Chaya Kaplan-Lester's Divrei Torah

Chaya Kaplan-Lester

Chaya Kaplan-Lester is a psychotherapist, Jewish educator and writer. She is co-founder of The Jerusalem Center for Transformative Torah and Therapy. Her "Parsha Poetry" commetaries are popular across the Jewish spectrum, and can be found weekly on the Jerusalem Post online (along with youtube video accompaniments). Chaya lives in Jerusalem with her husband Rabbi Hillel Lester and their 3 children. Learn more about her work at www.havayah.com.

Purim: Revelling in Revealing

Posted by Chaya Kaplan-Lester | Tags: Purim

Purim revolves around the revelation of the hidden. After all, the core text we read during Purim is the Megillah. A word which shares its root with 'gilui' revelation. There is an ecstacy, a joy that comes with the dramatic disclosure of Truth. Torah itself is the revelation of an otherwise...

Read Dvar Torah | March 19, 2011

Parshat Tzav: Making the most of a negative thought

Posted by Chaya Kaplan-Lester | Tags:

Tzav: This week's reading delves into finely detailed descriptions of the Tabernacle's sacrifices. How do we understand and integrate these images of the ritualized blood and fire into our lives today? Where does this text meet our most intimate and personal lives? One stunning example of a...

Read Dvar Torah | March 19, 2011

Vayikra - How do you size up?!

Posted by Chaya Kaplan-Lester | Tags: Vayikra

This week begins the 3rd book of the Torah, Sefer Vayikra. Vayikra translates as, 'and He called', refering to God's calling to Moses. Thus the theme of 'divine calling' stands out as a central teaching of this book, and of a spiritual life in general. The idea of calling rubs up against our deepest...

Read Dvar Torah | March 10, 2011

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