In my fourteen years of practicing as a rabbi I have been asked numerous times to offer counsel and support to couples in failing marriages. Despite the fact that it takes two to tango, often the breakdown of a marriage is more the fault of one party than the other….
Category: Relationships
On Being A Mentch
In this weeks Torah portion we read a sequence of three seemingly random and unrelated verses. Firstly it states, ‘If a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not wrong him. But the stranger who dwells with you shall be to you as one born among you, and…
On Being A Mentch
In this weeks Torah portion we read a sequence of three seemingly random and unrelated verses. Firstly it states, ‘If a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not wrong him. But the stranger who dwells with you shall be to you as one born among you, and…
Three Steps of Conflict Resolution
Most of us experience minor ego struggles on an almost daily basis. In conversation we often find ourselves disagreeing although deep down we acknowledge that our interlocutor has made a salient point. For some reason we are resistant to their argument_when this happens one can be sure that the ego…
Everyone is Vital to the Community
In the Torah portion this week we read about how the tabernacle was actually built. It is indeed inspiring the way the Torah describes how every one, men and women alike, took pride in the building of their communal centre and place of worship. The children of Israel donated their…
Learn to listen
This week National Public Radio in the United States did a story about how Israel may be heading towards serious civil strife between the Right and the Left. The story quoted professor of political science at Hebrew University Gadi Wolfsfeld, who blamed Netanyahu for potential violence saying, “Once again, he…
Conflict Amongst Us Is Never Necessary
We tend to focus on conflicts with external forces and avoid dealing with our own internal struggles. We do this as individuals, as communities and as nations. We would much rather focus on a feud with another person than deal with our own demons. We seem to forget about the…
Make A Real Relationship
Life is all about relationships. We have work-related relationships, we have acquaintances, we have friendships, familial and intimate relationships. Maimonides, one of Judaism’s greatest scholars, wrote that man is a social animal. We have no choice but to interrelate with other people. It is relationships with others that allow us…
Love at First Sight: Does It Exists?
My friend David seemed very excited. “Rabbi,” he said to me, “I need you to help me.” Without skipping a beat he continued, “I met my Bashert (preordained soul mate) last night and I want to make a blessing: tell me the correct one to say.” He proceeded to tell…
Saying, I am sorry
The Law of a thief is discussed at the end of this week’s Torah portion: ‘He shall return the robbed item that he robbedÂ. or anything about which he had sworn falsely _ he shall repay (its principle) the value of the stolen item adding (its fifth) a fifth of…