Michael Barclay
Memorial Day is a Jewish Holiday Too
In the 1890s, Mark Twain wrote an article about how Jews did not serve in the military of the United States.
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Michael Barclay
- Sep 23, 2022
Netzavim: Holy Thresholds
“You stand this day, all of you, before the LORD your God—your tribal heads, your elders and your officials, all the men of Israel...
Michael Barclay
- Sep 16, 2022
Ki Tavo - Honoring the Past and Entering the Future
This week’s Torah portion of Ki Tavo (Deut. 26:1-29:8) teaches us how we are to enter the Promised Land....
Michael Barclay
- Sep 8, 2022
Ki Teitzei - The Ethics of War
Every Shavuot, we read from Tikkun Leil Shavuot, a holy text that includes among other readings the first and last lines of every Torah....
Michael Barclay
- Sep 2, 2022
Shoftim - Pursuing True Justice
Have you ever wondered how it can be true that “two Jews equals three opinions, four rabbis, and five synagogues”?
Michael Barclay
- Aug 4, 2022
Devarim: Darkness Will Become Light
This week’s portion is the beginning of the Book of Deuteronomy, which is always read immediately prior to the holiday of Tisha B’Av…
Michael Barclay
- Jul 21, 2022
Pinchas, Passion, and a Hope for the Future
This week’s Torah reading of Pinchas (Num. 25:10-30:1) begins with a teaching about a value that is not only a requirement for Jewish....
Michael Barclay
- Jul 14, 2022
Torah Talk - Balak: Selling Curses and Buying Blessings
This week’s Torah portion of Balak (Num. 22:2-25:9) is in some ways one of the most fun and outrageous readings in the Torah...
Michael Barclay
- Jul 13, 2022
Jewish institutions must not give up their Jewish names
"Diversity is not about making everybody the same, but about creating a rainbow of different traditions and cultures".
Michael Barclay
- Jun 16, 2022
Beha'alotecha: The Power of Words...
Wherever we go in today’s society, we are bombarded by ads about what we should and should not be putting in our mouths.
Michael Barclay
- Jun 9, 2022
Nasso: Fathers & Sons
My life changed when my sons were born. When I heard the mohel call their names, I heard myself called as the father to sons rather than ...
Michael Barclay
- May 19, 2022
Behar: Resting for Success
This week’s Torah portion of Behar (Lev. 25:1-26:2) focuses almost entirely on the importance of the Sabbath.
Michael Barclay
- Apr 14, 2022
A Holy Passover
As we prepare for the Passover Seder, it is easy to learn so many hidden secrets and Kabbalistic understandings that we lose track of...
Michael Barclay
- Apr 7, 2022
Shabbat HaGadol: A Time of Faith, Action, and Community
The Shabbat immediately preceding Passover is called “Shabbat HaGadol”, “the big Sabbath”.
Michael Barclay
- Mar 31, 2022
Tazria: The Leprosy of Gossip
“Life and Death are in the Hands of the Tongue” (Proverbs 18:21)
Michael Barclay
- Mar 24, 2022
Shemini: We Are What We Eat
I once heard an eager student ask Rabbi Ronnie Serr how he should go about becoming more observant.
Michael Barclay
- Mar 10, 2022
VaYikra - To Answer the Call
This week’s Torah reading are the first chapters of the Book of Leviticus…
Michael Barclay
- Mar 3, 2022
Pekudei: Eternal Change Through Physical Shifts
In this final reading in the Book of Exodus, there are two important biblical concepts that are as important today as they were over 3000...
Michael Barclay
- Feb 25, 2022
Vayakhel: Building a Holy Community on Individual Effort
“Do not regard anyone with contempt, and do not reject anything, for there is no man who does not have his hour and nothing which does...
Michael Barclay
- Feb 17, 2022
Ki Tisa: Stepping Towards Forgiveness
Idolatry. Sexual immorality. Murder. The description of the events of the Golden Calf in this week’s portion sound like the outline for...
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