To See or Not To See

Congregation Beth El of Manhattan

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To See or Not To See

Scotoma Is The Opposite Of To See

August 31, 2024 • Rabbi Bruce L. Cohen • John 16:13, Deuteronomy 11:26–29

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In this week;'s Torah parasha, "Re'eh" – are commanded to see. This by the God who made us capable of "scotoma" - the willful blanking out of relevant ideas and rational thought leading to healthy conclusions, and replacing them with ill-formed prejudices, gaslighting, and other unhealthy psycho-gymnastics. What is a human-being trying to find and walk in truth to do?

Yesh Lanu Torah (We Have A Teaching)

October 29, 2024 • Rabbi Bruce L. Cohen • Zechariah 1:6

Since last Saturday morning was Simchat Torah, and no sermon was given in the Shabbat morning service in Manhattan - so we offer Rabbi Bruce Cohen's sermon "in" Congregation Beit Ariel of Cape Town, South Africa - given via video the evening before for Erev Simchat Torah there. We hope you enjoy it! Shalom.

We CAN Decide (A Non-Partisan Pre-Election Message)

October 19, 2024 • Rabbi Bruce L. Cohen • Isaiah 41:5–7, Ephesians 4:3, Daniel 4:17

In North Carolina last week, people of both political parties, facing Hurricane Helene's recent damages impeding their ability to get to voting stations, became a shining example of what America can be if her citizens decide to be the non-adversarial, right versions of themselves. Let us feast together on the encouragement coming from a great real-life example of many Scriptural precepts about partly-agreeing/partly-disagreeing members of a community working as a team.

The Indispensable Yeshua (Rescue)

October 12, 2024 • Rabbi Bruce L. Cohen • 1 Timothy 2:5–6, Hebrews 12:2, Micah 5:1–5

How Yeshua the Messiah's atonement provided by God is not just "'a' way to God," but "'THE' (exclusive, single, only) way" to God ... given there were countless people who lived and died before His arrival in Israel; and there have always been human beings far out of reach of hearing about, or knowing of the faith of Israel.