Rabbi Brad's Blog

3 torah scrolls we read from today

3... this is very rare

One for the parsha of the week Pekude

One because it is Rosh Hodesh, the new month

And one because today is Shabbat Shekalim, the first of four special shabbatot leading up to Passover.

3 torah scrolls we read to today, as an expression of our simcha, our joy, because the month of Adar and Purim with all its joy is here.

What has surprised me most about being a parent is not the sleepless nights or the discovery that sucking on a pacifier should be added to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, what has surprised me most is a baby's utter capacity for Joy.

You can say a lot of things about our ancestor Moses. For instance, he had anger management issues (think killing the Egyptian taskmaster, smashing the Ten Commandments, or excessively striking rocks with his staff.) Perhaps he had trust issues (he is known as a reluctant prophet unwilling to trust God at the burning bush.) However, one thing you can never say about Moses is that he didn't keep a promise. Within the book of Exodus we hear of Moses running around Egypt making sure he gathered the bones of Joseph.