Rabbi Jon 's Website and Blog

May 29, 2026

How to Bless With Our Most Ancient Blessing (Parashat Naso 5786)

This is the draft of my D’var Torah for May 30, 2026, Parashat Naso. We are celebrating the arrival of a newborn so that’s both a good occasion for talking about this particular text, and referenced in my words. I want to start with a story that is in the top five of stories I… Continue reading

Blessing, History, Jerusalem, Naso, Parashat Hashavua, Parenting, Speech Ethics, Spirituality, Teens, Torah, Young Jewish Adult, Youth

Parenting
May 27, 2026

After Tel Aviv and Orlando (Parashat Naso 5776/2016)

These is a slightly edited version of the words I delivered these words as an introduction to the Torah reading at Shabbat morning services for Parashat Naso on June 18, 2016, on a day we celebrated a Bar Mitzvah in the congregation. Shabbat Shalom. It is so good today — הנה מה טוב ומה נעים… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Community Relations, Current Affairs, GLBT, Interfaith Dialogue, Justice, LGBTQ+, Love, Naso, Parashat Hashavua, Terrorism, Tikkun Olam, Torah, Young Jewish Adult, Youth
May 27, 2026

Three Takes on the Nazirite During a Hard Time (Parashat Naso 5781/2021)

This was the D’var Torah I gave for Parashat Naso, May 22, 2021. The references here are to the Covid-19 pandemic at that time, as well as the attacks by Hamas of that year and the fighting between Jews and Arabs within Israel proper that flared up in some places. I am leaving as they… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Gaza, Israel, Maimonides, Naso, Parashat Hashavua, Peace, Talmud, Torah
May 20, 2026

Three Meanings of “Commandment”

I gave this D’var Torah the week of Parashat Yitro and the Kitah Vav class service of the Beth Abraham Religious School, February 2, 2013. Though I was addressing the young people most directly, the words are for parents and all adults as well! This morning I’m giving my D’var Torah before we even begin… Continue reading

Education, Freedom, Holidays, Jewish Education, Midrash, Parashat Hashavua, Revelation, Shabbat, Shavuot, Study, Torah, Yitro, Youth
May 18, 2026

The World Needs Us Not Just to Learn Torah but to Receive It (Preparing for Shavuot)

This is an edited version of my D’var Torah on the Shabbat just preceding Shavuot in 5782 (2022). It’s among others another take on the midrashim about the giving of the Torah that I teach over and over, and a meta-take on what it takes for Torah to be significant when we engage with the… Continue reading

Calendar, Current Affairs, Holidays, Revelation, Shavuot, Talmud, Torah
May 13, 2026

Serious Numbers Will Always Be Heard (Parashat B’midbar 5783)

This was my D’var Torah about Parashat B’midbar, the opening of the book of Numbers, on May 20, 2023. This D’var Torah about the beginning of the book of Numbers is brought to you by the Koch Brothers, Paul Simon, baseball cards, the psychology departments at Ohio State and the University of Oregon, the 2023… Continue reading

B’midbar, Graduation, Numbers, Parashat Hashavua, Torah
April 29, 2026

How Jewish Law Is Made (Parashat Emor 5782)

This was my D’var Torah on Parashat Emor in 2022/5782. Our parasha describes the case of a fight between two men, and for some reason it’s worth mentioning that one of them had an Egyptian father and an Israelite mother, and the other had two Israelite parents, and in the middle of the fight the… Continue reading

Conservative Judaism, Current Affairs, Emor, Equality, Halacha, Justice, Parashat Hashavua, Torah, USA
April 29, 2026

Sterling Bans Silver For Life (Parashat Emor 5774)

This is the D’var Torah I gave for Parashat Emor in 2014/5774. How is this for a news headline from the week: “Silver Bans Sterling for Life.” That’s from NBA.com, the official website of professional basketball. Usually, “sterling” is the most refined kind of silver, but this week it’s been the opposite. Sterling is Donald… Continue reading

Civil Rights, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Emor, Ethics, History, Inclusion, Leadership, Parashat Hashavua, Torah, USA, Young Jewish Adult, Youth

Sports
April 24, 2026

The Name in the Holy of Holies — What the Yom Kippur Ritual Teaches About Words

This is my D’var Torah for April 25, 2026, Parashiyyot Acharei Mot-Kedoshim, particularly chapters 16 and 19 of Leviticus. (If you’re reading it right away, I have to go and fix up where italics go to make it easier to read.) Imagine a world where the more important a word was, the harder it was… Continue reading

Acharei Mot, Kedoshim, Lashon Hara, Middot, Parashat Hashavua, Speech Ethics, Torah, Yom Kippur
April 17, 2026

Make Me a Kohen (Tazria-Metzora 5786)

Here is the draft of my D’var Torah for April 18, 2026, Parashiyot Tazria-Metzora. Mr. Feldman comes to see the rabbi one day, and he says: Rabbi, I’d like you to make me a kohen. The rabbi says: That’s not something I can do. You either are a kohen or you’re not a kohen. Feldman… Continue reading

Ethics, Gratitude, Lashon Hara, Metzora, Middot, Parashat Hashavua, Tazria, Torah
March 11, 2026

Breadman, and What Rising Bread Taught Me About Our Inflated Selves

This was my D’var Torah for Shabbat Hachodesh, the Shabbat before the beginning of the month when Pesach occurs, in 5769 (2009). It’s one of my favorites! On Shabbat Hachodesh, we read from Exodus 12 about the preparations for the original Pesach in Egypt. A couple weeks ago, our bread maker gave up the ghost. … Continue reading

Calendar, Exodus, Gratitude, Hakarat Hatov, Holidays, Middot, Pesach, Shabbat Hachodesh
January 28, 2026

What Is a Miracle?

This is the D’var Torah I gave on Parashat Beshalach, including the crossing of the Sea of Reeds into freedom, in 5773 (2013). One day, little Noah comes home from Religious School, and his mother asks him what he learned. Noah says: Today we were learning about how the Israelites left Egypt. His mother says: … Continue reading

Beshalach, Chanuka, Chanukkah, Exodus, Parashat Hashavua, Torah