Author Archives: Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

The name Pesach, aside from being a reminder of God’s “passing-over”, can also be read as pe-sach, literally, “a talking mouth”. No wonder that such a holiday, which is based on things going into our mouth and coming out of … Continue reading →

Imagine: you are about the start teaching Torah to young children, and you have to pick where to start them. Which story would it be? Abraham’s journey, Rachel at the well, Joseph’s coat, Miriam watching Moses floating in the basket, … Continue reading →

When I say that this Torah portion describes the biggest miracle in the Torah, my listener tends to think either one of us is the wrong week… but, to me, it is. Often, when we refer to miracles, events out … Continue reading →

משה ואסתר?? רגע, לא התכוונת מרדכי ואסתר? או אולי, משה וציפורה?? אבל כמו ש”לכל איש יש שם”, ו”לכל סיר יש מכסה”, לכל גיבור במסורת שלנו יש גיבורה מקבילה. גיבורה זו איננה זוגתו לחיים שהיא במקרים רבים זו שמשלימה אותו ולכן … Continue reading →

(This was prepared as a talk for Beth Jacob, Oakland as we mark one year to COVID-19; link to the full event below; talk begins at min13:30). We are right between Purim and Pesach – seemingly moving from one holiday … Continue reading →

Esther’s Fast Day at my chaplaincy. Esther here has been sick for a while and not getting better. When I visit her on Monday, she tells me she’s done; she’s been fighting all her life and can’t do it no … Continue reading →

When my kids were younger, we used to read the story about the six blind men and the elephant, all standing around the huge animal in an effort to “see” it, each arguing that the part of elephant they are … Continue reading →

רק בשבוע שעבר, עמדנו לרגלי הר סיני לכבוד מתן תורה, עדים למופע אור-קולי פנטסטי שעד היום קשה להסביר, והנה, מגיעה פרשת השבוע הזה, פרשת משפטים, עם כל מיני פרטים קטנטנים ואתגריים, כמו מה לעשות עם שור שנגח, מישהו שנפל לתוך … Continue reading →

This week’s reading opens with “and Yitro… heard… and came”. Within 5 verses, his name is mentioned 3 times. What did he hear is the subject of many commentaries. Maybe about the war with Amalek; maybe about the Giving of … Continue reading →

On the day of her funeral, the sun was shining, and the sky was a clear, bright blue. Funerals’ weather somehow is always meaningful, whether “the sky is crying” or not. For my mom’s, it was a glorious spring day, … Continue reading →