Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov Much has been written about how best to educate a child. What better source to look for guidance in this matter than the Torah, whose very definition and purpose is "teaching." We find that the Torah likens man to "a tree in the field" (Deuteronomy 20:19). There are many reasons given for this linkage. Let's explore the connection as a paradigm for education. Educating a child is similar to cultivating a tree. In both cases, the objective is to provide t

Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov During the Six-Day War, Israeli forces liberated the parts of Jerusalem that had been under Jordanian control and reached the Western Wall. At that historic moment, the commander of the operation, Motta Gur, made the now-famous declaration: “Har Habayit BeYadeinu!” — “The Temple Mount is in our hands!” But, is it really so? After all, Jews are not permitted, according to many halachic authorities, to ascend to much of the Temple Mount. So, is it really “

Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov This past Sunday, after the winners for the 2026 World Cup had been determined, I called an Argentine friend to see how he was doing. He told me that he was devastated. “Why did G-d do this?!” he asked. I replied, “I am not G-d’s accountant, and I am certainly not His lawyer. I do not know why G-d does what He does, nor why He refrains from doing what He refrains from doing. But I do not think ‘Why did this happen?’ is the most important question; I thin

Texts & Contexts Tzav Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov The reading of Tzav [1] opens with the duties of the priests regarding the sacrifice called "Olah," the ascension offering, since, unlike other types of sacrifices, which are partially consumed by the priests and/or the owners, it was completely consumed by the fire on the altar. One of the details concerns the ashes that were accumulating on the altar: "The priest shall put on his linen tunic and his linen trousers over his flesh.

Text & Context Kedoshim - DRAFT Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov In this week’s Torah portion, Kedoshim [1], we read the prohibition: “[…] Do not stand idly by while your fellow’s blood is shed…” [2]. Rashi comments: “To see his death while you are able to save him,” and provides examples to illustrate this principle. This raises some questions: It seems logical that Rashi’s goal is to clarify what “do not stand idly by” means — that one must not remain indifferent in the face of anothe

Shemot By Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov In this week’s Torah portion, Shemot, we read about Moses, raised in Pharaoh’s palace as the stepson of the princess Batya, going out to see his Hebrew brothers laboring as slaves. “And Moses grew and went out to his brothers… And he saw an Egyptian man striking… And he struck the Egyptian… And he went out the next day… And he said to the wicked one: Why do you strike?… And [the man] said, ‘Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?’

The greatest barrier that the Jew who "believes that he does not believe" has with regard to the study of biblical sources is that he feels that it is necessary to be religious or a believer in order to find it interesting or relevant. "If I'm not a believer, why would I want to study religious texts that talk about subjects that don't interest me," he reasons. I can understand that. —OK, then, Mr. Secular, so you're not interested in religion and irrational beliefs; are you

Text and Contect DRAFT Vayechi Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov In this week’s reading, Vayechi, we read about how Jacob requests his son Joseph, the Viceroy of Egypt, and makes him swear that, when the time comes, he will take him to the land of Canaan for burial in the family plot in Hebron [1]. Thereafter, Joseph brings his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, to be blessed by Jacob. Jacob says: "And now, [as for] your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt, until I came to y

Texts & Contexts DRAFT Vayigash Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov “And He said: I am the G-d of your father. Do not fear to descend to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there”[1]. Rashi quotes the words, “Do not fear to descend to Egypt”, and explains: Jacob was distressed because he was compelled to leave the [Promised] Land. Through his commentary, Rashi introduces two points: 1. The verse says, “Do not fear,” implying concern for the future. Yet, Rashi interprets it as

Text & Context DRAFT Miketz Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov In this week’s reading, Miketz, [1] we encounter the story that gave birth to the well-known phrase “seven years of plenty and seven years of famine”: Pharaoh’s troubling dreams and his enthusiastic reaction to Joseph’s interpretation of them. Let’s examine some intriguing details of this biblical story and Rashi’s commentary on it. It is quite reasonable to think that dreams about cows and ears of grain suggest agricultural t

