This week, we read about the last three plagues to strike Egypt before our ancestors escaped the tyranny of Pharaoh. The ninth plague, was the plague of darkness. ”There was thick darkness over the entire land of Egypt for three days. No man could see his brother, nor could any person even rise from his [...]
Archive for the ‘Spirituality’ Category
Light in Darkness
Posted in Rabbi Andrew Jacobs, Ramat Shalom, Spirituality, Torah Study on January 27, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Kol Nidre Sermon: The Butterfly Effect
Posted in Rabbi Andrew Jacobs, Ramat Shalom, Spirituality, tagged butterfly effect, emotions, Global Consciousness Project, I Am, Random Number Generators, RNG, Tom Shadyac, yogurt experiment on October 9, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
We all know that 10 years ago, on September 11th, 2001, the world stood in horror as the United States was attacked by Al Qaeda. What you might now know is that our emotions on that dark day and the days that followed were picked up by scientists who were monitoring “random number generators” that [...]
Moses, Tommy Lasorda and G-d
Posted in Rabbi Andrew Jacobs, Ramat Shalom, Spirituality on August 27, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
As Moses prepares for the end of his life with the knowledge that he will not cross into Israel, he implores his people to remain connected to G-d once they enter the Promised Land: “Take care lest your forget the Lord, your G-d … and you build good houses and … you increase silver and [...]
Appreciating G-d’s Back
Posted in Rabbi Andrew Jacobs, Ramat Shalom, Spirituality on February 18, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
“You will see My back but My face shall not be seen.” Exodus 33:23 This verse is spoken by Gd to Moses after Moses begs Gd to “show me Your glory!” Moses desperately wants to see Gd, but all he gets is Gd’s back. There are moments in our lives when we would be happy [...]
When God Give You Olives….
Posted in Rabbi Andrew Jacobs, Ramat Shalom, Spirituality, Torah Study on February 11, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Today, when we talk about olive oil, we are usually talking about salad dressings or the health benefits of monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants. This Shabbat, however, when we read about olive oil in the Torah, we are reading about the fuel that was used to kindle the lamps in the ancient, desert sanctuary. According [...]
Moses and ‘American Idol’?
Posted in American Judaism, In the news, Personal Growth, Rabbi Andrew Jacobs, Ramat Shalom, Spirituality, Torah Study, tagged American Idol on February 2, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
So Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the ordinances, and all the people answered in unison and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.” Exodus 23:3 Last week, we read the Ten Commandments that were given to our ancestors by G-d at [...]
Did You Hear That?
Posted in Rabbi Andrew Jacobs, Ramat Shalom, Spirituality on January 21, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This Shabbat we read the story of Mt. Sinai – the great moment of revelation when Gd speaks to Moses and the Jewish people, teaching them the Ten Commandments. We are taught that, to this day, Gd’s voice continues to issue forth from Mt. Sinai – calling upon us all to live up to our [...]
A Terrible Week?
Posted in In the news, Rabbi Andrew Jacobs, Ramat Shalom, Spirituality on January 14, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
“The entire community of the children of Israel complained against Moses” Exodus 16:2 This has been a terrible week. We are all troubled by the murder and destruction in Arizona. The death of Debbie Friedman, a pioneer in Jewish music, has rocked the Jewish world. Personally, one of our dogs has been in the animal [...]
The Moon
Posted in Rabbi Andrew Jacobs, Ramat Shalom, Spirituality on January 7, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This month shall be to you the head of the months; to you it shall be the first of the months of the year. (Exodus 12:2) As we read the Torah this Shabbat, we read the story of Pesah – the story of our ancestors fleeing Egypt and beginning their long journey to Israel. As [...]
The Blessing of a Finite Life
Posted in Personal Growth, Rabbi Andrew Jacobs, Ramat Shalom, Spirituality, Torah Study on October 3, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Why were Adam and Eve banished from the Garden of Eden? Usually, the answer is: “because they ate from the Tree of Knowledge”. Indeed, the first humans did eat from this tree – a tree that God told the couple not to eat from. After being enticed by the serpent, Eve disobeys God and eats [...]
