What is my role? Hello Rabbi & Susan, I am a godmother and I am asking your advice in regards to the core attributes of such a woman in this lifetime commitment. Thank you,Tameka B. What a lovely honor and tribute to you, Tameka, that you were asked to be in this position. We are...
When talking to women looking to meet a man, they frequently say to me, “I just want to meet someone normal.” The problem is who gets to decide what is normal? My definition may be very different from yours. My views of normal certainly differ greatly from the views held by many of my fellow...
I’m not seeing it in my church When you were leading a synagogue did you have the freedom to teach in the same way you teach now? I see many pastors provide a watered-down version of their faith afraid of the loss of numbers. I get discouraged and find more satisfaction when the pastor is...
The great food giveaway The first time I glanced out my window and saw the line of cars, I thought it was a funeral procession. Slow-moving, inching along at a stately pace, the formation seemed never-ending. I went online to discover which important person had died. No one had. When I expressed my bafflement to...
Did fixing a problem make it worse? Don’t give up! In one of our children’s favorite picture books, Henry’s Awful Mistake, Henry the duck decides to get rid of an ant in his kitchen. Before long, his overly vigorous efforts lead to a burst water pipe, a flooded house and evacuation. You get the idea,...
What is appropriate to learn with my child? Hello Rabbi Lapin and Susan, I hope you are well. My question is about sharing the Bible with my son. For many years now I have been blessed to go through the entire Bible each year with the help of a daily podcast. This year I am...
Another way to destroy capitalism? Perhaps it is time to repurpose Presidents Kennedy’s aphorism. How does “Ask not what your company can do for you, ask what you can do for your company,” sound? I’m prefacing my remarks in this way, because I imagine that the words that follow may come across as cruel, unsympathetic...
Or is it controlling me? Compliments Rabbi Lapin, I am presently reading your book Thou Shall Prosper and came across what you said about how television can affect one’s ability to imagine or dream. Would that same effect happen with constant use of the computer: be it phone, palmtops, iPads, laptops, among others? I like...
Condescending attitude a plus As the country prepares for Justice Breyer’s pending resignation, I don’t think that Democrats are worried that whatever liberal/Leftist is nominated will, if confirmed, become more conservative after spending time on the Supreme Court. They don’t worry about that because it doesn’t happen. Conservatives, on the other hand, justifiably fret that...
Have you ever wondered why the plays of William Shakespeare are still being read and remain popular after four hundred years while most books written fifty years ago are already out of print? The answer is that they reveal reality. They teach how the world really works. Another way of describing it is to say...
