PARSHAS VAYETZEI 5773
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayetzei 9 Kislev 5773/November 23, 2012 Did you get that text message on Tuesday night? Did you get it from numerous people? “Please set aside two minutes of your time! The army is entering Gaza. Rabbanim are asking everyone to say Tehillim 130, 121, 83, 20, 91, 143. Fwd […]
PARSHAS TOLDOS 5773
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Toldos 2 Kislev 5773/November 16, 2012 In case you are concerned that this country has a lack of faith, especially with recent efforts to take G-d out of the Pledge of Allegiance, let your heart not be troubled. Insurance companies are insistent that they will not compensate for […]
PARSHAS CHAYEI SARAH 5773
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Chayei Sarah 24 Cheshvan 5773/November 9, 2012 A few years ago Chani and I spent some time vacationing on Cape Cod. During one of those days we took a ferry to Martha’s Vineyard where we rented some bikes to pedal along a beautiful trail that ran alongside the […]
PARSHAS VAYERA 5773
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayera 17 Cheshvan 5773/November 2, 2012 By now Sandy has commandeered most of our conversations. We cannot help but marvel with awe at the ravages of destruction she wrought. With whipping winds in excess of 90 m.p.h. Sandy tore through our area, flooding tunnels, gushing through homes uninhibited, and […]
PARSHAS LECH LECHA 5773
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Lech Lecha 10 Cheshvan 5773/October 27, 2012 Surely you’ve heard of Country-Yossi and the two most famous Shteeble-Hoppers in the world – Kivi and Tuki. Tuki is self-described as “kooky but not a little fluky”, while Kivi ‘knows more Torah than my Morah’. On their original album, Country […]
PARSHAS NOACH 5773
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Noach 3 Cheshvan 5773/October 20, 2012 “C is for Cookie, that’s good enough for me.” He’s blue, furry, googly-eyed, and can’t get enough cookies. He’s a legend in America and has been inspiring children everywhere for decades. He’s the one and only Cookie Monster! But in recent […]
SUCCOS 5773
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Ha’azinu/Succos 12 Tishrei 5773/September 28, 2012 According to today’s second leading knowledge authority, Wikipedia, (the number one leader is cha-cha), “Betta is a large genus of small, often colorful, freshwater ray-finned fishes in the gourami family.” But a few years ago there was a Betta fish in the Staum family (the gourami’s never complained to […]
YOM KIPPUR 5773
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Yom Kippur 9 Tishrei 5773/September 25, 2012 It’s never a good thing when your vacuum cleaner, not only stops cleaning the floor, but also begins regurgitating what it previously suctioned. That’s exactly what happened in the Staum house Erev Shabbos last week. So with no recourse I surgically opened […]
PARSHIOS NETZOVIM-VAYELECH 5772
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Nitzavim – Pirkei Avos, perakim 5-6 27 Elul 5772/September 14, 2012 This week, on the eleventh anniversary of the September 11th attacks, I was recounting to my fifth grade Ashar students my personal memories of that horrific day. I mentioned that it was the first time in […]
PARSHAS KI SAVO 5772
“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)” Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Ki Savo – Pirkei Avos, perakim 3-4 20 Elul 5772/September 8, 2012 During the break between camp and yeshiva I accompanied Chani to our family pediatrician for our almost two year old daughter Chayala’s appointment. After the doctor finished his examination he asked us if we had […]