Rabbi Guzik - A Bisl Torah

When Rebecca sees Isaac, she slides off the camel, indicating her readiness for marriage. But it is when Isaac hears of Rebecca’s gracious acts, the Torah explains, Isaac falls in love. We’re accustomed to the idea of “love at first...

Abraham sits at the entrance of his tent, God appears and then, Abraham is compelled to look up. Three strangers approach, supposedly angels of God. Abraham runs towards them. However, later in the story, when Abraham is about to take...

When Abraham is told to journey to an unknown land, God tells him that in doing so, his name will be great. The Talmud explains this phrase through association. Abraham’s name will be great by being associated with God. The...

Our son’s Bar Mitzvah is around the corner. Many reflect about children’s additional responsibilities as they take on their new title. And while my son has done much reflecting over the past few months, I’m doing a lot of reflecting...

Our middle son turned 13 this week. Please send help—we now have two teenagers and a pre-teen ruling the house. This milestone invites reflection on how we prepare our children and almost (gulp) young adults to enter the world. The...

There is a story about the Duke of Mannheim asking Rabbi Tzvi of Berlin about the differences between Sukkot and Passover. He asked, “What is the reason we ask four questions on Passover and not on Sukkot? On Sukkot, you...

It feels counterintuitive. We spent Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur creating sacred sanctuary. Congregants wrapped in the warmth of tallitot and swaying to the nostalgic melodies of holiday prayers. Deep reflection and engagement in life’s most difficult questions. We wove...

We have grown accustomed to the guidance, “Live with no regrets.” But I’m not sure that is possible or even advisable. Throughout our personal and communal journeys, we disappoint, we hurt, we make mistakes. Sometimes, apologies are easy to extend,...

January is reserved for resolutions: Goals about lifestyle changes and resolving to do something different in the secular new year. Rosh Hashana is reserved for soulful transformation: Resolving to be something different in the Jewish new year. At the heart...

Humans are designed to fail, learn from our mistakes, and try again. There isn’t one perfect figure in the Torah. Abraham and Isaac were probably in a strange relationship after the almost sacrifice. Joseph and his brothers contain soap opera-worthy...