We live in an age obsessed with self-esteem. Life coaches, therapists, and social media personalities all assure us that we are worthy, that we matter, that we must love ourselves. Almost no one stops to ask the most important question:…
Counting the Omer There is a mitzvah mentioned in this week’s Torah portion, that is relevant to our current time period; the days between the holidays of Passover and Shavuos. It is known as Sefiras Ha’omer, the counting of the…
Negative Surroundings ‘Do not perform the practices of the land of Egypt in which you dwelled; and do not perform the practices of the land of Canaan to which I bring you...’ (Vayikra 18:3) Before detailing the list of forbidden…
When Words Become Visible What Tzara’as teaches us about the reality of speech Parshiyos Tazria and Metzora are among the most puzzling sections in the Torah. The Torah spends so much time discussing discolorations on skin, changes in hair color,…
Why say Thank you? Rabbi Chaim Fink If God put us in Egypt in the first place, why should we say thank you when He finally set us free? Unbearable Agony The group already felt pushed to their limits before…
Learning to Listen A Torah Study Guide for Chavruta Learning — Partners Detroit We live in a world of noise. Everyone is talking, texting, technology-ing. Fewer people are listening. And yet the capacity to truly hear — another person, a…
Parsha Overview The Torah reading this week is mostly a repetition of the many details that go into building the Tabernacle, the portable Temple built by the Jews in the desert. Earlier in the Torah, the directions of how to…
Parsha Overview There are two main themes to the Torah portion this week. The first deals with the intricate garments worn by the Kohanim, the priests, in their Temple service. Four garments were worn by the standard Kohen, while the…
It was more than a dozen years ago when I first met Rabbi Avi Cohen. My wife Shaindel and I traveled from New York to Detroit to interview with Partners in Torah. What Partners was doing in Detroit was unique…
And, Parshat Mishpatim starts off in a peculiar way. The Hebrew text begins with a “ו“, which translates as “And,” a word usually used to connect two ideas or concepts. But this is the beginning of a new portion!ספר שמות…