Text & Context DRAFT Vayeishev Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov Regarding the verse that says, “he told Tamar: ‘Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah’,”[1] Rashi cites the words “going up to Timnah” and says: “Regarding Samson, [the verse] says he went down to Timnah [2]. [It turns out that] Timnah was situated in the middle of the mountain; from one direction, one had to go down [to reach it], and from the other, one had to go up.” We need to understand: This is not the firs

Texts and Contexts DRAFT Vayishlach Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov In this week’s parashah, Vaiyshlach, we read about how Jacob, upon arriving at “[the city of] Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan… purchased a plot of land on which he set up his camp… for a hundred kesitah”[1]. Rashi cites the word kesitah and comments: “‘me’a’. Rabbi Akiva said: when I traveled to foreign cities, people would refer to me’a coins as kesitah.” It is understandable that Rashi saw it necessary to exp

Montevideo, May 27, 2024 Mr. Andrés Danza Búsqueda I would like to share my personal perspective regarding some ideas circulating on social media, some of which were published last week in the Letters to the Editor section of your prestigious weekly, namely: 1) the Jews in Israel are European colonizers who are usurping Palestinian lands and 2) they are carrying out a genocide in Gaza. For someone educated in the Western world of the 21st century, whose culture promotes valu

Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov I don't think anyone will argue that we are living in historic times. The only discussion will be with regards to why. Many will say that we are in the worst of times, filled with unprecedented hatred. Hatred of others toward us, hatred among ourselves and hatred among others. I want to propose here that we are actually living in the best of times; not in spite of all of these hatreds but precisely because of them. Did I get your attention? Good. Let's

Ki Tavo Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov One of the best antidotes for both anxiety and depression consists of a single word: Thanks. What is the magic in the word “Thanks”? Saying “thank you” implies two things: 1) I received something valuable from someone and 2) it is (usually) something that was not owed to me. What does it have to do with anxiety and depression? One of the causes for anxiety is the fear that things won’t work out. When you are grateful to receive something, you rea

Shofetim Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov Obsessive thoughts are one of the frequent causes of distress and depression. Those who suffer from it or know someone who suffers from it don’t need much explanation to understand how paralyzing it is. How do you get rid of paralyzing obsessive thoughts? The story is told about an individual who was struggling with intrusive negative thoughts. He went to consult with the Alter Rebbe, the founder of Jabad. The Rebbe sent him to consult with a ce

Re’eh Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov What is the difference between a threat and a challenge? As far as their effect on you, it is pretty obvious: a threat paralyzes whilst a challenge motivates and empowers. But, what does it depend on whether an obstacle is defined as a threat or a challenge? While it largely depends on one’s attitude and perspective, is there anything that can help one see obstacles as challenges rather than threats? In this week’s reading, Re’eh [1], we can find a

Eikev Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov There is a parable told by the Dubna Magid in which he tells of a poor boy who went from house to house asking for used clothes to resell and earn a few rubles. When he knocked on the door of the town’s magnate, he was told to go up to the loft and take any of the clothes stored there that he could use. The young man went upstairs and put together a nice package of clothes with the hope of being able to sell them and earn a nice sum. Looking for a

Vaetchanan Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov One of the causes for frustration that leads to anxiety and distress is when one cannot find answers to important questions. It’s most frustrating when you can’t find the answer because the question itself is flawed. How can you find an answer to a question that doesn’t exist? If you were to look for the answer to the question “what color is 2 + 2?” how would you fare? So before attempting to answer a question —your own or someone else’s— it

Devarim/Chazon Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov One of the most famous phrases —more than a mere phrase, a concept— that has become deeply embedded in our psyche during the Trump presidency is: Fake News. On countless occasions, when faced with challenging questions posed by journalists about a myriad of topics, President Trump responded with two words: Fake News. What he was saying in essence was this: “I don’t have to answer your question, since it is based on fake news”. The exchange

