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Tazria-Metzora 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Just about everyone would like to make the world a better place. However, we are often stuck on the question, "What can I ...
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Shmini 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! How many mitzvos can one fulfill in getting a haircut? I imagine there are many readers whose initial response would be, "Who ...
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7th Day Pesach 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! An elderly American was waiting in line for Passport Control at Charles de Gaulle Airport. While fumbling for his passport, the ...
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Pesach 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Are you happy with who you are? Wish you could change, but don't know how? Wondering how does one make real changes? The formula is ...
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Tzav 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Have you seen the one-minute movie "Google Exodus -- What if Moses had the Internet?" See it ... as well as read great ...
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Vayikra 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Our hearts go out to the students, parents and community of Parkland, Florida. However, it is wonderful to see that the students are ...
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Vayakhel-Pekudei 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Our Sages instruct us to start preparing for a holiday 30 days beforehand. Pesach (Passover) begins Friday evening, March 30th. Many ...
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Ki Tisa 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Purim starts Wednesday, February 28th. It is known as zeman simchateinu -- the time or season of our joy. It is the time when the ...
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Tetzaveh 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Purim is coming up next week -- Wednesday night, February 28th, through all day Thursday. Purim is the holiday that reminds us that ...
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Trumah 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! This edition heralds the beginning of the 27th year of the Shabbat Shalom Weekly. More important, this coming Shabbat is my eldest ...
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Mishpatim 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Did you ever hear the old joke, "Do you know the difference between a Jewish pessimist and a Jewish optimist? The Jewish ...
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Yisro 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Did you ever hear someone say about a person arriving late that "He's on Jewish time"? Would it surprise you to know that ...
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Beshalach 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! When is the New Year? Would you be surprised to know that there are 4 New Years in the Jewish calendar -- and Wednesday, January 31st ...
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Bo 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Recently I was asked "How do I become wise?" Immediately, I thought of two things. First, the old adage: Don't say anything ...
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Va'eira 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Four elderly ladies were sitting in silence around a card table at the Jewish retirement home. One lady sighs, "Oy". The ...
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Shmot 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! In this week's Torah portion the Torah tells us "There arose a new king over Egypt who did not know Joseph." There is a ...
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Vayechi 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! What is the value of a kindness? Perhaps the following story will give some insights! Years ago I lived in Israel and worked at Aish ...
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Vayigash 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Did you ever have to deal with a difficult person -- a boss, a co-worker, a relative? Ever have some yell and scream at you, wrongly ...
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Mikeitz 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Happy Hanukah! I thought you might enjoy a perspective article written by my friend and colleague Rabbi Nachum Braverman, Aish HaTorah ...
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Vayeshev 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Hanukah is coming soon, Tuesday night, December 12th. It's a wonderful family holiday. After we light the candles, we sing Maoz Tzur, ...
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Vayishlach 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! What is success in life? Many equate success in life with financial success. However, we all know that there is more to life than ...
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Vayetzei 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Did you ever wonder, "Where is the spirituality in Judaism?" We want to transcend the mundane, to connect with God, to be ...
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Toldot 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! When I lived in Israel I once parked my car in the Ramat Eshkol shopping center parking lot. I returned to my car to find the right ...
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Chayei Sarah 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Life is full of stress -- paying bills, the job, one's spouse and kids ... and it goes on from there! How do we deal with stress? Of ...
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Vayeira 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Would you murder one person to save a million lives? What if that person were a 99 year old person who had already lived out the prime ...
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Lech Lecha 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Two men from a small town in Alabama in America's deep south came to New York city for the first time. As they got off the bus in Port ...
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Noach 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! In this week's Torah portion, Noah plants a grapevine shortly after leaving the ark. At his earliest possible convenience, he makes ...
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Bereishit 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Many people think that the stories in the Book of Genesis are children's stories or fables. However, as you will see from the ...
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Sukkos 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Wednesday evening, October 4th, begins Sukkot (or Sukkos in the Ashkenazi pronunciation). Next week comes Shemini Atzeres (Wednesday ...
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Yom Kippur 5778
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Judaism has something for everyone. If you like to drink, we have Purim. If you like asceticism or self-denial we have Yom Kippur. If ...
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Ki Tetzei 5777
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Last week I wrote a meaningful piece on making the world a better place by treating each other with kindness. I received a thoughtful ...
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V'etchanan 5777
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! I have a tendency to respond with repartee when I am experiencing the stress of unwarranted, unfair emotional criticism. The other day ...
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Matot-Masay 5777
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! The story is told of a man who came to his rabbi with a request. "Make me a Cohen!" The rabbi was puzzled because a person ...
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Pinchas 5777
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! I was brought up in Reform Judaism in Portland, Oregon. Though I saw very few Orthodox Jews, I grew up with certain perceptions and ...
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Balak 5777
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! The story is told of Napoleon walking through the streets of Paris one Tisha B'av (the 9th day of the Hebrew month of Av, a day of ...
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Chukat 5777
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Last week's story about testing the Almighty reminded me of the time I met with one of our supporters, a personal injury attorney, for ...
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Korach 5777
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! I received a fascinating and bewildering response from a Shabbat Shalom supporter when I asked for $1,800 -- he good-naturedly ...
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Shlach 5777
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! This week I share with you three fascinating stories... and one question. Several years ago I was in Prague eating at the King ...
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Be'halot'cha 5777
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! If you are Jewish, firstborn, male, whose parents are neither Cohanim or Levites and your mother didn't have a previous miscarriage ...
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Naso 5777
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! The story is told of a group of students working diligently on the trait of humility. A new student entered the study hall and saw the ...
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Bamidbar 5777
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Tuesday evemening, May 30th, begins the two day holiday of Shavuot (or Shavuos in the Ashkenazic pronunciation). (Yizkor is on ...
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Behar-Bechukotai 5777
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! Who is the wise person? Our sage, Ben Zoma, tells us, "He who learns from all people" (Pirke Avos, Ethics of the Fathers ...
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Emor 5777
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! According to Jewish cosmology, the day begins with nightfall. That is why all holidays start at night after the stars can be seen. ...
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Acharei Mot-Kedoshim 5777
by Rabbi Kalman PackouzGOOD MORNING! What is courage? The year is 1929. It's Friday, August 23rd. The Grand Mufti is preaching to a packed crowd of worshippers on the ...