parashat Shemot 5781 by Meir Sendor The mask has become a symbol of the pandemic we continue to slog through. A bit challenging to breathe through, getting a bit soggy, tugging at the ears, fogging up glasses, some of them…
Identity Politics
Parashat Miketz 5781 by Meir Sendor One of the underlying themes of this week’s parashah is identity. Yosef, a prisoner at the very bottom of the social pyramid of Egypt, jumps suddenly to the top, gets a nickname, adopts Egyptian…
Truth to Power
Parashat Toldot 5781 by Meir Sendor Yitzhak Avinu, in Kabbalah, is associated with the Sefirah Din, divine Judgment, the quality that discerns reality and accords to every person and every creature what they really deserve. Yet in this week’s parashah,…
Facing Forward
בראשית פרק יז פסוק א וַיְהִ֣י אַבְרָ֔ם בֶּן־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְתֵ֣שַׁע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיֵּרָ֨א יְקֹוָ֜ק אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אֲנִי־אֵ֣ל שַׁדַּ֔י הִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ לְפָנַ֖י וֶהְיֵ֥ה תָמִֽים: Avram was ninety-nine years old and HaShem appeared to Avram and said to him “I am God…
Ripped from the headlines
Parashat Noach 5781 by Meir Sendor It’s a rabbinic artform to connect the weekly parashah to the issues of the day, and sometimes you have to stretch. Not this week. Global catastrophes, defiantly misbehaving societies, salvation through isolation and individuation…
No Man is an Island
Parashat Bereshit 5781 by Meir Sendor Nachmanides gives us a key to reading the Book of Bereshit: רמב”ן שמות הקדמה ספר בראשית שהוא ספר היצירה בחדוש העולם ויצירת כל נוצר ובמקרי האבות שהם כענין יצירה לזרעם מפני שכל מקריהם ציורי…
Total Immersion
Yom Kippur 5781 Meir Sendor ישעיהו פרק כד (י) נשברה קרית תהו סגר כל בית מבוא: The confused city is broken, every house is locked down so none shall enter (Is. 24:10). The prophet Yeshayahu knew about lockdowns, and…
Choose Life
Parashat Nitzavim/ VaYelekh 5780 Meir Sendor You would think this would be an easy choice: דברים פרק ל (יט) העדתי בכם היום את השמים ואת הארץ החיים והמות נתתי לפניך הברכה והקללה ובחרת בחיים למען תחיה אתה וזרעך: I…
We are All in this Together
Parashat Ki Teze 5780 Meir Sendor During this month of Elul we try to work on ourselves and our relationships with God and with each other in preparation for Rosh HaShanah. According to Rabbi David Abudarham (Abudarham, Tefillat Rosh HaShanah,…
New Normal
On Tuesday nights, August 25, September 1, 8, 15; 8PM Israel time The month of Elul, in preparation for Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot, is dedicated to introspective self-improvement, and there are traditional Jewish meditation practices that can be…
