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Divrei TorahMy Weekly Drash (a mini D'var Torah) - Shoftim
Submitted by Daniel M. Kimmel [Brookline, MA] on Fri, Sep 5, 2008
I'm a film critic in Boston (Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Variety, Jewish Advocate), lecturer (Suffolk University, private groups) and MC for the New England Region of the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs. My one paragraph drashes are for my brotherhood newsletter. You may use them for your own.
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My Weekly Drash (a mini D'var Torah) - Re'eh
Submitted by Daniel M. Kimmel [Brookline, MA] on Fri, Aug 29, 2008
Far be it from me to disagree with the philosophers and historians who cite “ethical monotheism” as Judaism’s great contribution to mankind, but having taken that as a given, it seems to me that it is “free will” that is the Torah’s amazing insight into the human condition. Parshah Re’eh opens simply, “See, this day I set before you blessing and curse.” (Deut. 11:26). God wants us to follow Torah law, but we must choose to do it. Or, as the rabbis put it, everything is in the hands of God, except the fear of God. read more »
I'm a film critic in Boston (Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Variety, Jewish Advocate), lecturer (Suffolk University, private groups) and MC for the New England Region of the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs. My one paragraph drashes are for my brotherhood newsletter. You may use them for your own.
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My Weekly Drash (a mini D'var Torah) - Ekev
Submitted by Daniel M. Kimmel [Brookline, MA] on Fri, Aug 22, 2008
"Love, therefore, the Lord your God, and always keep His charge, His laws, His rules, and His commandments." (Deut. 11:1) This passage from Parshah Ekev is not unique. It is one of many places we are told to "love" God. But what does that mean? read more »
I'm a film critic in Boston (Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Variety, Jewish Advocate), lecturer (Suffolk University, private groups) and MC for the New England Region of the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs. My one paragraph drashes are for my brotherhood newsletter. You may use them for your own.
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My Weekly Drash (a mini D'var Torah) - Va-Ethanan
Submitted by Daniel M. Kimmel [Brookline, MA] on Fri, Aug 15, 2008
"Hear, O Israel, the laws and rules that I proclaim to you this day," says Moses in Parshah Va-Ethannan. "Study them and observe them faithfully." (Deut 5:1) Moses is reiterating God's laws in one of his farewell addresses, but notice that study is part of the command. Of course study is to lead to proper observance, but it's clear he wants the Israelites to be knowledgeable, and not merely obedient. In our day there is a new emphasis on Jewish study and learning. It's not just for yeshiva bochers any more. read more »
I'm a film critic in Boston (Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Variety, Jewish Advocate), lecturer (Suffolk University, private groups) and MC for the New England Region of the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs. My one paragraph drashes are for my brotherhood newsletter. You may use them for your own.
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Tisha Be'av 5768: "Fire Scars"
Submitted by Rabbi Menachem Creditor [Berkeley, CA] on Sun, Aug 10, 2008
I stood today in a burnt Holy of Holies, staring at the scorched walls reaching toward the sky. I was moved to tears at the ancient loss, standing in island of black. It was a sacred experience beyond time and it will remain with me. read more »
Rabbi Menachem Creditor is rabbi of Congregation Netivot Shalom in Berkeley, CA. He is also founder of ShefaNetwork: (The Conservative Movement Dreaming from Within), co-founder of KeshetRabbis (The Alliance of Gay-Friendly Conservative and Masorti Rabbis), and author of TheTisch, an electronic commentary on Jewish Spirituality. He is a popular speaker at synagogues, college campuses, and various communities on questions of Jewish Identity, Leadership, and Spirituality. As one half of Shirav, a Jewish folk-music group, he has spread passion, comfort, and joy to audiences around North America and Israel.
