GK Chesterton was an extremely prolific author of over 80 books, and a highly influential Christian thinker. His best books are demanding and chewy. He died in 1936; while he had a profound influence on another Christian author, CS Lewis (author of the Narnia series), my suspicion is that Chesterton is not widely read anymore.
The power of fire in our Jewish faith has been evident since the beginning of the Torah. Heat changes things. It leaves a mark. This week, the words of our ancient text require us to embrace fire as a mechanism for change and remind us how we might harness that fire for good.
Recording from Shabbat Services, July 27, 2019 D’var from Saturday, July 27, 2019 – Rabbi David Kosak *If you would like to download the recording and listen later, right click on the link then click “Save as” and it will save onto your computer for later listening. Recorded and edited by Ed Kraus. Click here for an archive of past recordings
At 4:37 am this morning, Portland Police responded to a report of an assault in the 400 block of Northwest 13th Avenue. A woman who had been sleeping on the street was attacked by a man, who then fled the scene. She was hospitalized.
So much of what we do in the world is tied to where we’ve come from. Whatever legacy we have to leave, we have an identity that shapes us and tells our story, and the Torah this week reminds us that that story is worth fighting for.
Recording from Shabbat Services, July 20, 2019 D’var from Saturday, July 20, 2019 – Rabbi David Kosak *If you would like to download the recording and listen later, right click on the link then click “Save as” and it will save onto your computer for later listening. Recorded and edited by Ed Kraus. Click here for an archive of past recordings
Earlier this week, Lisa Richmond and I were doing some synagogue business on the phone when another call came in. I thought I recognized the number, but it turned out to be just another annoying robocall. In a moment of frustration, I texted her, “I know Congress can’t seem to address the big issues of the day. But could they at least give us some protection against these Robocalls?”
