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Rabbi Grossman’s Blog Corner
Rabbi Grossman's Corner
Parashat Be-Ha’alotekha – Is the fish ever free?
What are your children doing for the summer? Given the choice, one of mine would find a cozy corner, log onto an electronic device and Netflix or youtube the summer away, the second would ask me every day what activity I’d planned for each hour, and the third is used...
Parashat Naso – The Power or Privilege to Bless
My husband blesses our children on Friday night when we sit down to Shabbat dinner. If he is detained at the hospital and we bring in Shabbat without him, I make Kiddush and I make Ha-Motzi on the challah. But I don’t bless my daughters. I leave that for when he...
Parashat Ba-Midbar – Count your blessings
At a meeting the other evening, wanting to know if all the expected attendees were present, one of us counted, identifying each individual with a pointed index finger. A couple of us had a kind of instinctual prickle at the counting of Jewish people. Among certain...
Parashat Bekhukotai – Our covenant with God
My youngest daughter’s first words were “No waaay!” Adorable. Impossible not to laugh and smile and giggle and eat her every time she said it. Incredibly frustrating when I just want her to lie down or stop throwing her food on the floor. When I just want her to...
Parashat Behar – Humbly proud
“Can I get a glass of water?” “Can I have a spoon for my rice?” “I need a napkin.” “More spaghetti please.” When my children were little, I was firm about how they should sit at the table during meals. I kept them in booster seats longer than most because I wanted...
Parashat Emor – Is the mother always to blame?
We have a recurring joke in our family. I prepare a lavish, beautiful, delicious meal for 25 people and my husband comes to the table and asks, “Isn’t the turkey sliced perfectly?” In his own (special) way, he is commenting on the fact that I coordinated, cooked and...
Parashat Kedoshim – You shall be holy
“It’s not fair.” I’m sure we all hear it (too) often. Our children’s sense of right and wrong is definitive and categorical, with little room for nuance or consideration. In my house, there is nothing cuter than an indignant 7-year-old arguing for moral or ethical...
Parashat Acharei Mot – The Scapegoat
“I can’t find my iPod,” said my daughter just minutes after Havdalah one Saturday night. “Where did you leave it?” I asked. “On the kitchen table,” she replied. “Well, it has not been on the kitchen table all of Shabbat, so when did you last use it?” I asked....
Des racines et des ailes – 5 mai 2016
Ce jeudi nous avons marqué le Yom HaShoah et dans une semaine, le 9 mai, nous tiendrons notre grand évènement « Life Learning Worthy ». En pensant au sujet du billet de cette semaine, l’idée de faire le lien entre ces évènements et le Journal d’Anne Franck s’est...
Passover – When your children ask
“Can you buy crackers,” my daughter asks. “Sure,” I answer. “After Passover.” “But that’s in like three weeks,” she moans. “Yes,” I reply. “You will survive.” “Do we have any cookies?” she asks. “They’re finished.” “And you’re not buying more until after Passover?”...