This week's parsha

Unless otherwise noted, "This week's Parsha" comprises articles taken from contributors to the Chabad.org website. We show the original author's name here, so that proper attribution is given. For the sake of brevity, footnotes cited in the original author's writings are omitted from this website. If you need to see the citations, please refer to the original articles on the Chabad.org website.

Standing Firm

Published: 20 September 2011 | Written by Mordechai Wollenberg

This week's Torah reading begins Atem nitzavim, "You are standing here today, all of you... from the heads of tribes... to the woodcutters and water-drawers."

The commentaries explain that nitzavim in Hebrew means "standing firm." This verse teaches us that our standing firm is conditional upon it being all of you standing together. Each of us, from the highest to the lowliest, has our part to play and our own potential to fulfill.

The Six-Sentence Thank You

Published: 12 September 2011 | Written by Rabbi Avraham Plotnik

I never realized how saying "thank you" is such an integral part of our Jewish tradition, until I was doing my weekly reading of the Torah, and I was struck by the way Jews thank. Well, to be honest, I always knew about the farmer’s mitzvah to say "thank you" by bringing his bikkurim - the first of his produce - as a form of thanks to G-d. What I didn’t pay attention to in the past was the extensive language of his obligatory thanks:

Get Out of Class

Published: 06 September 2011 | Written by Levi Avtzon

You know so much.

That there is G-d, and that life has meaning and a purpose.

Or that Abraham was thrown into a furnace for standing up for his beliefs, and that G-d gave his descendents the Torah at Sinai.

Or you know how to read the aleph bet.

Or you know a trick or two about marriage.

If you'd take a moment to consider, you'd surely come to the conclusion that you know so much, that you've accumulated much knowledge and experience.