We are well into the story of Yetzias Mitzrayim and the beauty of these weeks is that they give us the opportunity to discuss the themes and ideas of Pesach without the Pre Pesach pressure of getting our homes and our hearts ready. These sedras are essentially a dry run to give us a chance … More Bo – Leaving Our Personal Mitzrayim

Learning to Lead I was teaching in a school in Manchester this week and I mentioned a concept that met with some resistance. I happened to say that when we daven we speak to Hashem, but when we learn Torah, Hashem speaks to us. When we buy an appliance, we intuitively expect it to come … More Shemos – Learning to Lead

The climax of this week’s sedra is without a doubt the reconciliation of Yosef and his brothers. The Torah tells us that things got to a point where Yosef could no longer hold back, he sends everyone else out of the room and reveals his identity to them. What happened? Why was he suddenly unable … More Vayigash – Unity does not mean we are all the Same

Natan Scharansky recalls Chanuka in a Russian prison camp after he had successfully managed to light candles on the first five nights. On the sixth night of Hanukkah the authorities confiscated my menorah with all my candles. I ran to the duty officer to find out what had happened. “The candlesticks were made from state … More Heroes – Chanukah / Miketz 5780

  Background. The Rambam writes[1], ‘During the period of the Second Beis HaMikdash, during the rule of the wicked Syrian – Greeks, evil decrees were enacted against the Jews. They sought to wipe out their religion and did not permit them to learn Torah or to perform Mitzvos. They stretched out their hands and stole … More The Laws and Customs of Chanukah

I have a dream! Or in other words Yoseph says to his brothers, שמעו נא החלום הזה אשר חלמתי, ‘Hear, please, the dream which I dreamt. Dreams clearly play a crucial part in this week’s parsha, from Yosef’s dreams at the start of the sedra to the butler and the baker’s at the end. Next … More פרשת וישב תש”פ

It’s been a while since I posted here and lots has happened since then. I am delighted to have recently been appointed Rabbi of Finchley Fed, a warm and vibrant community in North West London. This role, along with the other positions that I hold within the Jewish Futures family of organisations, provides me with … More It’s time to get going

The Rabbis teach us that Rosh Hashana corresponds to Avraham, Yom Kippur to Yitzchak and Sukkos to Yaakov. Avraham, the first Jew earns that title not only through his discovery of Hashem through philosophical and logical enquiry, but he also understands that finite man can actually develop a relationship with Infinite G-d. Despite extreme social … More A Thought for Rosh Hashana

To view the shiur click here To download the sources click pre RH shiur 2017 kesiva ve chasima tova  

  וְהָיָה כִּי תָבוֹא אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר ה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ נַחֲלָה וִירִשְׁתָּהּ וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בָּהּ: וְלָקַחְתָּ מֵרֵאשִׁית כָּל פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר תָּבִיא מֵאַרְצְךָ אֲשֶׁר ה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ וְשַׂמְתָּ בַטֶּנֶא וְהָלַכְתָּ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר ה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ לְשַׁכֵּן שְׁמוֹ שָׁם: And it will be, when you come into the land which Hashem, your God, gives … More Ki Savo – History and Destiny