Pinechas Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov “If I were G-d,” one of Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s colleagues remarked, “I would create the world differently than He did.” “And if I were G-d,” replied Rabbi Schneur Zalman, “I would create the world exactly as He created it.” One of the causes of anxiety and distress is dissatisfaction or uncertainty regarding one’s role in life. “Why did I get to be a businessman? I would have preferred to be a Rabbi!” “Why did I get to live in this community? I

Chukat-Balak Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov “Any wonder why I feel so horrible? Look at all the venom I’m surrounded by!” the young man on the other side of the screen said. People often feel dejected because they believe that they are either the product or the victim of uncontrollable negative circumstances around them. Is this really so? Is not perhaps the opposite true? Who has more influence, the outside world on us or we on the world around us? In this week’s Torah portions of Ch

Shemini | Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov | It is very difficult not to be stressed when things around you seem to be out of control. The more you read the news, the more distressing it becomes. How can we deal with this? Let’s start by reviewing the premise: are things really out of control? I’d say nothing has really changed. The only thing that has changed is the sense of predictability. Everything is really the same, neither before nor now have things truly been under our control.

Eliezer Shemtov I want to share with you, dear reader, an interesting experience I recently had in Glen Canyon, Arizona. In order to better appreciate its unique beauty, my wife and I joined a boat tour that traveled down the Colorado River, flowing between its rock formations. On the way, we made a stop and disembarked on a riverbank to get a closer look at things. It was very interesting to hear about the native flora and the plants imported from Kazakhstan in order to solv

Eliezer Shemtov I am not an expert on the subject of cryptocurrency, a very complex issue with many details, but the other day, talking to my friend Jaime Zarucki, I had an Aha! Moment that I would like to share. Jaime mentioned an article published by Magalí Piastri and Leonardo Akerman [1] where they discuss legal issues when acquiring a property in exchange for cryptocurrency. Is it considered a sale or barter? They quote a consultation made to the Uruguayan Tax Authoritie

One of the most celebrated Jewish holidays is, undoubtedly, Pesach. It has been 3,335 years since those who left Egypt and their descendants have been celebrating this event around the Seder table, eating Matzah and eating around the Seder table, eating Matzah and Maror, drinking wine, reading and chanting passages from the Haggadah that narrate the story and its meaning. The date is celebrated with more or less religious rigor. In addition to those of us that celebrate Pesac

Rabbi Avrohom Shemtov accompanying Mr. Bikel at his meeting with the Rebbe Yankel was a merchant Chassid who lived in Moscow and came to the village of Lubavitch every year to spend the holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur with his Rebbe. He came dressed as a Chassid, although all year he dressed in the attire of a Russian merchant. One year he came to Lubavitch dressed as a Russian merchant. “Rebbe, I don't want to deceive you anymore,” he said. “All year long I dress li

"Tell me, Rabbi: is Judaism based on logic or faith?" "Yes." One of the great challenges for the Western Jew is to reconcile "Faith and Science", especially if he or she was raised in Uruguay, one of the most secular countries where the separation between Church and State was installed so "religiously" early on, at the beginning of the 20th century. Are faith and reason two irreconcilable approaches or can they be complementary? It depends on what one understands by "reason"

Reissued on the occasion of Tzedakah Foundation of Uruguay's Charidy Campaign http://www.charidy.com/cmp/tzedakauruguay Eliezer Shemtov "Good afternoon, Don Miguel," said the leader of the delegation. "We came here to request your help for the Gomlei Chesed institution. We help hundreds of families with their most basic needs." "Look," said Don Miguel with a very serious face. "I appreciate the honor you extend to me with your visit, but I must tell you that I carry a great f

||| Vayeitzei ||| In this week's parashah, Vayeitzei [1], we read about the birth of eleven of Jacob's twelve children. About the first one, Reuven, we read [2], "Leah conceived and bore a son. She named him Reuven 'because,' she said, 'the eternal one saw my humiliation, for now my husband will love me.’” Rashi quotes the words "And she named him Reuven" and comments: "Our sages explained [3]: [Leah] said: See the difference between my son and the son of my father-in-law [Es

