Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair
Catch the Wind – Parshat Noach
If we have a spirit inside us, why don't we see it?
The Day the Music Died – Sukkot
Music has a tremendous power - for the good or the bad. It all depends on the soul of the composer and the musician.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers – Yom Kippur
On Yom Kippur, we can discover who we really are.
Was It Worth Creating the World for Me?
Rosh Hashana is the anniversary of the creation of the first man. It's also the day on which God judges the whole world. What is the connection between the two?
Why Evil Exists
A mini-lecture about why evil exists in this world.
Fear of Elul
Right now, faced with the prospect of having to turn my life and my emotions upside down, I go into a panic that results in total spiritual paralysis. Fear of Elul.
Leaving Our Comfort Zone – Elul
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.
Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair – Tisha B’Av 5781 – “Why We Weep”
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Richard Branson and the Ultimate Joy Ride
It's easy to think of life as a trip through a treasure-house of experiences. Climbing Everest. Flying around the world in eighty days, or to the edge of space. The truth is that all the pleasures, all the experiences of this world, are given to us for one reason only: that we might sense to the smallest degree, the taste of life itself.
But what is life itself if not our experiences in it?
Why the Jewish People Are the People of the Moon
Have you ever noticed that from the Earth, the Sun and the Moon look exactly the same size? Is it just a coincidence? Maybe there's a deeper meaning to this?
Book Burning and the 17th of Tammuz
A hallmark of all repressive regimes is burning books. One of the tragedies that we mourn on the 17th of Tammuz is the burning of the Torah - the ultimate repression of the ultimate "book".
Two Bottles of Coca-Cola Cost $4 Billion
Mystical concepts can be hard to imagine, but something happened recently that gives us a parable to grasp the enormous power that lies within us.
Why Do We Say Shabbat Shalom?
All right-thinking people in this world want shalom – peace. Why is it that almost since the beginning of time, peace has been elusive and often illusory. Shabbat holds the answer.
Is Circumcision Mutilation?
Prince Charles and before him the sons of George V were all circumcised. In fact, circumcision was widely performed on British middle - and upper-class male infants from the 1890s through the 1940s. Things have changed a bit since then... Why do Jews circumcise their sons?
The Hidden Light – Parshat Behalotecha
At the beginning of time there shone a light called the "Ohr Haganuz." With this light you could see from one end of the world to the other - meaning you could see the connection between cause and effect. God hid that light away after 36 hours but there are still times when you can still catch its glow.
Why the World Hates the Jews
The recent events in Israel show that anti-Semitism is rife not just in Gaza, Akko, and Jerusalem but in the civilized capitals of the world. Why won't anti-Semitism go away?
A Real Jewish Princess – Parashat Naso
A magical parable about Shavuot.
Shavuot – The Empty Landscape – Sivan
Pesach has matza, the Seder, the four cups of wine, "Ma nishtana.…" Succot has the Four Species and the succah. Shavuot, however, has no single identifying mitzva, no recognizable landmark in its scenery. Why?
Why Bad Things Happen to Good People – Parshat Bechukotai
Nothing is as challenging to our faith as seeming injustice and tragedy. How does a believing person reconcile an apparently cruel world with an Omnipotent and Merciful Creator?
What’s Wrong With Wikipedia – Parshat Emor
Democracy is a wonderful institution, but it's not infallible.
Respect For Others – The Month of Iyar
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.
Comfort in Time of Loss – Parshat Tazria
What's the connection between working in a recording studio and eating non-kosher food?
Why Eat Kosher? – Parshat Shemini
What's the connection between working in a recording studio and eating non-kosher food?
“What’s So Wrong With Bread?” – the Month of Nissan
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
Rabbi Sinclair's book on the weekly Parsha - https://www.israelbookshoppublications.com/store/pc/The-Color-of-Heaven-54p652.htm
Tying the Knot – Parshat Vayikra
The Book of Vayikra begins a series of complex laws about the service of the Holy Temple, but even though the laws of the Torah are precise, they require individual creativity.
The Ultimate Labor Saver – Parshat Vayakhel
Man has always dreamed about a robot that would do everything for him. But the ultimate labor saver has been around for more than three thousand years.
Isn’t stiff necked a physical condition? – Parshat Ki Tissa
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Unmasked: Purim and the Meaning of Anti-Semitism
Sometimes rather than endangering lives, throwing away your mask can save lives. A message for Purim.
Do You Believe in God? – Parshat Teruma
Each one of us can make our lives a space of holiness and feel the presence of God. Here's how...
Nothing Is Incurable – Parshat Mishpatim
There is no such thing as an incurable disease