The Consumate Life of Sarah
The first Jew to ever die was Sarah, the first matriarch. The Torah explicitly enumerates the years of her life, beckoning us to explore their deep significance. In this audio meditation, Rabbi Ginsburgh delves into the inner meaning of Sarah's most perfect and all-inclusive lifespan and the message that her years hold for us.Click here to read the full article.
Listen to Audio (length: 27:24min)
Two Ways to Count to 127
The Midrash and the Zohar divide Sarah's 127 years in two different ways. The Midrash divides it metaphorically, the Zohar, surprisingly, more realistitcally. Chassidic teachings explain how the two points of view complement one another. Click here to read the full article.
A Balanced View of Redemption
The constant acknowledgment of the necessity of God’s mercy for the redemption to occur remain subconscious, or in the background. If it moves to the foreground of one’s experience it leads to inaction and a feeling of lack of accountability or even worse, despair; as if there is nothing that I can do personally to bring the redemption. The healthy attitude of the essence of the Jewish people is experienced when an individual Jew feels: “I want with all my strength to bring redemption to the world (and will do everything in my power to advance this cause), but I also know (sensing God and remaining humble before Him) that success completely depends on the mercy of Heaven…. Click here to read the full article.
Sarah's Judgment and Abraham's Mercy
Sarah is the source of harsh jugments and Abraham the source of mercy. In this article we see how they complement one another and how this identification is at the core of Sarah's relationship with Hagar and Ishma'el. Click here to read the full article.
