Archive for the 'Citizenship' Category
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
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
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 Constitution & The Bible
Thursday, September 1st, 2022פרשת שופטים / ה’ באלול תשפ”ב In this week’s portion we learn about the Biblical limits on the king. It is no accident that they match the limitations imposed on the American presidency in the US Constitution. It is important to remember that the most quoted book at the Constitutional Convention was the Book of […]
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 […]
A God-Fearing Society
Thursday, August 11th, 2022פרשת ואתחנן – י”ד באב תשפ”ב Moses stresses that what we consider civil laws are really religiously basted law. That if the basis of law in a society is not God then the laws will break down and the results will be a dictatorship or anarchy, as we see from the difference in the results […]
Be Just in Your Judgements
Monday, August 1st, 2022פרשת דברים / ד’ באב תשפ”ב The commandment to appoint judges is one of the most important for a just society. Moses commands the judges that they have to be just in their decisions. They cannot favor one party over the other, neither rich nor poor, neither the powerful nor the powerless, Share on Facebook
From Theory to Reality
Sunday, July 31st, 2022פרשת דברים / ג’ באב תשפ”ב As we begin the Book of Deuteronomy, we see that Moses goes over those commandments that the Jews will have to carry out once they arrive in the Land of Israel. Up until now these commandments were taught in theory. Now they will have to be carried out in […]
Obligations Not Rights
Thursday, July 28th, 2022פרשת מטות-מסעי / כ”ט בתמוז תשפ”ב In this week’s portion the tribes of Reuben and Gad express a desire to settle east of the Jordan. Moses gives them permission provided that they remember their obligation to help in conquering the land. That it is not just about them but the whole of the people. Share […]
The Importance of Good Neighbors
Wednesday, July 27th, 2022פרשת מטות-מסעי / כ”ח בתמוז תשפ”ב In this week’s portion the Jews receive the command to expel the Canaanites from the Land of Israel. The reason is that they are considered to be bad people and their influence on the Jews would lead the Jews to sin. Share on Facebook
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