Rabbi's Sermons

Shabbat shalom!

From the six hundred and thirteen commandments of the Torah, this week's, “Ki Tetze” Torah portion accounts for over 12% of them, a total of seventy-four commandments. Most of them coincide with the modern vision of morals and ethics, others less... the vast majority sounds inspiring and beautiful to us, the rest... not as much. Almost every one of these seventy-four commandments are...Read more...

Shabat Shalom!

This Shabbat’s Parashat Ekev comes to us in the second week of the Sheva de'Nechemata, the seven weeks of consolation that follow the mourning of Tisha B'Av. These weeks draw from the prophecies of Isaiah, offering hope after destruction, reminding us that even in our darkest hours, redemption is promised. Specifically, this second week echoes the cry of Zion in Isaiah 49: "14 But Zion...Read more...

Shabat Shalom!

Gabriel García Márquez, Colombian writer, Nobel Prize for Literature, in his book "Vivir para contarla", wrote: "Life is not the one you lived, but the one you remember and how you recall it". With this phrase, we are confronted with a fact that is not always convenient for everyone, since what is important for us and for our lives, is not a list of historically verified and exact...Read more...

Shabat Shalom!

This week's portion is called: Parashat Pinchas. It tells the story of Pinchas the Kohen, Aharon’s grandson, who at the end of the previous portion, murdered a couple (Israelite and Midianite), who sinned by provoking assimilation with the daughters of Midian, who, in turn, invited the people of Israel to idolatry. Curiously, for this extreme act of fanaticism, God blessed him, saying:...Read more...

Shabat Shalom!

Parshat Chukat this week, presents us with a great challenge of faith. At the beginning of chapter 19, we read the laws regarding the red heifer. For those who do not know about the subject, I will explain briefly. The red heifer is a cow whose fur color is reddish brown. The ashes of this cow were one of the ingredients used for the preparation of a substance, which was used to purify people who were...Read more...

Shabbat Shalom!

In this week's portion, Behalotchah, two mysterious characters are introduced: Eldad and Meidad, who unexpectedly, receive the gift of prophecy and began to prophesy among the people of Israel, as described in the book of Numbers chapter 11 as follows: “26 But there remained two of the men in the camp: the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit...Read more...

Chag Shavuot Sameach!

Shavuot is the festival of the delivery of the Torah, and it is characterized by the process of studying. In Israel, during the night of the Shavuot festival, the congregations usually carry out courses and cultural or musical activities, which begin after the religious services, and in many cases, finish until late at night. There are even participants who continue studying all...Read more...

Shabat Shalom!

This week's Torah portion – Parashat Behar – raises one of the most difficult, interesting and complicated topics in Judaism – slavery. Unfortunately, even today, slavery still exists in some countries – perhaps not in the brutal form that was prevalent among ancient people, nor as it existed 200 years ago here in southern United States. Today, slavery is a crime against basic...Read more...

Shabat Shalom!

After months of preparation, the Tabernacle, God's dwelling place among the Israelites, stands complete in the center of the camp. The people have donated their precious metals and finest textiles. Skilled artisans have crafted every element according to divine specifications. Aharon and his sons have undergone seven days of consecration rituals. The anticipation is palpable as the entire...Read more...

Shabat Shalom!

This is the Shabbat right before Passover, it is called Shabbat Hagadol, which means “The great Shabbat”. Traditionally, the rabbi of the community in his sermon, deals with the laws of Passover. However, this time I will not go into details of the Halacha. Instead, I’d like to talk about the significance of this Shabbat. Since medieval times, this Shabbat has been something very...Read more...

Shabat Shalom!

Yesterday we celebrated Purim. Which was your costume? Personally, I normally do not cover my face, but wear a costume, so my face still looks the same, without any makeup. When I was a child, my mother, of blessed memory, used to disguise me as a Mexican Charro, a seller, a baker, but she never covered my face with a mask, nor did she use makeup. This year I used my Mexican sombrero. My...Read more...

Shabbat Shalom!

Those of you who have seen the movie “The fiddler on the roof”, may remember, the funny part at the beginning of the movie, when they ask the Rabbi, whether a horse that was sold, was old or young: The first person says: “Rabbi! The horse was old, his teeth indicated it!”, and the Rabbi answers him: “you are right”; and then, another person argued: “But Rabbi, the...Read more...

Shabbat Shalom!

This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Shira – the Sabbath of singing. A well-known Midrash from the Talmud Babel in Sanhedrin 39b explains about it: “At that hour, the heavenly angels asked to sing a song before the Holy One, Blessed be He. The Holy One, Blessed be He, answered them: The works of my hands are drowning… and you intend to sing a song before me?”. This is the moment when...Read more...

Shabbat Shalom,

Parashat Vaera contains one of the most interesting passages of the Torah. From its four chapters, three of them detail seven of the ten plagues, which had affected Egypt, before the departure of the people of Israel, from slavery to freedom.

Most of us know the ten plagues from the Pesach´s Haggadah, that we read, as part of the Seder, during which we are almost...Read more...

Shabbat Shalom,

This week's Parashah Vayechi, is the Parasha that seals the Book of Genesis. This is a Parasha of endings, summaries, and completions of paths. It completes the personal and family story in the Book of Genesis, in preparation for the sharp transition, next week, from this family extension, to a national and historical sphere.

During this first week of 2025, I...Read more...