http://www.seventyfaces.com/ The last few contributions. Read them, or register to share your own! http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/418/sh-mot-a-nameless-man-meets-a-nameless-g-d What was Moses' name? Duh, Moses, right? Not so fast. Moses was the name given by Pharaoh's daughter -- but what did his parents call him? We never find out. For that matter, what are his parent's names? His whole family is nameless. Even Miriam is not named in this parsha. Tradition... http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/418/sh-mot-a-nameless-man-meets-a-nameless-g-d http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/417/facinating-fire My son is fascinated by fire. He pretends to light Shabbat candles using his toy candlesticks, and every time he passes by the spot where we store our hanukiot, our menorahs, he points to them and says "fire. Don't touch. Very hot." Yet the potential danger doesn't deter him from climbing up on a... http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/417/facinating-fire http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/416/vayera-abraham-s-apostasy-and-the-akeda From a standpoint of ordinary human ethics, Vayera is perhaps the most difficult of all the parashot. When we read the Akeda, those of us with children shudder at the thought of a man unhinged enough to offer up his own son as a sacrifice, and cringe at a G-d who would put him to that kind of test.... http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/416/vayera-abraham-s-apostasy-and-the-akeda http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/415/mocking-birds “Mocking Birds” Desert floor covered by quail G-d’s ironic response to ungrateful complaints. Feather’s fly as poisoned meat stuffs greedy mouths, silencing negativity forever. http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/415/mocking-birds http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/414/korach-5771-%E2%80%9Ctrust-and-care%E2%80%9D This week's Torah Portion, Korach, centers on a popular uprising within the Israelite community against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Within the narrative the power of God manifests as the very earth opens a "mouth" to swallow the rebels whole. How can a healing message possibly survive this... http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/414/korach-5771-%E2%80%9Ctrust-and-care%E2%80%9D http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/413/the-eighth-day There are a lot of different ways to live your life. Each culture and each minority group develop their own style of dress, their own arts and music, their own language and forms of expression, their own values and etiquette. Perhaps every culture and nation has some aspects of their culture that... http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/413/the-eighth-day http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/412/sleepless-in-persia Originally written the shabbat before Purim 2011/5771 - but please - let's spread this far and wide so it has time to circulate by next purim- something to consider, to incorporate... Discuss, respond, comment, but mostly, if you want and would, please pass along... been contemplating this for a... http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/412/sleepless-in-persia http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/411/it-s-no-sacrifice One of the amazing things about being part of a Jewish community is that - most of the time -- it motivates us to be our best. All of us -- individually -- want to be good people and Jews. But our individual efforts are not enough. We need others to motivate us and challenge us, to hold us to a... http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/411/it-s-no-sacrifice http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/410/a-book-by-any-other-cover Don't judge a book by its cover. Or by the costume it wears. If we didn't know better, we might think Purim was a frivolous holiday. It is not as strict as Shabbat or the major holidays, so live music, driving and texting (not at the same time please) are permitted. Plus, we do many things that we... http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/410/a-book-by-any-other-cover http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/409/purim-revelling-in-revealing  Purim revolves around the revelation of the hidden. After all, the core text we read during Purim is the Megillah. A word which shares its root with 'gilui' revelation. There is an ecstacy, a joy that comes with the dramatic disclosure of Truth. Torah itself is the revelation of an otherwise... http://www.seventyfaces.com/dvar/409/purim-revelling-in-revealing