Yishar Koah! A D’var Torah for Parashat Ki Tissa By Rabbi Rob Scheinberg Among the various words and phrases you’re likely to hear in a synagogue is the phrase “Yishar koah,” sometimes pronounced as “Yashar koah” or “Yeshar koah” or even abbreviated to “Sh’koyah!” Since Talmudic times, this phrase has been a way to express praise for an achievement, even an extremely minor achievement. “Yishar” comes from the root “y.sh.r.”, meaning “upright” or “aligned,” and “koah” means “strength” or “force.” The phrase itself can be translated in a few different ways; it could be a prayer or good wish for the future, “may your strength be upright,” or it could be a complimentary statement of fact, “your strength is upright” or “your force is aligned.” Read More >

Did we miss a spot? As Moses receives instructions for the making of items for the Mishkan, the text moves from describing the wardrobe of the priests to the ritual of installing the priests in their sacred roles. It is a ritual of purification that begins with sacrificial animals and bread, clothing the priests in their sacred vestments, and then their purification, including: “…Slaughter the ram and take some of its blood and put it on the ridge of Aaron’s right ear and on the ridges of his sons’ right ears, and on the thumbs of their right hand, and on the big toes of their right feet.” (Ex. 29:20) Ear… Thumb… Big toe? It is probably due to my current grandparenting responsibilities that, as I Read More >

A D’var Torah for Parashat Terumah When someone talks about a sanctuary, what comes to mind? If one uses that term for a house of worship, then images of clergy might enter one’s mind, with an Aron Kodesh, an ark containing the Torah scrolls, and the bimah with stands for the clergy to lead a prayer service. Maybe some stained glass. Definitely a window or two. The sanctuary can be large and formal --think of Temple Emmanuel in New York City.  Or it can be small, informal and intimate such as a neighborhood shtiebel, and anywhere in between. They are places for Jewish prayer, where individuals try to get closer to God, and to each other, in prayer and song. The term sanctuary first came into our lexicon with this week’s Torah portion, Terumah. But that Read More >

Promises, Promises A D’var Torah for Parashat Mishpatim By Rabbi Greg Schindler (AJR '09) While last week’s Torah portion is so famous that they made a movie about it (something with Charlton Heston), this week’s parsha - Mishpatim or “Laws” - has a very different flavor. This week, we get - count ‘em - 53 different laws on a vast array of topics. They include the treatment of servants, betrothal of handmaidens, insults, injuries, theft, loans, false witnesses, bribery, return of lost animals, land usage, festivals and many more. Then, after 80-something verses of laws, we get the following line (Exod 23:18-20 ): https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.23.18-20?lang=bi&aliyot=0- “I am going to send an angel before you to protect you on the way, and to bring you to the place that I have designated.” Wait…what?! You’re sending Read More >