Rabbi Menachem Mendl of Kotsk teaches that we call Shavuot zman matan Torateinu—the time of the giving of the Torah, to center the giving as a moment, an event that was. The giving, he teaches, was at Mount Sinai. The receiving, though, that is eternal and it is constant. Sinai was a moment; revelation is forever. To celebrate Torah, then, is to celebrate what can be—more than what is. It is to celebrate a world not yet known, and the world we can offer, a world the next generation may inherit. I am always moved by the story told of David Ben Gurion, who consulted his friend and advisor Yitzchak Tabenkin before making some crucial decision around the founding of the State of Israel. Tabenkin gave Ben-Gurion his counsel, and, impressed, Ben Gurion said: I like what you are saying—from whom did you seek advice?  “From two people,” answered Tabenkin. “From [...]

Vision looks inward and becomes duty, outward & becomes aspiration, upward and becomes faith. —Rabbi Stephen Wise Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav offers a similar teaching, offering that every human being reaches in three directions: inwards, to the self; outward, to others; and upward; to God. But the real secret, of his teaching and of Rabbi Wise’s, is of course that they are one. Only when we are grounded in ourselves can we truly connect to others, and when we truly connect with others⁠—we encounter the Divine. Shavuot begins tonight, the holiday in which we celebrate the moment of revelation at Sinai⁠—and the moments of revelations in our lives. We stood together at Sinai⁠—reaching outward, and yet each of us⁠—the rabbis teach⁠—heard our own message, reaching inward. And together, at Sinai and now, we continue to reach upwards⁠—to our best selves, and beyond that, to the Divine. —Rabbi Sari Laufer

Rabbi Shimon used to say: There are three crowns–the crown of the Torah, the crown of the priesthood, and the crown of kingship, but the crown of a good name surpasses them all. —Pirkei Avot 4:17 ​​​​​​​ Robin Arzon, one of my favorite Peloton instructors, always reminds her riders to “Straighten up and adjust your crowns,” referring to us all as royalty. But, what is the crown we wear? What is the sovereignty that grounds us? Today is day 48 of the Omer, the penultimate day. According to the kabbalists, the mystics, it is a day dedicated to yesod in malchut, foundation in nobility, in sovereignty. The work of the Omer is really the work of our lives⁠—to dig deep, and center ourselves in who we want to be, to ground ourselves in the very best version of ourselves⁠—and bring that self proudly into the world. Crown optional. —Rabbi Sari Laufer

Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement...get up in the morning and look at the world in a way that takes nothing for granted. Everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible; never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed.” ⁠— Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel For much of Jewish history, Tuesdays were considered a particular auspicious day to get married. Because we count our days from Shabbat, Tuesday is called Yom Shlishi, the third day⁠—and in the creation story, God repeats the phrase: “It was very good” twice on the third day. As some of you know, my kids and I have been offering morning blessings Sunday through Tuesday, and my 6 year old, in particular, is fond of giving out daily assignments. Look at the clouds, he will say, and tell me what shapes you see. Find something red or gold (Gryffindor colors, if  you are [...]