Rabbi Michael BarclayJun 23Shlach: Faith, Fear, and SpiesI’ve always held the belief that if three or more diverse cultures have the same teaching, that teaching may be worthwhile and worth...
Rabbi Michael BarclayJun 17Beha'alotecha: The Power of Words...Wherever we go in today’s society, we are bombarded by ads about what we should and should not be putting in our mouths.
Rabbi Michael BarclayJun 10Torah Talk - Nasso: Fathers & SonsMy life changed when my sons were born. When I heard the mohel call their names, I heard myself called as the father to sons rather than...
Rabbi Michael BarclayJun 3Bamidbar and Shavuot: The Wilderness & The WeddingMany of our Sages from RaMBaM to Rebbe Schneerson recommended viewing current events through a filter of understanding the Torah portion...
Rabbi Michael BarclayMay 27Memorial Day is a Jewish Holiday TooIn the 1890s, Mark Twain wrote an article about how Jews did not serve in the military of the United States. In response to that, 63....
Rabbi Michael BarclayMay 20Behar: Resting for SuccessThis week’s Torah portion of Behar (Lev. 25:1-26:2) focuses almost entirely on the importance of the Sabbath.
Rabbi Michael BarclayMay 13Emor: Ethical Leadership Through ServiceThis week’s commentary is dedicated to the memory of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai...
Rabbi Michael BarclayMay 6Kedoshim: To Bring Holiness Into the WorldOften called “the holiness code”, this week’s Torah reading is, in some ways, the very essence of Judaism.
Rabbi Michael BarclayApr 15A Holy PassoverAs we prepare for the Passover Seder, it is easy to learn so many hidden secrets and Kabbalistic understandings that we lose track of....
Rabbi Michael BarclayApr 8Shabbat HaGadol: A Time of Faith, Action, and CommunityThe Shabbat immediately preceding Passover is called “Shabbat HaGadol”, “the big Sabbath”.
Rabbi Michael BarclayApr 1Tazria: The Leprosy of Gossip“Life and Death are in the Hands of the Tongue” (Proverbs 18:21)
Rabbi Michael BarclayMar 25Shemini: We Are What We EatI once heard an eager student ask Rabbi Ronnie Serr how he should go about becoming more observant.
Rabbi Michael BarclayMar 11VaYikra - To Answer the CallThis week’s Torah reading are the first chapters of the Book of Leviticus…
Rabbi Michael BarclayMar 4Pekudei: Eternal Change Through Physical ShiftsIn this final reading in the Book of Exodus, there are two important biblical concepts that are as important today as they were over 3000...
Rabbi Michael BarclayFeb 25Vayakhel: Building a Holy Community on Individual Effort“Do not regard anyone with contempt, and do not reject anything, for there is no man who does not have his hour and nothing which does...
Rabbi Michael BarclayFeb 18Ki Tisa: Stepping Towards ForgivenessIdolatry. Sexual immorality. Murder. The description of the events of the Golden Calf in this week’s portion sound like the outline for...
Rabbi Michael BarclayFeb 11Tetzaveh: To Divine From the HeartThe Urim and Thummim are something that is rarely discussed in the Reform Jewish world, although they have great importance both...
Rabbi Michael BarclayFeb 4Terumah: How To Give a GiftThe first two lines of this Torah reading teach a valuable lesson we all need to remember in personal relationships: how to give a gift.
Rabbi Michael BarclayJan 28Mishpatim: Surrendering to Our True SelvesIn the “Ahavat Olam” prayer chanted before the recitation of the Shema, we thank God for “laws and statutes” (chukim u’mishpatim).
Rabbi Michael BarclayJan 21Yitro: The Ultimate Wedding“I am my Beloved’s, and my Beloved is mine” ---Song of Songs 6:3 For months and sometimes even years we prepare for our wedding day.