Posts by Cyril
A VISION OF JUSTICE
One of the consequences of being a student of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament is that I understand how the New Testament often distorts Jewish law. You already know the most popular misconception: that Judaism is a harsh, cold religion of laws, devoid of love and compassion. Get into a discussion with anyone…
Read MoreTHE REAL BLESSING
Parahat Bo – Gainesville Do you remember the good old days when we actually had to sit through a movie to find out the ending? Nowadays, with time so precious, we may have a tendency to scroll to the end, see who survives, get an idea as to the end of the story and then…
Read MoreSHEMOT – Feeling the Pain
Gainesville One phrase, that’s all it takes to completely change the trajectory of the life of the Jewish people. And what is that phrase? “A new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.” (Ex.1:8) And just like that, everything changes. The Israelites had been numerous ever since Joseph’s brothers and their households arrived…
Read MoreVAYECHI – BACK TO THE PLACE WE CAME FROM
Gainesville 2025 I want to share a little bit of my personal history with you today. When I was in High School, it was the height of the Cold War. Something inside me drove me to want to learn everything I could about what was then the Soviet Union. But, I didn’t know where or…
Read MoreBAD REALITY TV
Vayigash Gainesville Stella and I have an ongoing argument. She is very much into reality TV dramas, mostly for background noise. Still, at any given time, the Housewives of LA, My 1000 Pound Life, Dance Moms, some Kardashian thing or another, or a dozen more are permeating the house. So what is the argument? Simple;…
Read MoreSHOCKING
PARASHAT TOLDOTE – GAINESVILLE I have been teaching Torah classes in one fashion or another for decades. To be honest, I think it is my favourite time of the week. But what is it about Torah study that makes it so joyous? It’s the surprises that come along with it. You see, whenever we study…
Read MoreTHE AGE OF AGE
CHAIYAE SARAH – Gainesville When I was 11 years old, I distinctly remember going to my grandfather’s 70th birthday. This was in 1970. And, as is often the case, one moment has stayed with me throughout my life. That moment was when I saw my grandfather simply walking across the living room. I recall his…
Read MoreWHERE’S GOD IN THIS MESS?
PARASHAT VAYEIRA – GAINESVILLE The Torah likes to talk in coded language, or at least we read Torah as if it’s speaking in a coded language. That’s what’s happening this week. Take a listen to opening verse: וַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה ‘God appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre.’ The ‘him’ in this case is…
Read MorePEOPLE INTO PEOPLE – PARASHAT LECH LECHA
Rabbi Cy Stanway – Gainesville The parasha this week is something of a pivot point, if you think about it. But it’s a pivot point that has been somewhat misunderstood. Let me explain. You see, up to this point the Torah has been concerned with really big things. Creation of the universe. Adam and Eve,…
Read MoreA SERIOUS PROBLEM – CREATION
Bereshit – Gainesville Welcome back to the beginning of the Torah and probably the most misunderstood portion in Western religious history. This is because, more than any other section of the bible, so many people take this portion completely literally. The earth was created in 6 days. Man and woman created on the seventh. There was a talking serpert…
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