It has been said that no one on their death bed says they wished they would have spent more time at the office! People tend to regret that they devoted so much time and energy to their work and social obligations that they shortchanged their own families. We need to put our lives in perspective: our responsibilities to our families must be prioritized

This week’s Torah reading includes the “shirat hayam,” the song sung by Moses and the people of Israel after they miraculously crossed the Sea of Reeds. The Torah scroll presents the song in an unusual formation. Instead of the words following one another in order, the words of the song are interspersed with blank spaces. This format suggests a deeper lesson about life itself.

When I read or hear about a scandal involving a Jew, I bristle. I feel pain when Jews are accused (and convicted) of massive frauds, sexual misconduct, or any other criminal activity. Maybe you feel this way too.

Many of us have received gracious gifts of advice, time, and money that meant a lot to us, that may have changed our lives for the good. Some fine people believed in us and invested in us. Likewise, we can help others when they turn to us. We can do this now, when they need us, not when it’s too late.

When you attend synagogue, do you usually sit in the same seat?  Even in synagogues where there is no assigned seating, do you find that you and almost everyone else ends up in their usual places? Why?

Yetsiat Mitsrayim teaches us to assert our freedom and our dignity. We will drive out the mitsrayim—the constrictions on our lives—and live freely and openly as proud Jews committed to our Torah, our traditions and our Peoplehood.