The three sons of Noach (Noah) represent three world views: "The world is what I can feel." "The world is what I can know." And "The world is more than I can know." Their three names reveal this.
One of the most difficult things in this world is to change. To become more than we are. To realize our true potential. We don't want to change. We'd rather sit by the pool and watch the water-lilies float-to-and-fro. Any true change is painful. The Hebrew month of Elul is the time that demands from us to leave our comfort zone and realize our true spiritual potential.
The ‘Shema’ is the basic credo of the Jewish People – that God is One. But why do we say, “Hear O Israel!” rather than “See O Israel!” or “Know O Israel!? Having trouble viewing this video? Please click below to see additional formats:
Everyone knows you can't eat bread on Pesach, but what's so wrong with bread? Rabbi Sinclair's book on the weekly Parsha - https://www.israelbookshoppublications.com/store/pc/The-Color-of-Heaven-54p652.htm
Nineteen hundred years ago, the twenty-five thousand pupils of Rebbe Akiva all died in the days of the Omer between Pesach and Shavuot. This was a punishment for not treating each other with enough respect. The majority of the days Omer are in the month of Iyar. Thus Iyar is a time for us to work on improving respect for others.