Rabbi's Blog - Chabad Lubavitch of Idaho

A Mature Focus

Friday, August 28, 2026 - 8:01 AM

At the end of this week’s parsha Ki Tavo, Moshe – nearing the end of his life – reprimands the Jewish nation:

"You have seen all that the Lord did before your very eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, to all his servants, and to all his land; the great trials which your very eyes beheld and those great signs and wonders. Yet until this day, the Lord has not given you a heart to know, eyes to see and ears to hear.”

If Moshe attests to the fact that forty years prior the Jews saw the miracles in Egypt and the numerous wonders of G-d, why is he stating that they are incapable of knowing, seeing and hearing?

Let me put this in other words: If you were present when, for example, the Twin Towers were attacked on … Read More »

Celestial Terra

Friday, August 21, 2026 - 7:03 AM

A Jewish woman passed away in rural Arizona. Her body was only found several days after passing.

A relative in Colorado contacted me in Boise.

I reached out to another relative in Idaho.

I found out that the body was scheduled for cremation in a matter of hours. This is a huge no-no in Judaism.

Unfortunately, the deceased had no funds and no local family members at all.

With the clock ticking, I immediately reached out to relatives to stop the cremation, or at least pause it. I was told there are no funds for burial. “Put aside money,” I declared. “We will figure that out. For now, we need to stop the funeral home from cremating the body and then we can figure out the rest.”

Reluctantly, the relatives agr… Read More »

Humble Self Affirmation

Friday, August 14, 2026 - 9:01 AM

A great rabbi was once called upon to settle a dispute between two of his followers. The first man poured out his complaints to the rabbi, and when he finished, the rabbi said, “You’re right.” Then it was the second one’s turn. When he finished, the rabbi said, “You’re also right.” The rabbi’s wife, who had been listening to the conversation, said incredulously to her husband, “What do you mean, ‘You’re also right’? They can’t both be right!” The rabbi thought for a few moments, and then replied, “You know, my dear, you’re also right.”

Sometimes, my children come with similar challenges. One says… Read More »

Domino Effect

Friday, August 7, 2026 - 8:27 AM

Did you know that the capture of Constantinople in 1453 led to the discovery of America?

When the Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople, they blocked traditional land trade routes between Europe and Asia. This blockade forced European nations to look for new sea paths to reach Asian spices and goods. These desperate searches for alternative water routes eventually led Christopher Columbus to sail west in 1492, landing in the Americas.

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In this week’s parsha, Re’eh, the Jews are told to destroy and uproot all idolatry upon settling in the land of Israel. The Torah states:

And you shall tear down their altars, smash their monuments, burn their asherim with fire, cut down the graven images of their gods, and destroy their na…Read More »