We often don’t assess well the results of our decisions. Being short-sighted is a problem which can lead to long term disastrous consequences. Perhaps that is a lesson to be learned from the destruction of the two Batei Mikdash that occurred on Tisha B’av.
From the Dugout to the Shabbat Table: Joe Kinsky’s story For nearly a decade, Joe Kinsky lived the dream. After growing up in Denver, he left home to play college baseball in California and Oregon before earning the opportunity to play professionally. His career took him through the Pioneer League,…
The end of sefer Bamidbar concludes that these are the mitzvos that were conveyed to the people ‘in the hand of Moshe’ whereas the conclusion of the previous sefer Vayikra ends that these are the mitzvos that were transmitted to Moshe. Why is there a variation of the language between…
Finding Our Place: Becci Weiss’s Story When Becci first considered becoming a single mother by choice, she assumed she would have to make a difficult compromise. She had always been drawn to traditional Jewish life. The values, the rituals, and the sense of history and purpose all resonated deeply with…
Today’s Jewish Joke of the Day comes again from our friend Sal Litvak, The Accidental Talmudist; Lost in the Mall: Max and Ruthie go to the biggest mall in America. After shopping all day, Ruthie realizes she’s lost track of her husband. She searches all over but can’t find him…
Pinchas killed a prince of the nation who was intimately involved with a non-Jewish princess from Midian. Certainly, one would praise such an act of bravery ignoring the status of the person involved and instead protecting the nation from experiencing within its midst such a travesty. However, just the opposite…
Some of the most meaningful conversations begin with a simple question… and a room full of people willing to listen. Thank you to everyone who joined us this week for Clean Speech Dialogues. Together, we explored challenging ideas with honesty, curiosity, and respect, proving that meaningful dialogue is still possible.…
Jewish Joke of the Week: The Symphony Years ago, a symphony orchestra was performing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. If you’ve ever heard it, you may know there’s a long stretch where the bass players don’t have a single note to play. They simply sit there for nearly twenty minutes.
The episode of Moshe hitting the rock instead of speaking to it is quite puzzling. It seems as though the punishment does not fit the crime. Although as the Midrash states if Moshe would have spoken to the rock the nation would have clearly perceived the greatness and magnitude of…
“The Wandering Jew Who Finally Found Home” For years, Beth called herself “the wandering Jew.” She wasn’t wandering away from Judaism. Quite the opposite. She was searching for a place where it finally felt like she belonged. A Denver native, Beth says she “always felt deeply connected to Hashem.” She…
From a Shabbat under the stars to an inspiring evening with one of the Jewish business world’s most accomplished leaders, it’s been another memorable week at TJE. Take a look back at Camp Shabbat, where music, laughter, delicious food, and meaningful connections made for a truly unforgettable evening. We’ve also…
A man finally gave in and bought one of those fancy smart refrigerators. The salesman promised, “It tracks your groceries, reminds you when you’re low on food, and helps organize your shopping.” A week later, his phone buzzed. Your refrigerator has a message. “You’re out of milk.”
The episode of Korach dampened the prestige of the Kohanim. Perhaps after Korach challenged Moshe’s authority to bestow upon Ahron and his children the opportunity and obligation to serve in the Mishkan and later in the Beis Hamikdash the nation would not respect them.
Jewish Joke of the Week: Dog For Sale A man sees a sign in front of a house: “Talking Dog For Sale. $10.” He thinks, “No way,” so he knocks on the door. The owner says, “Dog’s in the backyard.” The man goes out back. “Can you really talk?” he…
Rav Moshe Feinstein, the supreme halachic decider of the previous generation asks why the parsha of Tzitzis begins on a different note then most of the mitzvos presented in the Torah. Usually, the introduction of a mitzvah is with the words “And Hashem spoke” whereas when Moshe relays the mitzvah…
This week’s joke comes courtesy of the fabulous Sal Litvak, whom we recently had the pleasure of hosting for Shabbat. Many of you know Sal as “The Accidental Talmudist,” where he shares wisdom, inspiration, and plenty of great Jewish humor. Here’s a fun one from Sal: The Secret To Long…
Some moments are too meaningful to photograph. Thankfully, they aren’t too meaningful to remember. What a beautiful evening of great food, meaningful conversation, and inspiring Torah.
When the people were offering the Pesach sacrifice there were those that were defiled after having been in contact with corpses. They came to Moshe and exclaimed that they wanted desperately to bring the Pesach offering but were unable to due to their circumstances. Moshe did not respond to them…
Bernie had a complaint for everyone. “My back hurts.” “My knees hurt.” “I can’t sleep.” “The doctor doesn’t know what’s wrong.” After months of listening to this, his wife finally dragged him to a specialist. The specialist ordered every test imaginable.
The Mishkan was a highly celebrated event in the nation. It was the culmination of months of hard work after a very successful fundraising campaign that covered all the expenses necessary for its construction. The Torah compares its completion as that of a bride, a kallah, entering into the chupah,…
