Anyone familiar with the art of Cathedrals and Churches in Europe will know that someone called Melchizedek figures prominently. Who was he? After rescuing Lot from captivity, “Malchizedek” (note the difference between Malchi and Melchi) king of Shalem, brought out bread and wine. He was a priest to God on High and he blessed Abraham who then gave him a tenth…
General Topics
The Rainbow and Halloween
After Noah’s flood, God gave the rainbow as a sign that never again would humanity be destroyed because of its failings. To this day, there is a blessing of thanksgiving on seeing a rainbow “Who remembers and keeps His covenant and fulfills his promise” (Brachot 59a). In medieval times there was a debate about whether the rainbow was a new creation…
Angela Buxton and Althea Gibson
In my youth, Angela Buxton was the darling of the Anglo Jewish sporting scene. She was the most successful Jewish, and indeed British tennis player of the 1950s. In 1956 she reached the singles final at Wimbledon, the first Briton to do so in 17 years. She won two grand slam victories in the Doubles at Wimbledon and Roland Garros in Paris,…
Adam and Eve
It is Adam and Eve time again in the annual Torah reading cycle. It always reminds me of Sin! Original Sin! What unpleasant words. What awful baggage. I won’t deny that many human beings do horrible things and qualify as sinners. Still, the word sin in English a very negative one. I really dislike the English word, much more than…
The error of piety
One of the most disturbing features of the pandemic has been the behavior of huge swathes of the Charedi community across the globe. There have thank goodness, been exceptions. Rabbis of significant standing who have insisted their communities obey the laws of the land and limit public gatherings and services even at a cost to religious observance. But there are…
Sucot and the World
Rituals, laws, and customs exist to reinforce the fact that ideas are all very well, but we need actions to bring about change within ourselves and the world at large. We are individual organisms that think and feel. But we are not alone. The family, the Mishpacha, is crucial and often emphasized in the Torah. It provides love, support, protection, nurturing, and…