blogs/rabbi-huberman

Parashah Noah
“Everyone on earth had the same language and the same words.” (Genesis 11:1)

At about 8:20 am last Tuesday, my wife and I approached the parking lot of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services building in Holtsville.

As we sat for a few minutes, Patte quizzed me on some of the tougher questions among the 100, which immigration officials could potentially ask me as...Read more...

Parashah V'Zot HaBrachah
“Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet like Moses—whom the LORD singled out, face to face.” Deuteronomy 34:10

One of the most confusing, fascinating, divisive lines in the Torah will be chanted this Wednesday morning as we complete the reading of the Five Books of Moses, and we return “to the beginning.”

Spoiler alert: I’m about...Read more...

“Sincere apologies, it would seem, are becoming our nation’s fastest diminishing resource.”

So wrote Rabbi Elliott Cosgrove of Manhattan’s Park Avenue Synagogue in 2013.

In particular, he referred to the behavior of a famous tennis player, who had recently thrown a tantrum after losing a US Open match.

The tennis star subsequently issued a “non-apology apology“ blaming the...Read more...

Parashat Ki Tavo
“I, the Lord, will speed it in due time.” (Isaiah 60:22)

Like many bar mitzvah students, I passed through my special day in 1966 with very little spiritual connection to the words I recited.

In those days, bar mitzvahs were endured. I was taught by my father to chant some Hebrew words, which I did not understand. The idea was to get through...Read more...

Parashat Shoftim
“Righteousness, righteousness you shall pursue.” (Deuteronomy 16:18)

There is a story in the Midrash — our collection of ancient stories and interpretations — about a group of people traveling on a ship.

As the boat sets sail, one of the passengers pulls out a drill and begins drilling under his seat. Perhaps he wanted to fish or gather wood for a...Read more...