Toledot In this week’s Torah portion we read about the blessings that our patriarch Isaac gave to his son Jacob. Let’s take a look at the the passage [1] in which Isaac talks about his old age and the fact that he did not know the day of his death as an introduction to his expressing his desire to bestow his blessings upon his firstborn son. Rashi quotes the words “I do not know the day of my death” and comments: ‘Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha said: if one reaches the age of his

Texts&Contexts Chaie Sarah Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov In his search for a place to bury his late wife Sarah, the Torah [1] tells us how Avraham asked the Hittites to sell him "the cave of Machpelah (duplication)" for that purpose. Rashi quotes the word "Machpelah" and says: "A house with an attic". At first sight it seems that Rashi's intention is to explain that the cave was called Machpelah ("duplication") because it was "double", in other words, it consisted of two caves, one a

Texts&Contexts Vayera Among the Rebbe’s analysis of Rashi's commentaries on this week's reading, Vayera [1], we will explore a phenomenon not very common in the text of the Torah: letters that have a little dot of ink over them. These dots do not serve the function of vowels —since vowels do not appear in the text of the Torah— but serve to modify the meaning of the text, adding meaning to it and/or weakening its literal meaning. Although Rashi is not obligated to explain its

Lech Lecha Two of the best known Jewish names are Abraham and Sarah, in fact they are the names of the progenitors of the Jewish people. But it was not always so. Before their names were Abraham and Sarah, they were called Avram and Sarai. Perhaps these would be insignificant details were it not for the fact that G-d himself changed their names, as documented in the Torah. Why is it so important? What relevance does this have for us in our lives? In this week's reading, Lech

Texts and Contexts The fascinating world of the Rebbe’s approach to Rashi’s commentary Eliezer Shemtov One of the great challenges we’ve faced when we arrived in Uruguay is how do you sell religion to a secular-minded person? It would seem more difficult than lighting a match under water... Today I understand that you can't "sell" anything to anyone in this regard. What you can and should do is try to present things properly and trust that they are attractive enough to se

In this week’s Bible reading, Noach [1], we read about the dove that Noach sent to see if the flood waters had subsided and he could get out of the ark. If the dove came back it would be because the waters had not yet come down. If she did not return, it would be a sign that she had found a place to build her nest because the waters had gone down and she could get out of the ark. The first time he sent the dove, it returned. A week later he sent it back and returned with a pl

**Vezot Haberachah** This past Sunday we celebrated Simchat Torah, concluding the annual Torah reading cycle. It contains a very powerful teaching regarding the role and benefit of depression. The reading is called Vezot Haberachah [1], “and this is the blessing”, as the Torah goes on to describe the blessings with which Moshe blessed the twelve tribes of the Jewish people before he passed away. He blessed each tribe according to their particular characteristics and roles wit

**Ki Teitzei** One of the results of anxiety and distress is paralysis. From the perspective that one has in either of those two states of mind, one cannot see the possibility of succeeding in the challenge in front of him. The consequence of that perspective is that it becomes a self-fulfilling reality and one does not succeed precisely because he or she does not go out to fight. It is difficult for one who finds himself in these conditions to contemplate the possibility of

Haazinu So far, in this series of Biblical Life Hacks, we have shared possible solutions to help deal with thoughts and feelings of anxiety or depression. This week we will look at a tool that can help one who is living with someone who is suffering from depression in the hope that it might help somewhat to better communicate with him or her; often a very daunting task. Of course, there are many types and degrees of depression as well as different causes for depression. It

Nitzavim-VayeIlech One of the most formidable adversaries you will ever have to deal with is… you. The reason is simple: the ideas and feelings you know best are your own. Since they are your personal ideas and preferences, you tend to give them utmost importance. If you understand or feel a certain way, isn’t that enough of a reason to do everything possible in order to carry out your ideas and satisfy your desires. It often happens that the opposite is true. One who defines

