Archive for the 'Culture' Category
Don’t Be Average
Sunday, September 11th, 2022פרשת כי תבוא / ט”ו באלול תשפ”ב In the curses that we receive if we do not follow the Torah is that we will become an average people. While there is nothing wrong with being average it is not a great accomplishment either. The Torah wants us to be above average in our moral and […]
The Danger of Cheating in Business
Friday, September 9th, 2022פרשת כי תצא / י”ג באלול תשפ”ב The admonition of having accurate weights & measures is a warning against dishonest business practices. It is immediately followed by a warning about Amelek. The two are related. Amelek is looking for weakness in society. This is brought on by being dishonest and causing dissention in society. Share […]
Do Not Shame Your Brother
Thursday, September 8th, 2022פרשת כי תצא / י”ב באלול תשפ”ב We are admonished not to let the body of a person convicted of a capital offense hang overnight. This is so the family will not be shamed. It is assumed that the family is embarrassed by the actions of the criminal. We don’t have to rub in. Share […]
You Are Responsible
Wednesday, September 7th, 2022פרשת כי תצא / י”א באלול תשפ”ב The Torah admonishes us not to blame the father for the son’s sins and not to blame the son for the father’s sins. This underscores a major concept that we are responsible for our own actions. Not to blame others. Share on Facebook
Assume People Will Do Stupid Things
Tuesday, September 6th, 2022פרשת כי תצא / י’ באלול תשפ”ב One of the commandments this week is that we are required to put a fence around the roof of a building. We do this because we assume that a person will go up on the roof and fall off. Our job to prevent, as much as possible people […]
Spirituality & Returning a Lost Object
Monday, September 5th, 2022פרשת כי תצא / ט’ באלול תשפ”ב The commandment to return a lost object to its owner is an important underpinning of a good society. If your find something, it is up to you to return it. We do this not only for society but for our spiritual well-being. Share on Facebook
When You Go To War
Sunday, September 4th, 2022פרשת כי תצא / ח’ באלול תשפ”ב In this week’s portion we discuss behavior in battle. We might think that a soldier in combat might get a pass for immoral behavior due to the unique nature of being in battle. The Torah says no. He still has to behave within certain bounds. Share on Facebook
Seeking a Just Society
Friday, September 2nd, 2022פרשת שופטים / ו’ באלול תשפ”ב The Torah states “Justice, Justice you will seek.” Note that it does not say “you will do justice only that you will seek it. This means that while we are imperfect humans and will make mistakes, we will do our best to bring justice. Share on Facebook
The Key to Jewish Exceptionalism
Sunday, August 14th, 2022פרשת עקב / י”ז באב תשפ”ב In the second paragraph of the Shma we see that if we want to be like all other nations, we will suffer the fate of those nations. If we want to be exceptional, we have to teach our youth why we should be exceptional. Share on Facebook
A Society of Individuals
Friday, August 12th, 2022פרשת ואתחנן / ט”ו באב תשפ”ב It is interesting that the word used for you in the Ten Commandments is in the singular. The Torah is pointing out that society is made up of individuals and if an individual is bad then it is bad for society, & if the individual is good then it […]
About the Author: Shlomo Bar-Ayal is an Israeli-American, or an American-Israeli (I could never get that right) who is unabashedly pro-Israel, pro-US and a great guy.
He has an open mind to opinions that he agrees with.
Besides blogging on whatever he feels like blogging about on any given day he enjoys learning Talmud, davening, being the candyman in his synagogue, smoking his tobacco pipe, giving tours at the Grand Lodge of New York, being involved in Freemasonry, and partaking in an adult beverage every now and then