The movie Citizen Kane has been voted by many film academies and publications to be the greatest American movie of all time. Though the film's cinematography was cutting edge in 1941, it is certainly not up to the technical capabilities of today's films, so it is rather the penetrating story that has kept this classic on the top of the experts' lists for over half a century. It is loosely based on the life of William Randolph Hearst, but it is really a searing look into human desire for love, acceptance, success and peace.

by Rabbi Russ Resnik

The Messianic Jewish community is entrusted with a message to the rest of our Jewish people, and to the world beyond, that we describe as good news—the besorah, or gospel, of the life, death and resurrection of Yeshua. But, of course, this message is not often perceived as good news, no matter how well we express it. The besorah is hard for many to receive, and one reason for this shows up in this week's parasha, the scandalous idea of divine election. We proclaim a God who chooses according to his own purposes, not according to human priorities and values. That truth offends many, but also gives us hope that the besorah will in the end prevail among our people.

by Rabbi Barney Kasdan
Kehilat Ariel Messianic Synagogue, San Diego

For joy, fun and a great time of celebration, it is hard to find an event more wonderful than a Jewish wedding! Of course, just about any wedding is a great occasion but there are some unique elements of the Jewish wedding that make it stand out among religious celebrations. For some people it could be the beautiful liturgy that is chanted. For others perhaps it is the symbolism of the two cups and the chuppah. Everyone seems to agree that the reception and chair dance are a high point. Parashat Chayei Sarah records many of the details of the ancient biblical ceremony as it describes the wedding of our forefather Yitzhak/Isaac. As beautiful as the Jewish wedding ceremony is, it also contains some amazing spiritual pictures of God's love for us and His plan for our future. This becomes especially illuminating when we study the wedding ceremony of antiquity. While some of the details have changed today, many of the distinctive elements are still observed within the 21^st century Jewish wedding.

by Rabbi Russ Resnik

Our Messiah warned us, "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mt. 5:20). We often interpret that sentence as if the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees were defective, but Yeshua might be saying the opposite: "Unless your righteousness is even better than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you'll never make it into the kingdom of heaven." Such words must have filled the original hearers with despair. How can I be more righteous than a Pharisee-especially if I'm a simple Galilean farmer or fisherman or wife and mother?

by Rabbi Dr. Michael Schiffman

I've always heard Abraham portrayed as living in a tent. While it is true, the picture of him given in the Torah portion is far from someone on a lifelong Boy Scout campout.  B'reisheet 13:5 says, "Lot, who went with Abraham, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support them staying together; for their possessions were so great that they could not remain together. And there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Abraham's cattle and those of Lot's cattle. - The Canaanites and Perizzites were then dwelling in the land." Between Abraham and his nephew, they had so many possessions that the land could not support the two of them together, so they separated.  It is interesting that the Torah says the Canaanites and Perizzites were dwelling in the land.  It does not say it was their land, implying that the land belongs to whom God gives it, not to who occupies it.

Last year, I had a discussion with my long time teacher and mentor, Reb Yitzhak.  We talked about the possible rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.  I talked about the potential to have the sacrifices reinstituted, and what an exciting thing that would be.  Reb Yitzhak said it would be a big mistake.  I asked why, and he told me there were two main problems.  I mentioned the Dome of the Rock shrine Islam erected on the site, but he said that wasn't the major problem.

The first problem as he sees it, was the selection of the High Priest.  There would be a major fight within Judaism about who would be the High Priest.  Would he be Ashkenazi or Sephardic?  If they chose a High Priest, other Kohanim (priests) would be selected for Temple service and that would be a major battle as well.  "I'll be High Priest, and you will do this, and you will do that, etc." The response would be, "Why should you get to be High Priest?  Who are you? You should be nothing and I should be High Priest, etc."   It would be a big mess.

by Rabbi Russ Resnik

The sacrificed son

Every year at Rosh Hashanah we hear the story of the Akedah, the binding of Isaac, from Genesis chapter 22. We also hear the sound of the shofar, or ram's horn trumpet, which serves as a reminder of the story's climax, when God provides a ram, caught by its horns in a bush, as a sacrifice in place of Isaac (Talmud; Rosh Hashanah 16a). The same story is retold daily as part of the traditional Jewish prayers. Why is this story so central to our observance of the High Holy Days, and to the whole Jewish religious outlook?