CHOCHMAS NASHIM: CHUKAT: FAITH By:  Suri Davis   Forty six years ago today Jewish hostages were saved from their kidnapped place in Entebbe Uganda.  Those alive at the time will remember holding our collective breathes waiting to hear the fait of the 94 Israelis and Jews who were held hostage in Uganda with the consent…

CHOCHMAS NASHIM: EAU DE TOILETTE By:  Suri Davis The numerical value of Korach is Rekach, a perfumer or spiced as in Song of Songs 5:13:  “like a bed of spices are His words at Sinai, like towers of perfume,” and 8:2:…”to drink, I’d give You spiced libations, wines like pomegranate nectar.” Perfume and spices are…

CHOCHMAS NASHIM:  KIBBUTZ GALUYOT Suri Davis   Sunny daze everything’s a okay… As I prepare for my son’s wedding, my other sons are coming in from Israel My daughter is coming home with her new husband The wedding is on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year Relatives are coming near and far…

TEACHERS PUT YOUR WEAPONS DOWN By: Suri Davis I went to a park recently where there were nursery/kindergarten children from a school with their teachers.  There were many exciting swings and obstacle courses with which the children could play, except for one thing. The teachers were armed.  Armed with what, you might ask?  Armed with…

CHOCMAS NASHIM: BECHUKOTAI: OUR IDYLL By:  Suri Davis     וְנָתַתִּ֥י גִשְׁמֵיכֶ֖ם בְּעִתָּ֑ם וְנָתְנָ֤ה הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ יְבוּלָ֔הּ וְעֵ֥ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה יִתֵּ֥ן פִּרְיֽוֹ׃ I will grant your rains in their season, so that the earth shall yield its produce and the trees of the field their fruit. וְהִשִּׂ֨יג לָכֶ֥ם דַּ֙יִשׁ֙ אֶת־בָּצִ֔יר וּבָצִ֖יר יַשִּׂ֣יג אֶת־זָ֑רַע וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֤ם לַחְמְכֶם֙ לָשֹׂ֔בַע וִֽישַׁבְתֶּ֥ם…

CHOCHMAS NASHIM: DUST BALLS By: Suri Davis   This Shabbos is called Shabbos Hagadol, the great/awesome Shabbos, named after the Haftorah we read after the Torah reading.  It hails the upcoming holiday of redemption. Today is the 7th day of Nissan, one month after the passing of Moses, the day Joshua started preparing the Jews…

CHOCHMAS NASHIM: VAYIKRA: HODU LASHEM KI TOV MISHE MISHE MISHE MISHENICHNAT ADAR By:  Suri Davis Tomorrow is Daled Adar Bet, it would have been my father’s, ah, birthday.  Oh how he would have loved the upcoming festivities in so many ways.  This Tuesday, we in Daf Yomi land finish Seder Moed and Masechet Chagiga. I…

Chochmas Nashim: Pikudei: Oxtail Stew By: Suri Davis   One of my fond remnants of the days Cedarhurst had William Sonoma, is my 13 quart copper pot.  It’s huge. I store it in my basement pantry.  I bring it up for soups and stews.   My children and I enjoy oxtail stew on cold winter…

VAYAKHEL: ASSEMBLIES By: Suri Davis   There are numerous times throughout this torah portion where the term Chacham Lev Ladaat/wise of the heart, to know.  The term is jam packed with deep meaning of the world reality. We think of wisdom stemming from our minds and not our hearts.  A wise heart is a deep…

CHOCHMAS NASHIM: KI TISSA: MY CAR, THE SPEAKEASY By: Suri Davis   I went to a wedding this week they had valet parking.  I came out of the wedding and the valet lost my fob to start and run my car.  My other car is 20 years old, and it has a key, and if…