Author: (((Rabbi B)))

Surely, if you improve yourself, you will be forgiven.  But if you do not improve yourself, sin rests at the door.  Its desire is towards you, yet you can conquer it (Genesis 4:7). Cain and Abel were the second generation of humanity.  We are told that while Abel was a shepherd, Cain was a farmer.  When they both brought their respective offerings to the Lord, they naturally brought from their individual areas of activity.  The Lord accepted Abel’s offering but rejected Cain’s. The Scriptures tell us that Cain was furious when his offering was rejected by the Lord, and...

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  (Psalm 46:1) When we experience moments of difficulty, trials, illness, or tragedy there is a natural tendency to yearn for a less-complicated more pain-free life.  Perhaps if we were able to receive each trial and challenge as a gift in disguise, we would embrace and cherish them more.  However, theory is one thing and practice another.  When one is in the midst of pain and suffering, it is often difficult to place life’s hardships into the proper perspective.  The forty-sixth Psalm provides much comfort in this regard....

Our Sages teach: Why do the Scriptures exact such retribution from ingrates?   Because ingratitude is a semblance of the denial of God.  And one who denies belief in God is, in essence, an ingrate.  A person who denies the good that his friend has done for him will tomorrow deny the good that God his Creator has done.   In this teaching, ingratitude is equated with heresy.  The most basic meaning of ingratitude is to cover, as in covering a pot.  An ingrate seeks to cover, to deny the fact that good has been done for him, to minimize another person’s kindness towards him. ...

John 1:1-3   In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  Stage 7 – Denial of God Himself Let us assume God exists and let us assume that God is God, the independent Creator, Lawgiver, Ruler, and Supreme Judge in history.  Let us also assume that creation is the result of His will, and that it is God’s will that men should serve Him by freely obeying and fulfilling...

1 Kings 12:27-30   “If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah.”   Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!”  And he set up one in Bethel, and the other...