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“Circle, Arrow, Spiral”: The Dynamics of Change and Acceptance in Teshuva
Change and acceptance are two different forces we confront on our journey of teshuva. They are opposite forces, each pulling in a different direction…
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Selichot: Peeling Away the Layers Over Our Hearts
As we enter the Yamim Noraim, the Days of Awe, the songs on our lips are the poignant words of the Selichot. For Sephardim, beginning on the first day of Elul and for Ashkenazim, at least four days before Rosh Hashana, generally beginning the Sunday before. Moshe ascended the mountain on Rosh Chodesh Elul and…
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Does Hashem Expect Us to Be Flawless?
The concept of perfection is something that anyone who engages in religion will grapple with. We are created in the image of Hashem, and Hashem is perfection. Hashem commands us to be holy. As Elul, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur approach, this is an important question, one which accompanies our preparations and choices for the…
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What Does Serving Hashem Out of Love Look Like?
There are several ways to cultivate a love for Hashem…
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Navigating the Paradoxes of Teshuva
In this article, we will delve into two different instances of seemingly paradoxical elements within the concept of teshuva, as explained by Rav Steinsaltz. We will discover that teshuva involves balancing different elements, where these contrasting aspects work together to create a complete and cohesive process. Teshuva: Embracing the Challenge, Igniting the Change Rav Steinsaltz…
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Elul: The Mazal of the Betula
As months go, Elul falls between a rock and a hard place. It has a big job to do as it follows Av, a month where we are told to decrease in our happiness, and precedes Tishrei, the beginning of the year. We have just been deeply involved in intense feelings of loss relating to…
