Oct 29, 2020The Weight of Gold — AbrahamWhen I helped guide a young Christian business associate through a spiritual crisis, little did we know that it would result in a life-altering book. The Weight of Gold brings out the Torah’s universal messages for personal growth and social justice, showing that the Torah is indeed the User’s Guide…Spiritual Growth7 min readSpiritual Growth7 min read
Oct 8, 2020The Weight of Gold — The Unbroken CircleMay God bless and keep you always, may your wishes all come true, May you always do for others and let others do for you. May you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung, May you stay forever young. – Bob Dylan, “Forever Young” Let us…Spiritual Growth7 min readSpiritual Growth7 min read
Sep 24, 2020The Weight of Gold — When the Mountain Meets the ManGreat things are done when men and mountains meet. – William Blake This week’s Torah portion is the penultimate in the yearly cycle. Last week, God instructed Moses to write a poem as an eternal reminder of Israel’s obligation to follow, serve, and obey God, and of the consequences for…Personal Growth5 min readPersonal Growth5 min read
Sep 10, 2020The Weight of Gold — Before the Great SabbathI expect to pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness or abilities that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again. …Self-awareness11 min readSelf-awareness11 min read
Sep 3, 2020The Weight of Gold — O, Taste and See!Remembering to Remember O taste and see…. – Psalms 34:8 This week’s Torah portion is fundamentally about remembering. Now, says Moses, “You have seen everything that God did before your eyes in Egypt, to Pharaoh and his servants and to all his land; the great trials that your eyes beheld…Self-awareness8 min readSelf-awareness8 min read
Aug 27, 2020The Weight of Gold — In The Greedy Mind of the BeholderAnd it was towards evening and David rose from his couch and strolled about the roof of the royal palace, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful. – II Samuel, 11:2 This week’s portion has numerous references to marriage and divorce, and…Self-awareness7 min readSelf-awareness7 min read
Aug 20, 2020The Weight of Gold — To See ClearlyIf the doors of perception were cleansed, every thing would appear to man as it is: Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro’ narrow chinks of his cavern. – Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell The textual point I want to consider in…Spiritual Growth4 min readSpiritual Growth4 min read
Aug 13, 2020The Weight of Gold — Learning to SeeAll that glitters is not gold. – Shakespeare, “Merchant of Venice” All that is gold does not glitter. – J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring The book of Deuteronomy is fundamentally different from the first four books of the Torah, offering a highly selective commentary on what has transpired…Spiritual Growth5 min readSpiritual Growth5 min read
Aug 6, 2020The Weight of Gold — The Readiness is AllAll things are in the hands of Heaven, save the fear of Heaven. – Talmud, Tractate Berachot The readiness is all. – Shakespeare, “Hamlet” Words, no less than humans, are communal beings. No less than ourselves, they draw their meaning from their environment, from the context in which they appear…Self-awareness6 min readSelf-awareness6 min read
Jul 30, 2020The Weight of Gold — Are You Listening?Parashat Va-etchanan Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God; the Lord is One. – Deuteronomy 6:4 Several times in this portion, the Israelites are exhorted to “hear,” notably, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God; the Lord is One” (Deut. 6:4). …Justice8 min readJustice8 min read
