Jewish Texts

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Private Feelings, Public Consequences

The activities for which people are cursed by God directly are those committed in secret.

Self-Deception

Before the Children of Israel enter the land, Moses cautions them against self-deception, an appropriate warning for the High Holidays as well.

It’s The Joy, Not The Oy

Our religious and spiritual experiences of serving God should be joyful and uplifting.

History And Memory

The ritual of the first fruits provides an example of the tension surrounding forgetting and remembering crises and miracles in our history.

Zionism And First Fruits

The speech that farmers recited when bringing their first fruits to the Temple articulates the Zionist message.

Law, Not Love, Is The Opposite Of Hate

Law is essential to Judaism, establishing an external set of moral guidelines.

To Be Holy For God You Have To Be Wholly For God

The commandment to be wholehearted with God requires us to devote our entire beings sincerely to God.

Child Laborers: The Torah Will Not Let Us Rest Until They Do

Our society is judged on the basis of how we treat our most vulnerable members.

All Is Not Fair In Love And War

By linking the incident of the female prisoner of war to the hated wife and rebellious child, Rashi encourages us to consider the consequences of treating others as objects.

Justice And Communal Responsibility

The instructions to pursue justice and practice communal responsibility should motivate us to constantly improve our efforts to alleviate the crises that affect our people.

Communal Cohesion

The second paragraph of the Shema teaches us the importance of the communal observance of Judaism.

Gentle Rebuke Can Lead To Return

Moses' sensitive rebuke of the Israelites teaches us that we can always return and renew our relationship with God and religion.

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