Rabbi E in 3

The Jewish definition of strength has nothing to do with bench presses or push ups...though those might help someone get into shape, or at least develop some seriously bulging musculature! (Not that I, Rabbi E, would know...talk to me about treadmills, not barbells.) In Jewish ethical thought, "strength" is defined as the ability to control or check our potentially destructive and damaging impulse...

A great Jewish Sage, Rabbi Tarfon, summarized the Jewish view of life in a famous and evocative aphorism: "The day is short, the job is huge, and the workers are lazy; the pay is great and the Master is pressing." We have a huge job to do--elevating and rectifying ourselves AND the world--and the instructions to get it done (our Torah and its commandments), and Hashem wants us to do as much as we...

In traditional Jewish wisdom, every letter of the Hebrew alphabet corresponds to a number. Many profound insights can be derived through connecting words and verses in the Torah that share the same numerical value--a method of textual interpretation known as "gematria." Well, when I happened to notice that this would be my 32nd episode since first launching this podcast back in November of 2020, I...

The Jewish festival of Sukkot may be just about over...but its precious lessons on how to live our lives with joy (simcha) can stay with us--and guide us--throughout the whole year!

Yom Kippur is an unbelievable gift to the Jewish people, a day not to grumble about how hungry we may be (or think about how our stomachs are grumbling from the fast!)...but to rejoice at the opportunity to RETURN to our deepest selves and to REGAIN our inner purity and freedom. Not to mention the blessing of restoring love and harmony between ourselves and our fellow human beings...and between ou...

The first 10 days of the Jewish year, from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur, form a discrete unit in time, uniquely powerful in their potential for inspiration, transformation...RE-CREATION! They are known as 10 Days of Teshuva, or "return." The opportunity to reconnect more strongly with our deeper selves, and with our purest desires for a purposeful life...as well as with our fellow human beings...

Getting Back to our roots...and living up to our name! This applies to the present time in the Jewish calendar, with the new year fast approaching. The Jewish High Holidays summon us to the process of "teshuva," or "return," to return to our own personal roots, the deepest spiritual essence and mission that each one of us has. Rosh Hashanah itself is the anniversary of the creation of "Adam," mank...

Let's all agree that negativity is NOT good....No? For some of us--myself very much included--it is not always easy to NOT be negative all the time! But honestly, that is NO way to live! In this episode of Rabbi E in 3, I share a bit of my (ongoing) struggle with negative thoughts and speech, which has diminished my own enjoyment and accomplishment in this world. And I discuss the fundamental Tora...

"And you shall remember the entire way on which Hashem, your God, led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to afflict you to test [elevate] you, to know what is in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not." Each one of us is journeying through the Wilderness of life, with many blessings and challenges. The purpose is to truly notice, appreciate and remember all the m...

Mastering the trait of enthusiasm/alacrity (zerizus in Hebrew) is essential if we are to realize our great potential in this world! It is a fundamental pillar of Jewish ethics and self-development, exemplified in the actions of our holy and righteous ancestors in all generations. We must always strengthen ourselves to transcend our natural, physical "heaviness" and sluggishness, and speedily grab...

Just in the thick of the summer, when most people are thinking about fun in the sun or on the water or on the deck (grilling ,with beer in hand), the Jewish calendar brings us to a more subdued frame of mind. We are now in the period known as "the three weeks," culminating in the saddest day of the Jewish year, Tisha b'Av (the 9th of Av), when both Temples were destroyed...among other tragedies. A...

Why does the Torah mention, "remembering," so much? Are we supposed to be living in the past? Not at all: it is about THE PRESENT, and making the most out of every moment NOW. In this episode of Rabbi E in 3, I discuss our common misconception about the purpose and power of "remembering," which is really about the present and not the past. Do we want to have an awesome and meaningful life NOW? The...

