Shabbat sermons

On most shabbat mornings, Rabbi Perkins will not deliver a formal sermon, but will rather lead a discussion with the Congregation on a topic related to the day’s Torah reading, haftarah, or some other topic of current interest. On many shabatot he will prepare a study sheet of readings and commentaries which is distributed to the congregation. We will occasionally post these written guides as well. Click here to read some of these study guides.

We are fortunate to have been able to keep and post most of the shabbat sermons that Rabbi Perkins has delivered over the past few years. Here they are (in chronological order), either to re-read yourself or to pass on to a friend: 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010

2010

“The Gift of Shabbat”
Parashat Ki Tissa (March 6, 2010)

"The Limits of Freedom"
Shabbat haGadol (March 27, 2010)

"The Flotilla Fiasco"
Parashat Shelach L’cha (June 5, 2010)

2009

“The Mitzvah to Contribute”
Parashat Terumah (February 28, 2009)

“Tum’ah and Taharah on Shabbat Tekumah”
Parashat Vayikra (March 28, 2009)

“The Ongoing Struggle for Freedom”
Parashat Tazriah-Metzora (April 25, 2009)

“You Can’t Live Without Hope”
Parashat Behar-Behukotai (May 16, 2009)

“Ruach Kin’ah—The Spirit of Zealotry”
Parashat Naso (June 6, 2009)

“God’s Providence”
First Day of Sukkot (October 1, 2009)

“A Serious Man”
Parashat Haye Sarah (November 14, 2009)

“Appearances can be Deceiving”
Parashat Toldot (November 21, 2009)

Prior Years 2000-2008

2000

The Importance of Jewish Peoplehood
Shabbat Shekalim (March 3, 2000)

2001

Life: A Meta-Mitzvah - In the wake of the September 11 attacks
Parashat Nitzavim (September 15, 2001)

2002

The Uses and Abuses of Biblical Stories
Parashat Bo (January 19, 2002)

Yitro (Jethro): The Model Ger Tsedek
Parashat Yitro (February 2, 2002)

Why are there so many Jewish lawyers?
Parashat Mishpatim (February 9, 2002)

“How is this Passover different from all other Passovers?”
Parashat HaChodesh (March 9, 2002)

Will the Plant be Uprooted?
Parashat Aharei Mot-Kedoshim (post Yom HaZikkaron) (April 20. 2002)

“Teach them to your children…”
Parashat Emor (April 27, 2002)

“Lo alecha ha-m'lachah ligmor”—“It is not up to you to complete the task...”
Parashat B’midbar (May 11, 2002)

“Labor Day”
Parashat Nitzavim-Vayelech (September 7, 2002)

“Lech L’Cha: “Go Forth!” – into a Challenging, at times Hostile, World”
Parashat Lech L’Cha (October 19, 2002)

“Truth: A Grievous Casualty”
Parashat Haye Sarah (November 2, 2002)

“Before Whom and To Whom We Pray”
Parashat Vayetze (November 16, 2002)

“The Voice is the Voice of Jacob” — A Tribute to Abba Eban
Parashat Vayishlach (November 23, 2002)

2003

“The Fog of Holiness and the Fog of War”
Parashat Pekudei (March 8, 2003)

“Minimizing the Contamination of War”
Parashat Parah (March 22, 2003)

“How Not to Complain”
Parashat B’ha-alotcha (June 21, 2003)

“The Sacrifices”
Parashat Pinchas (July 19, 2003)

“Israel—An ‘Ahuzat Olam’”
Parashat Haye Sarah (November 22, 2003)

2004

The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King
(Monday, January 19, 2004)

Reflections on Mel Gibson’s Depiction of The Passion of Jesus of Nazareth
Parashat Terumah (February 28, 2004)

The Use and Misuse of Money
Parashat Ki Tissa (March 13, 2004)

Dayeinu! But is it enough for us?
Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei (March 20, 2004)

One Nation Under God?
Parashat Vayyikra (March 27, 2004)

