D'var from Saturday, September 3 - Rabbi David Kosak. Recorded and edited by Ed Kraus.
This Shabbat marks the start of Rosh Hodesh Elul, the beginning of the Hebrew month Elul. There are several ways that this is significant. First, the start of a new month in general is considered a small holiday; treating it as such really connects us to Jewish time and our national calendar.
There’s always that line in action movies when one character says, “We can do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way.” Is it just me, or is that parenting in a nutshell?
D'var from Saturday, August 27th - Rabbi David Kosak. Recorded and edited by Ed Kraus.
Laura and I were recently driving west on Beaverton Hillsdale Highway when we saw it. The old Pier One had relocated, and in its place was a Halloween store. It seemed so incongruous. The temperature was in the nineties and summer seemed reluctant to go. Or maybe I'm the one who is reluctant to let summer go. Regardless, in just a couple of months, kids will be trick or treating.
Like many children, when I was growing up I had a chore chart. I received monetary compensation for doing small jobs around the house like making my bed, getting the mail, and putting away my laundry. One special responsibility of mine was taking care of our family pet.
If you take a toy to the potty with you, there’s a chance it will fall in. The lessons that stick with us are the ones in which we can experience (and be reminded of) real consequences. This too is Torah.
