Parsha with Rabbi David Bibi

  This week we read the Akeydah. The Akeydah or binding of Isaac is something so important to us that we recall it in detail in our daily prayers. We also recall it specifically on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur to protect, defend and stand in merit for us.      The story we think we know: Hashem tells Abraham to take Yishak as an offering. They go together to the mount. Abraham b...

We read this week the portion of VaYera. Like lech lecha it is packed with stories and action.  Avraham experienced both humility and triumph this week. After receiving the extraordinary news of a child with Sarah, he faced disturbing news: Hashem planned to destroy Sodom. Despite its values opposing Avraham's teachings – kindness vs. selfishness, faith vs. heresy – Avraham didn't rejoice in...

  Life is filled with crossroads. When we come to these crossroads, do we imagine that when choosing left or right, even if the two paths veer only slightly differently from one another, do we realize that as we continue in a direction, our choices eventually bring us to totally different places.   Think about the crossroads of your own life ?   Do I go to this School or that  ...

For those who can join us today, we will discuss Yom Kippur on Shabbat , the neshama yetera or expansion of our soul on Shabbat and on “the Sabbath of Sabbaths” Yom Kippur. Our upper and lower souls before and after death and how they connect, and how this year with Shabbat and Kippur joining forces we have a tremendous ability to connect below to above bringing blessings and light to our souls fo...

Notes available in PDF form 

In my class this week posted online, we spoke about joy and Rosh Hashana. A friend of mine found this class we gave 11 years ago at the beach where we present some great ideas on bringing joy into the holiday. I hope you will find it interesting 

  We Learn from the Fruit of the Earth to Reinvent Ourselves in the Month of Elul so that We Will Be New Creatures at Rosh HaShanah   Based on Shvilei Pinchas – Rav Pinchas Friedman      I can start with the story   Can a person be reborn?   Last night Chantelle took me along to an Emunah Dinner. I say Chantelle took me because if she didn’t make me come out, I w...

  חַת אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹא־עָבַ֙דְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּשִׂמְחָ֖ה וּבְט֣וּב לֵבָ֑ב מֵרֹ֖ב כֹּֽל׃   Because you would not serve your God יהוה in joy and gladness over the abundance of everything, https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.28.47     עִבְד֣וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה בְּשִׂמְחָ֑ה בֹּ֥אוּ לְ֝פָנָ֗יו בִּרְנָנָֽה׃   worship the LORD in gladness;come into His presence with shouts...

הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ (ונשוב) [וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה] חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃ Take us back, O LORD, to Yourself,And let us come back;Renew our days as of old! https://www.sefaria.org/Lamentations.5.21 לְמִימֵ֨י אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֜ם סַרְתֶּ֤ם מֵֽחֻקַּי֙ וְלֹ֣א שְׁמַרְתֶּ֔ם שׁ֤וּבוּ אֵלַי֙ וְאָשׁ֣וּבָה אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם בַּמֶּ֥ה נָשֽׁוּב׃ From the very days of your...

Understanding the difference between Shofet and Dayan based on the Zohar HaKadosh 

לֹא־תַטֶּ֣ה מִשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹ֥א תַכִּ֖יר פָּנִ֑ים וְלֹא־תִקַּ֣ח שֹׁ֔חַד כִּ֣י הַשֹּׁ֗חַד יְעַוֵּר֙ עֵינֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽם׃ You shall not judge unfairly: you shall show no partiality; you shall not take bribes, for bribes blind the eyes of the discerning and upset the plea of the just.  Compare to shemot - There the warming continues not to oppress the stranger because...

The Torah clearly allows the consumption of meat, albeit with a few caveats. The Torah states  כִּֽי־יַרְחִיב֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֥יךָ אֶֽת־גְּבֻלְךָ֮ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּר־לָךְ֒ וְאָמַרְתָּ֙ אֹכְלָ֣ה בָשָׂ֔ר כִּֽי־תְאַוֶּ֥ה נַפְשְׁךָ֖ לֶאֱכֹ֣ל בָּשָׂ֑ר בְּכׇל־אַוַּ֥ת נַפְשְׁךָ֖ תֹּאכַ֥ל בָּשָֽׂר׃ When יהוה enlarges your territory, as promised, and you say, “I shall eat some meat,” for you have the...