ב"ה
Yom Kippur 5768 - September 21, 2007
Judaism
Teshuvah: The Art of Return
Thirteen essays and stories that explore the what, why and how of of the most powerful force known to man--the power of self-transformation
Thirteen essays and stories that explore the what, why and how of of the most powerful force known to man--the power of self-transformation
The Best Kept Secret in the World
Strip life of its false starts, of its missed opportunities, naive presumptions, fumbling first attempts and learned-it-the hard-way experiences, and what's left? Nothing worth writing home about, let alone going through all that trouble to live a life...
Strip life of its false starts, of its missed opportunities, naive presumptions, fumbling first attempts and learned-it-the hard-way experiences, and what's left? Nothing worth writing home about, let alone going through all that trouble to live a life...
Where is Life's “Undo” Function?
I've said it many times and let me repeat: The Master of the Universe not only talks to Himself, He talks to figments of His holy imagination. Not only that, those figments of His holy imagination talk back to Him. And He listens...
I've said it many times and let me repeat: The Master of the Universe not only talks to Himself, He talks to figments of His holy imagination. Not only that, those figments of His holy imagination talk back to Him. And He listens...
Vistas
At a certain point we have lived long enough to see that every choice we made was made in ignorance.
At a certain point we have lived long enough to see that every choice we made was made in ignorance.
Voicemail
You will hear one long note, three short beeps, nine shorter beeps, and a long note. If you feel you reached us in error, this is the right place, for to err is human and to forgive is divine . . .
You will hear one long note, three short beeps, nine shorter beeps, and a long note. If you feel you reached us in error, this is the right place, for to err is human and to forgive is divine . . .
A Voice from Heaven
And the voice called to me from heaven. "Dovi," it said, in an oddly mechanical tone, "just where do you think you're going? Get back on the Hutchinson River Parkway right away!"
And the voice called to me from heaven. "Dovi," it said, in an oddly mechanical tone, "just where do you think you're going? Get back on the Hutchinson River Parkway right away!"
How to Change the Past
We are physical beings, and the laws of physics (at least as they stand now) dictate that time runs in one direction only. Yet for some reason, we just won't let go. We continue to feel responsible for what was, continue to regard our past as something that still "belongs" to us and which we can somehow "fix"
We are physical beings, and the laws of physics (at least as they stand now) dictate that time runs in one direction only. Yet for some reason, we just won't let go. We continue to feel responsible for what was, continue to regard our past as something that still "belongs" to us and which we can somehow "fix"
Forgiveness
"Jay," my friend wrote in his e-mail, "I don’t think you should go to shul and ask G-d for forgiveness. This Yom Kippur you should stay home, and G-d should beg you to forgive Him for what He's done to you"
"Jay," my friend wrote in his e-mail, "I don’t think you should go to shul and ask G-d for forgiveness. This Yom Kippur you should stay home, and G-d should beg you to forgive Him for what He's done to you"
The Tenth Jew
“By the sanction of the Almighty,” Rabbi Leib intoned, “and by the sanction of the congregation, . . . we declare it permissible to pray together with those who have sinned . . .”
“By the sanction of the Almighty,” Rabbi Leib intoned, “and by the sanction of the congregation, . . . we declare it permissible to pray together with those who have sinned . . .”
A Pound of Candles
The young prodigy overheard the exchange between the rabbi and the wagon driver. He could scarcely believe his ears. A pound of candles to atone for violating the holy Shabbat?
The young prodigy overheard the exchange between the rabbi and the wagon driver. He could scarcely believe his ears. A pound of candles to atone for violating the holy Shabbat?
A Tzaddik’s Repentance
When the two pupils approached, they saw their master sitting in the snow, weeping and praying. They hurriedly departed from that place.
When the two pupils approached, they saw their master sitting in the snow, weeping and praying. They hurriedly departed from that place.
Movement
"That was about the time of the beginning of the baal teshuvah movement," I said, remembering my arrival in Crown Heights in 1974. My guest bristled. "What do you mean, 'movement'?" he said. "I wasn’t part of any movement. I did this on my own."
"That was about the time of the beginning of the baal teshuvah movement," I said, remembering my arrival in Crown Heights in 1974. My guest bristled. "What do you mean, 'movement'?" he said. "I wasn’t part of any movement. I did this on my own."
The Damaged Diamond
Suddenly, the perfect, flawless diamond fell to the ground and became deeply scratched . . .
Suddenly, the perfect, flawless diamond fell to the ground and became deeply scratched . . .
The Jewish Woman
The Blame Game
The stress of the morning reached its crescendo, and I proceeded to lay down my royal flush of emotional cards in my epic battle to win the "blame game" with my husband...
The stress of the morning reached its crescendo, and I proceeded to lay down my royal flush of emotional cards in my epic battle to win the "blame game" with my husband...
Fasting Tips
Although the Jewish year is filled with wonderful holidays in abundance several times a year—six, to be precise—we fast. Some people find fasting quite arduous, so there are some pointers that can help ease the fast-related hunger pangs.
Although the Jewish year is filled with wonderful holidays in abundance several times a year—six, to be precise—we fast. Some people find fasting quite arduous, so there are some pointers that can help ease the fast-related hunger pangs.
Making Peace
Every Yom Kippur I thought of Aunt Arlene, but I did nothing. I decided to stay angry...
Every Yom Kippur I thought of Aunt Arlene, but I did nothing. I decided to stay angry...
News
Discovering a Proud Jew in a Prison’s Iron Cell
Jewish prisoners who spend the High Holidays behind bars are often forgotten. Rabbi Fishel Jacobs spent a career catering to this unseen population.
Jewish prisoners who spend the High Holidays behind bars are often forgotten. Rabbi Fishel Jacobs spent a career catering to this unseen population.
On Rosh Hashanah it is inscribed, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed: how many shall pass on, and how many shall be born; who shall live, and who shall die; who in his time, and who before his time; who by fire and who by water; who by sword and who by beast; who by hunger and who by thirst; who by storm and who by plague; who by choking and who by stoning... Who shall rest, and who shall wander; who shall be tranquil and who shall be harassed; who shall be at peace and who shall suffer; who shall become poor, and who shall become rich; who shall fall and who shall rise...
— High Holiday prayers
Print Magazine
It’s G-d’s world. Everything He gives is good, the sweetest good.
But it is often a good far too great for us to understand. We imagine it is not good, because that’s the only way to make sense of it with our small minds.
Yet the truth is, He gives us all the good we can handle. If we could take more, He would g...
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