The Jewish Growth Podcast Rabbi Ken Brodkin

My last Drasha at Kesser Israel—after 17 years—is a cause for reflection on the meaning of the weekly Drasha/Sermon in Shul. We consider how Moshe increased his own spirit prior to helping others connect with “the Ruach.”  This podcast will be back intermittently over June and July and we plan to be back in full force in August.

Our rabbis teach us that “one Mitzvah causes another Mitzvah.” Yet, seemingly it is possible to perform one Mitzvah without it leading anywhere in particular. How do we realize a full life of walking in the Mitzvot?

As we count the days toward Shavuot, the counting of Sefira helps us to understand that power of positive habit in our Torah lives. How do we access our full potential through new habits?

As Jews, we experience a tension between our desire to be a “Kiddush HaShem” and the fact that, often, people we encounter do not look favorably upon our Torah practices. How do we thrive with this unresolved tension present in our lives? What does it mean to make a Kiddush HaShem in a non-Jewish world?

Our will to live is the most basic of human drives. But how do we define life? The Torah’s command to “live in Mitzvot” suggests a path that shapes the meaning of our lives.

Isaiah’s futuristic vision of the messianic era points to our innate ability to overcome our natural limitations.