Rabbi Guzik - A Bisl Torah

Who saw the butterflies?   This past week, almost a billion butterflies migrated through Southern California on their way up the coast. The “Painted Ladies” flew through the air, catching the eye of adults and children alike. Over and over...

An educator recently asked a group of Sinai Temple congregants, “This past week, when did you find a moment in which you felt the strength of community?” Each person answered with a different, poignant, positive response. One of the participants...

Who sees you?   When a caterpillar sheds its cocoon in becoming a butterfly, there is a feeling of release, an exultation of being free. No longer shielded by the cocoon, we admire the raw beauty of the butterfly and...

What is true wisdom?   Last week, our Torah explained that those selected to build the Tabernacle should be chachmei-lev, wise of heart. Not artistic. Not crafty. Not even mathematical or punctilious with detail. Wise of heart.    Rabbi Chaim...

Our flight home from Florida to Los Angeles was filled with bumps and the kind of drops that caused my stomach to flip more than once. I asked the flight attendance how she felt and she said this flight was...

I had the pleasure of attending the Women’s Guild Symposium with Women’s Guild Cedars-Sinai. Dr. Wendy Walsh, a psychologist and analyst of human behavior most notably regarding aspects of love, explained that we need to diversify our emotional portfolio. Meaning,...

Perhaps the greatest mystery of all is the capacity of the human heart. My father in law, Rabbi Charles Sherman invited Officer Steven McDonald, zichrono livracha to his congregation for Selichot services. Officer McDonald would share his life-altering story: He...

When does a miracle take place? Identifying a miracle is tricky business. How does one define a miracle? Definitions include a surprising occurrence that has divine agency or an improbable, unexplainable event that is both welcoming and wondrous. But I...

Imagine the scene: Moses is standing on the precipice, the cliff overlooking the Sea of Reeds. He is frightened and can’t imagine what the future holds. But he sees the armies of Pharaoh behind him and the water below. Seemingly...

Carefully ponder the question. When you think about the beating, pulsating muscle within your body, would you describe your heart as giving? Open? Guarded? Closed? Is your heart filled with mercy and compassion or anger and spite? Pause for a...