Your clothing can reveal a lot about where you work, the climate in which you live, and even your attitude on a particular day. And yes, this too is Torah.

Our world is filled with microcosms. Walk into a school or an office building, and you’ll observe a fully functioning miniature community with its own rules, operational procedures, and social norms. Airports are another example; I’m always awed by what it takes to operate the world of the airport, from the flight crews to the maintenance workers to the airport employees.

Giving freely of yourself to help others – it’s parenting AND Judaism in a nutshell.

The holiday of roses and candy hearts is a week away, and though Valentine’s Day got its start as a Christian liturgical celebration, this week’s Torah portion coincidently contains some interesting points about intimate relationships.

In parshat Mishpatim, the Israelites learn that accepting the commandments is a 24/7 job. I’ll bet you can guess what connection I’m drawing here.

Raising my “threenager” (though she won’t be three until September, I’m pretty sure this term applies), I am constantly straddling the line between coercion and freedom of choice. In some circumstances it’s totally acceptable for my daughter to have the final say.