Teruma – Finding Our Purpose in Life
Whatever happened to Betzalel? The Talmud tells a story. Rabbi Tarphon was ill and his very important friends, Rabbi Akiva, Rabban Gamliel and others, came to visit. They met his mother at the door crying. She pleaded with the Tzaddikim to “please pray for her son...
What happened to Moshe’s Children?
There is an interesting story told in the Book of Judges, Chapter 17. Someone by the name of Michiyahu founded an idolatrous cult. He had an idol and built a temple for this purpose. He sought someone with leadership qualities, charisma and spirituality to lead his...
Don’t Sleep There!
Imagine going to sleep and having the most spectacular dream humanly possible. Yaacov dreamt of a ladder standing with its feet planted firmly in the ground extending deep into the heavens. This became the trademark for spirituality. On it walked Angels of G-d. They...
Do Your Thing!
Something occurred to me today. Why are we all different? Why do we all have different talents, natural skills and different likings? The answer is because we all have a different contribution to make. It is our unique abilities that define the contribution we need to...
Noah and Abraham
Abraham saved the world Noah saved himself. Although Noah was a righteous man and did whatever G-d told him to do, Noah’s silence was deafening. As far as we can know, all the years of Noah he didn’t say a word! G-d told him to build a boat – he built a boat. G-d told...
Noah and Abraham
Abraham saved the world Noah saved himself. Although Noah was a righteous man and did whatever G-d told him to do, Noah’s silence was deafening. As far as we can know, all the years of Noah he didn’t say a word! G-d told him to build a boat – he built a boat. G-d told...
Rainbow -Beautiful or a Curse?
The rainbow symbolizes peace because it demonstrates how so many can become one. It symbolizes curse because it shows how one can be divided into so many. Noach and his family emerged from their ark and saw a rainbow. The rainbow represented a covenant of peace...
Where Do You Stand
The following drasha was given at the Saranac Synagogue in Buffalo on Shabbat Vayera, 5748 (1987), and transcribed from memory by Jeffery Zucker. The Torah relates a heart-rending story. Abraham evicts Hagar and his son Ishmael from his house. He supplies them with...
Vayeira 5761 / 2000 (Jerom Haber)
Friday is my busiest day, especially since we changed the clock. Last Friday I received a call from someone who needed to talk. It was a stranger who had been recommended to me by a local therapist. I suggested some possible times for a meeting - Saturday night,...