We're back! That means a couple of things: first, the kickoff of a new season of Rabbi E in 3 (after a bit of an hiatus), with a looser feel and more varied format (guests, interviews, more craziness?), as well as a new era in this country of LIVE, IN-PERSON meetings and reunions after the long, cold spell of Covid disconnection. Tune in, as I share some insights on the beauty of RECONNECTING!

Open your ears and hear! Who Created these noisy, once-every-17-year-emerging-miraculous mini-monsters? They are not something to complain about or joke about (well, maybe a little). It's an opportunity to study and marvel at this incredible Creation, and feel more love and awe for the One Who brought it all into being!! And dig that 90 + decibel sound! I discuss the Jewish perspective on the the...

More than 3300 years ago, the Jewish people were elevated to a special role and mission among the families of mankind: to be a "holy people," carrying out the commandments of the Torah as revealed at Mt. Sinai. (And elevating the world.) Here is a very short introduction to the amazing, and terribly underappreciated, holiday of Shavuot--the festival of receiving the Torah.

A routine trip for Venti Iced Coffees this morning became a great reminder of what we should be thinking about at this time in the Jewish calendar, as we prepare for Shavuos (holiday of receiving the Torah)...and on every day of our lives: to show honor, love and respect to every other human being to the best of our ability, and to strive for unity as a Jewish people.

Here are a few reflections on the tragedy in Israel last night that has left the whole Jewish people, all over the world, in shock and grief. I also share a few ideas on how we can respond by elevating and improving our own lives--both for our benefit, and as an eternal merit for the departed. May the souls of those who lost their lives be bound up in the bond of eternal Life, and may their memory...

What do YOU do if you think someone wronged you? Hate, plot revenge, hold a grudge, spread destructive gossip? There is a better way! The Torah gives us amazing, wholesome, sensible and practical advice, in one small section of the Book of Vayikra (Leviticus), while cautioning us against the possible (and lethal) reactions mentioned above. Don't hate, investigate....Tune in as I explain, and share...

One of the most notorious financial wrongdoers and fraudsters in history, Bernie Madoff, died this week. I admit that it shook me, Rabbi E, as I thought about what he did in this world...AND what he might be facing now in the "olam ha'emes," the world of truth. (I can only hope he repented--did teshuva--in some measure before the end.) In this episode, I discuss how by reflecting on his regrettabl...

Once a year, we have a beautiful opportunity to say a blessing over a fruit tree...even if we can (and should!) ENJOY the trees and their luscious fruits year round. I was able to say that blessing just this week, and I want to share with you the BEAUTY of its words, and more broadly, of the Jewish vision of a world filled with GENUINE gifts presented to us personally and purposefully by G-d...to...

Pesach has a total of four different names, or designations, in the Torah and in our prayers: Pesach (passover); Festival of Matzot; Month of Springtime; time of our freedom. Together, they all express different aspects of the liberation--physical and spiritual--that we Jewish people were granted so many thousand of years ago....and that each and every one of us can personally re-experience during...

While waiting (nervously) the required 30 minutes after receiving my first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, I "just happened" (nothing is random) to come across a passage in a Torah commentary that related precisely to the experience...and connected it to a most expansive and inspiring overview of ALL of the Torah's commandments. I hope you enjoy!

What is the motivation behind our actions in this world? Are we merely seeking to gratify our ego...or trying to actualize our true potential as human beings, and make the world a better place in the process? The question can be asked regarding the production of this very podcast itself! And that is exactly what Rabbi E tackles head-on in this episode, as he (fearlessly?) examines the purity of hi...

Purim is often mistakenly thought of as just silliness, costumes, fun and games, hamentaschen, (and, of course, imbibing). It's really so much more than that: it can lead us to uncover profound levels of joy and HOLINESS, in our selves and in the whole world! Tune in to this episode, and enJOY!

We go through life on autopilot so much of the time. The Torah teaches that embracing our true human power and potential basically comes down to courageously embracing, and actively living by, TWO WORDS. Tune in to discover the two words that can change your life.