Dear MMAE Family, We all know the part of the seder that speaks of the 4 sons. Let’s call them the 4 children. “The Torah speaks of 4 children. One who is wise, one who is wicked, one who is simple, and one who doesn’t know what to ask.” Where does the Torah speak about these 4 children? You may…
Participants joined Rabbi Shapiro in February for a two-part series on kashrut (keeping kosher). In Part 1, Rabbi Shapiro led a practical primer and Q&A on keeping a kosher home.
Participants joined Rabbi Shapiro in February for a two-part series on kashrut (keeping kosher). In Part 1, Rabbi Shapiro explored the Halakhot, philosophy, and spirituality of the Jewish dietary laws.
Before anything else is said, it is important to remember that this past year was not a Shana Tova for our people. It was a year of disaster, war, worry, brutality, and growing antizionism and its twin, antisemitism. We strengthen ourselves, stand steadfast in our support of Israel, mourn the needless and wanton ending of so many holy lives, and…
In the aftermath of the attacks of October 7th, Danya and I discussed the possibility of spending Pesach in Israel. Danya has two brothers who live in Israel with their families, and we knew the coming months would be incredibly difficult. If the rest of Danya’s family planned to go to Israel, we felt we should join them, to allow…
Dear MMAE Family, Happy Spring! This is my favorite season of the year because everything good (in my opinion) is ahead of us. Good weather. The fun times of the Summer. The gradual bloom of every flower and every tree (Ah choo!). Spring is a season that feels like youth, like hope and unrealized potential. In Judaism, Springtime is actually…
Honoring the Members of MMAE who Passed Away Many of you know some or all the people I will be speaking about. Some of you don’t know any of them. Either way, the human stories I will tell and the incredible lessons these people have taught by the way they lived is much more inspiring than any speech I could…
What’s Wrong with the High Holiday Prayers? A Chassid went to the Baal Shem Tov in Mezhibuzh and said, “Rebbe, I want to see Elijah the Prophet.” “It’s simple,” said the Baal Shem. “I’ll tell you what to do. Get two boxes and fill one with food and the other with children’s clothes. Then, before Rosh Hashanah, travel to Minsk.…
Having Faith that Hashem Believes in Us Every year at the holidays, I take on three different mitzvah goals. It’s a wonderful practice to take a small meaningful step forward as an affirmation of my teshuva and commitment to living better this coming year. It needs to be something measurable, and easy enough to actually stick to over the long…
By Rabbi Yerachmiel Shapiro I’ve always wondered why the first “request” blessing in the Amidah meditation is the prayer asking Hashem for wisdom. There are so many things we could ask for, why are wisdom and insight the first things we ask for every time we pray? David Kowarski, one of my most interesting congregants, often sends me texts letting…