Archive for April, 2010

What does it mean to be holy? This week’s Torah portion commands us to be holy: Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel, and say to them, You shall be holy; for I the Lord your God am holy (Leviticus 19:2).  This is a recurring theme – we saw a similar...
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WARNING: If you are not BOTH interested in the fine points of halacha (Jewish law) and a coffee drinker, you will no doubt find this post incomprehensible, irrelevant, or both.  But for the observant coffee drinkers out there — you might find this useful as a way to enjoy a better cup of coffee...
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"Cherem," excommunication, is apparently still alive and well in the Jewish world. In last week's Torah reading, Tazria-Metzora, a selection from Leviticus dealing with skin diseases and bodily fluids, we were told that certain people, innocent of any crime other than having a skin condition, were forced to live in isolation, "outside the camp."...
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Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has told a leading Israeli newspaper that a Palestinian state will be unilaterally declared by August 2011 if negotiations with Israel don't allow it to happen sooner.  Click here to read the story. What would Jewish values have to say about such a declaration? On the one hand,...
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