This Sabbath is Shabbat Shuvah, when our spiritual efforts are focused on returning to Hashem. The Rambam’s Hilchot Teshuvah is one of the most celebrated works on teshuvah. Therein, he notes … more

How does the poet get started on the process of writing a poem, or the songwriter as he or sge sets about composing a song? Do they look at the environment and seek inspiration from things external? … more

With parashat Ha’azinu, we climb to one of the peaks of Jewish spirituality. For a month Moses had taught the people. He had told them their history and destiny, and the laws that would make … more

To those who fully open themselves to it, Yom Kippur is a life-transforming experience. It tells us that G-d, who created the universe in love and forgiveness, reaches out to us in love and … more

This column originally appeared in 2002. If we seek to understand what has made Judaism so remarkable a faith for so long, look at the biblical and prophetic readings for Rosh Hashana. The … more

Sometimes even the corniest of old jokes has a profound lesson to teach us. “How many psychologists does it take to change a light bulb?” In case you haven’t already heard … more

Every year on Rosh Hashana, we read of the expulsion of Yishmael (Avraham’s first son with his handmaiden Hagar), and the binding of Yitzchak. Both are stories of the sons of Avraham, and both … more

There is quite a bit of sadness attached to this Sabbath, the last of the year. Sure, we look forward to a new year with new blessings and new opportunities. But we cannot escape the fact that this … more

This Motzai Shabbat we begin the recitation of Selichot in order to prepare ourselves to meet the Master of the Universe on Rosh Hashana. As such, it is no mere metaphor that the initial pasukim of … more

The moment had come. Moses was about to die. He had seen his sister Miriam and brother Aaron pre-decease him. He had prayed to G-d — not to live forever, not even to live longer, but simply, … more