Humiliation as Blasphemy
Parashat Emor (May 8, 2004)

Reflections on the Death of President Ronald Reagan
Parashat Sh’lach L’cha (June 12, 2004)

Korach v Moses
Parashat Korach (June 19, 2004)

“Wells of Contention and Hostility—or of Wide Open Spaces”
Parashat Toldot (November 13, 2004)

2005

Tales of the Afikoman
(Yizkor, eighth day of Pesach 2005/5765) – (by Rabbi Leslie Gordon during Rabbi Perkins’ sabbatical)

“A Response to Murderous Zeolotry”
Parashat Mas’ei (August 5, 2005)

“Restoring Our Brothers’ Losses”
Parashat Ki Tetzei (September 17, 2005)

“Is Today Two Days After Yom Kippur Or Two Days Before Sukkot?”
Parashat Ha’azinu (October 15, 2005)

2006

“A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ”
Parashat Vay’hi (January 14, 2006 )

“Not Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World”
Parashat B’shallach (February 11, 2006 )

“Combined Jewish Philanthropies”
Parashat Ki Tissa (March 18, 2006)

“Lashon HaRa”
Parashat Tazria-Metzora (Men’s Club Shabbat, April 29 , 2006)

“A Letter from Persia”
Parashat Emor (May 13, 2006)

“The Spirit of Change”
Parashat Naso (June 10, 2006)

“The Turning Point”
Parashat B’ha-alot'cha (June 17, 2006)

“Joe Rosenthal RIP: The Relevance of a Famous Picture for Today”
Parashat Shoftim (August 26, 2006)

“Soul-Searching and the Tochacha”
Parashat Ki Tavo (September 9, 2006)

“A Question of Torture”
Parashat Bereishit (October 21, 2006)

“The Uniqueness of the Story of Noah’s Ark”
Parashat Noah (October 28, 2006 )

“Calling on the Name of God”
Parashat Lech L’cha (Novmber 4, 2006)

“The Righteousness Uncertainty Principle”
Parashat Vayetze (December 2, 2006)

2007

“Reading the Exodus Story”
Parashat Va-Eyra (January 20, 2007)

“In the Wake of Virginia Tech”
Parashat Tazria-Metzora (April 21, 2007)

“‘Just Right’ or ‘Just Right’?”
Parashat Emor (May 15, 2007)

“Moral Superiority”
Parashat Behar-Behukotai (May 12, 2007)

“Do Not Forget!”
Parashat Ki Tetze (August 25, 2007)

“Kohelet at Sukkot—Why?”
Shabbat Hol Ha-Moed Sukkot (September 29, 2007)

2008

“Interest” (by Rabbinic intern Sonia Saltzman)
Parashat Mishpatim (February 2, 2008)

“The Mishkan”
Parashat Terumah (February 9, 2008)

“Public Needs”
Parashat Pekudei/Shekalim (March 8, 2008)

“Crimes versus Sins”
Parashat Tsav (March 22, 2008)

“Four Questions to Ask on the Sixtieth Anniversary of the State of Israel”
Parashat Emor (May 10, 2008)

“Helping ‘Your Brother’”
Parashat Behar (March 22, 2008)

“Three Lessons from the Wilderness Generation”
Parashat Bemidbar (May 31, 2008)

“Political Rhetoric”
Parashat Shelach L’cha (June 21, 2008)

“The Times They are a-Changin’”
Parashat Ki Tetze (September 13, 2008)

“‘I was for it before I was against it!’–The Value of Regret”
Parashat Bereishit (October 25, 2008)

“The Election”
Parashat Lech L’cha (November 8, 2008)

“Money’”
Parashat Chaye Sarah (November 22, 2008)

“Three Reasons Not to Be Ostentatious—Especially During a Recession”
Parashat Toldot (November 29, 2008)

“Milk: Story of a Jewish hero?”
Parashat Vayyeshev (Decembr 20, 2008)