Shavuot Yizkor: We Are Never Finished (delivered by Rabbi J.B. Sacks on June 13, 2024) Q: Why couldn’t the prisoner stop talking? A: He couldn’t finish his sentence. I had a clock for lunch earlier. I couldn’t finish it, it was time consuming. My therapist told me the way to achieve inner […]
Parashat Emor: Counting–The Omer, Singing Competitions, and Confidence in College Presidents (delivered by Rabbi J.B. Sacks on May 18, 2024) We are in the midst of the period of the counting of the Omer, which helps us tie the Passover holy days with their reminder of our getting out of Egypt and oppression to Shavuot, […]
Parashat Emor: When One Struggles to Celebrate (delivered by Rabbi J.B. Sacks on 5/17/24) While tomorrow’s reading contains one of the Torah’s discussions of holidays and instructions for their observances, rabbinic literature provides guidance for their observance in the context of the complexities of the participants’ lives, even those who might be struggling to celebrate. […]
Parashat Sh’mini: A Midrash on Moses and Aaron (Torah study led by Rabbi J.B. Sacks on April 6, 2024) Leviticus 10:20 וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַיִּיטַ֖ב בְּעֵינָֽיו׃ When Moses heard this, he approved BT Z’vachim 101b (= Sifra, Sh’mini, 2:12) “וייטב בעיניו”–הוֹדָה וְלֹא בוֹשׁ לוֹמַר לֹא שָׁמַעְתִּי (זבחים ק”א): AND IT WAS PLEASING IN HIS […]
Parashat Ki Tisa: Aaron’s Way (and Moses’ Way) of Conflict Resolution (A d’var Torah delivered by Rabbi J.B. Sacks on March 1, 2024) What do you think is the best way to get two people in a conflict to be reconciled with each other? We learn of our ancestor Aaron’s method in the rabbinic work […]
Parashat Yitro: Be Prepared (A Torah study led by Rabbi J.B. Sacks on Saturday, February 3, 2024) We read the Ten Commandments today. There is so much to say, so much to unpack, so much to explore. Time, however, does not permit that. So let’s focus on the Shabbat commandment. Here it begins by commanding […]
Parashat Vayera: Solidarity with Israel Shabbat (A Torah study led by Rabbi J.B. Sacks, November 4, 2023) Now more than ever, in the wake of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel and in the midst of a war that may be protracted and one that we hope will not escalate into something more […]
Yom Kippur: The Power of Postcards (delivered by Rabbi J.B. Sacks on September 25, 2023) American poet Elaine Equi[1] speaks of her relationship to postcards: “The postcard is sacred to me. It makes me sad that no one sends them very much anymore because of email and texting. I still like to buy them, but […]
Kol Nidre–Three Times: Listening & Being Heard (delivered by Rabbi Sacks on September 24, 2023) Kol Nidre draws us in, with its haunting melody, its historical and mythic associations, its solemn and dramatic ritual setting, and its strategic location leading us into the Yom Kippur fast. This year, as I meditated in preparation, I pondered […]
ROSH HASHANAH SECOND DAY: T’FILLAH, T’SHUVAH, ACTION! (Torah discussion led by Rabbi J.B. Sacks) Introduction to Study/Exploration Our custom here at Am HaYam is to begin the year by studying together on Second Day Rosh HaShanah. In general, I try to place before us three texts that come from three different places, even three different […]