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My Weekly Drash (a mini D'var Torah) -- Devarim
Submitted by Daniel M. Kimmel [Brookline, MA] on Tue, Aug 5, 2008
“These are the words that Moses addressed to all Israel…” begins the first Parshah of Devarim, the final book of the Torah. Devarim consists almost entirely of the words of Moses in a series of farewell addresses. Oddly, this is the man who once tried to turn down the job on the grounds that he was not “a man of words.” (See Exo. 4:10) We’re of two minds about such men. read more »
I'm a film critic in Boston (Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Variety, Jewish Advocate), lecturer (Suffolk University, private groups) and MC for the New England Region of the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs. My one paragraph drashes are for my brotherhood newsletter. You may use them for your own.
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My Weekly Drash (a mini D'var Torah) -- Mas'ei
Submitted by Daniel M. Kimmel [Brookline, MA] on Fri, Aug 1, 2008
You sometimes hear about how vengeful and violent the God of the "Old Testament" is, usually from people examining our text from a non-Jewish perspective. Consider this passage from Parshah Mas'ei, with instructions on the coming claiming of the Promised Land: "You shall dispossess all the inhabitants of the land; you shall destroy all their figured objects, you shall destroy all their molten images, and you shall demolish their cult places." (Num. 33:52) Is this a call to loot and pillage? read more »
I'm a film critic in Boston (Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Variety, Jewish Advocate), lecturer (Suffolk University, private groups) and MC for the New England Region of the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs. My one paragraph drashes are for my brotherhood newsletter. You may use them for your own.
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My Weekly Drash (a mini D'var Torah) - Mattot
Submitted by Daniel M. Kimmel [Brookline, MA] on Fri, Jul 25, 2008
"If a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath imposing an obligation on himself, he shall not break his pledge; he must carry out all that has crossed his lips." (Num. 30:3) How ironic to read this verse in Parshah Mattot as we enter the final months of the seemingly endless presidential campaign. A "campaign promise" is almost a synonym for a "lie." Yet the Torah tells us words have binding implications, and are not just hot air. read more »
I'm a film critic in Boston (Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Variety, Jewish Advocate), lecturer (Suffolk University, private groups) and MC for the New England Region of the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs. My one paragraph drashes are for my brotherhood newsletter. You may use them for your own.
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Pinchas 5768: "The Blessings of Brokenness"
Submitted by Rabbi Menachem Creditor [Berkeley, CA] on Sun, Jul 20, 2008
Rabbi Menachem Creditor The great Israeli poet Chaim Nachman Bialik once said that reading a translation is like kissing through a veil. The beginning of Parashat Pinchas illustrates this quite clearly. And not only does the biblical Hebrew lose its power refracted into the vernacular, but even if the Hebrew of a handheld Chumash is consulted, there is much missing which can only be experienced by direct contact with the Torah scroll itself. First the language. We read (translate) the following: read more »
Rabbi Menachem Creditor is rabbi of Congregation Netivot Shalom in Berkeley, CA. He is also founder of ShefaNetwork: (The Conservative Movement Dreaming from Within), co-founder of KeshetRabbis (The Alliance of Gay-Friendly Conservative and Masorti Rabbis), and author of TheTisch, an electronic commentary on Jewish Spirituality. He is a popular speaker at synagogues, college campuses, and various communities on questions of Jewish Identity, Leadership, and Spirituality. As one half of Shirav, a Jewish folk-music group, he has spread passion, comfort, and joy to audiences around North America and Israel.
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My Weekly Drash (a mini D'var Torah) - Pinchas
Submitted by Daniel M. Kimmel [Brookline, MA] on Wed, Jul 16, 2008
In Parshah Pinchas we find that doing things on time is important. “Command the Israelite people and say to them: Be punctilious in presenting to Me at stated times the offerings of food due Me, as gifts of pleasing odor to Me.” (Num. 28:2) Of course after the destruction of the Temples such sacrifices were no longer possible and were replaced by our daily prayer services. So how come showing up on time isn’t considered important? read more »
I'm a film critic in Boston (Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Variety, Jewish Advocate), lecturer (Suffolk University, private groups) and MC for the New England Region of the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs. My one paragraph drashes are for my brotherhood newsletter. You may use them for your own.
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