“And for the entire Jewish nation, there was light in their dwellings.” The beauty of a diamond is inherent. The way it is cut and angled allows the diamond to reflect light in a manner that causes it to sparkle and shine with brilliant illumination. All it takes to appreciate the beauty of a diamond is to first ensure it is clean of any dirt and then to hold it up to a source of light. When mounted in an…

The Mekubalim teach that there is a deep connection between the heart and the mouth, emotion and the capacity of speech – the internal and external aspects of communication. Without delving into the Kabbalistic nature of this connection (Binah and Malchus, Hei Illa’ah and Hei Tata’ah; the element of the soul associated with speech, Ruach, is sourced in the heart etc.), the heart/emotion is the life force which brings speech to life. When the channels between emotion and speech are…

“This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first of the months of the year for you.” In parshas Bo, the Jewish nation receives their very first mitzvah: to sanctify the new moon in its return to fullness. While the calendar of the world follows the sun, the Jewish nation marks time using a lunar calendar which follows the moon. This points to a deep and inherent bond between our holy nation and…