**Korach** There is a song in Yiddish, Fort a idele in a shifele, which describes an extreme situation of despair, the different options tried and their respective results: A Jew travels in a little boat The little boat breaks up and he’s drowning He shouts out “Tatenyu!” (Daddy dearest), “Save me! Save me!” “I cannot help you. I cannot help you.” A Jew travels in a little boat The little boat breaks up and he’s drowning He shouts out “¡Mamenyu!” (Mommy dearest), “Save me! S

**Shelach** One of the causes of anxiety are the doubts that arise regarding your success or failure when you are faced with a new challenge. The more important the venture is, the greater the stress it can cause you even to the extent of paralyzing you or making you decide not to go ahead with the risk. How do you overcome this natural fear? In this week’s Torah portion [1], Shelaj [2], we read how the Jewish people experienced a situation that caused them great anxiety, the

**Behaalotecha** One of the causes of anxiety and depression is low self-esteem. When you feel that you are worthless or that you don’t excel at anything special, you are well on your way to becoming depressed. Let’s take a look at a tried and tested antidote that helps protect against low self-esteem: humility. How does humility protect us against low self-esteem? According to Wikipedia, “Dictionary definitions accentuate humility as a low self-regard and sense of unworthin

**Naso** One of the causes of anxiety and distress is when we look at what we lack instead of what we have. Take, for example, a “simple” glass of water. Is it really all that simple? Have you ever thought about what it represents? What would life —your life— be like without access to that glass of water? Have you ever stopped to think about how wondrous and how perfect the water cycle is, manifested every time it rains and every time you drill down into the earth to discover

**Shavuot** There are two types of letters, written and engraved. What's the difference between them? The obvious one: a written letter can be erased while an engraved letter cannot be erased (without destroying the stone into which it is engraved). This difference is due to a deeper and more essential difference: a written letter is formed by putting two separate things together —and just as they were put together, they can be separated again— while the engraved letter comes

**Bamidbar** What do you do when you don’t see the results of your efforts, do you persist or do you give up? Is it always a virtue to not give up? When might it be a sign of vanity, of not wanting to admit failure? As with many similar questions of this nature, the answer is: it depends. It depends on why you do what you do: do you do it in order to show off your personal greatness or because of your dedication to a cause greater than yourself? One day Morris went to visit

**Behar-Bechukotai** Everyday life is full of challenges and disappointments. That is not up to us. What does depend on us, however, is how we process painful experiences. Do we know how to limit their impact or do we give them more space than they really deserve? In the second half of this week's composite reading, Behar-Bechukotai, [1] we read about the curses applied in the event that we do not follow G-d’s commands [2]. They are so graphic to the extent that it is custom

**Bereishit** Have you ever thought to yourself: “If only I had this or that thing or situation, I would be happy…”? It’s usually a fallacious reasoning. Joy does not depend on what we have or do not have, but on how we perceive what we have and do not have. What better example than Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden? Did they lack anything? They managed, nevertheless, to complicate themselves on their own. There was only one tree whose fruits G-d had forbidden them to enjoy

**Chayei Sarah** One of the causes of anxiety and depression is undoubtedly the feeling of having left your youth behind and having entered old age. People spend billions on diets, creams and surgical interventions to try to delay the process or at least disguise its effects. What can you do to not feel so bad when you think about the life that’s slipping through your fingers? I will share today two tools that I found in this week’s reading, Chayei Sarah [1]. The reading is

**Lech Lecha** Few things cause anxiety and depression as much as feeling unfairly assaulted. Sometimes it’s easy to see how pain is necessary and even beneficial and sometimes it’s not. When there is no apparent benefit, one turns to faith: one may believe that it contains no benefit or one might believe that it does. Why should and how can someone believe that the apparent injustices are for one’s benefit, beyond merely wanting to believe so, in order to mitigate the pain?