Daily Kavanah – Wednesday, August 24, 2022
As Rabbi Stern alluded to on Monday, our tradition understands that life—and the calendar—is filled with new beginnings; in fact, the rabbis of [...]
Daily Kavanah – Tuesday, August 23, 2022
The Very Beginning – And New Beginnings The first words of the Torah are, “In the beginning God created the heavens and [...]
Daily Kavanah – Monday, August 22, 2022
Thousands of years ago, the sage Rabbi Ishmael famously said: כל התחלות קשות … “All beginnings are difficult.” In his context, the venerable [...]
Daily Kavanah – Friday, August 19, 2022
This Shabbat includes a special blessing announcing the new moon: the Hebrew month of Elul begins next week. We will be including special messages [...]
Daily Kavanah – Thursday, August 18, 2022
אָ֣ז יָשִֽׁיר־מֹשֶׁה֩ וּבְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־הַשִּׁירָ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔הֹ "Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to God." —Exodus 15:1 Our [...]
Daily Kavanah – Wednesday, August 17, 2022
A young student once asked Rabbi Hillel to teach them all of Torah while standing on one foot. Hillel responded plainly: "What [...]
Daily Kavanah – Tuesday, August 16, 2022
Two weeks ago, a young woman attended Shabbat services by herself. As I rehearsed music just beforehand, I noticed her looking around [...]
Daily Kavanah – Monday, August 15, 2022
At the time when one should be joyous, be joyous; when it is time to mourn, mourn(Midrash Genesis Rabbah 2:7)August is a month [...]
Daily Kavanah – Friday, August 12, 2022
Today is Tu B'av (the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Av), also known as the "Jewish Valentine's Day." According to the Talmud, Tu [...]
Daily Kavanah – Thursday, August 11, 2022
Tonight marks the beginning of Tu B’Av, the 15th day of the month of Av. Unlike Tisha B'Av—a day of solemn mourning [...]