ChabadNewOrleans Blog - Chabad-Lubavitch of Louisiana

When You're In Love...

Friday, March 20, 2026 - 12:15 PM

When you’re in love, all kinds of things can happen. One of them is the capacity to minimize the faults of your beloved, even to an extreme. We see evidence of this in our Parsha.

The Torah addresses various types of sin offerings. One is the offering of the High Priest who inadvertently transgressed. The Torah goes into detail to describe the mechanics of the offering. The next scenario is when the nation sins, an inadvertent transgression due to an erroneous ruling by the Sanhedrin. Potentially, this could even be a transgression related to idolatry. When addressing the mechanics of the offering, the Torah declines to offer as many details as in the previous scenario.

Rashi explains, “And why are they not stated here explicitly? It was taught in the School of Rabbi Yishmael: About this may be given a parable of a king who was angry with his favorite subject but spoke only briefly of his offense because of the affection he had for him.”

When it comes to the Jewish people, Hashem’s love for them is so powerful that He actively reduces the discussion of their flaws to protect their dignity.

What does this tell is about how we should live? Humans are often critical of one another. Sometimes, those closest to us are the greatest targets of our criticism. Hashem demonstrates to us that love is meant to diminish our negative perspectives of each other.

We are one people, all beneficiaries of Hashem’s powerful love. As we interact with one another, let us remember that if the Hashem is willing to reduce the discussion of the flaws of the Jewish nation, even when they inadvertently offended Him in the worst way, how much more so should we value and love each other.

A united and loving Jewish nation is unassailable. Together we are strong. Last Shabbat our family had the honor and pleasure of hosting Assaf and Ido, two IDF officers who are traveling after completing five years of grueling service in defense of Jewish life. One of the things that moved them, almost to tears, was hearing how much the children (and adults) in our community prayed for them and lovingly supported them as they defended us.

They are on a healing trip around the world to help them recover from the emotional toll that their time in Gaza took on them. Feeling the love while sitting at our Shabbat table and visiting the children at Slater Torah Academy a few days later, really jumpstarted their healing process.

“Hinei ma tov u’ma na’im shevet achim gam yachad. – How good and pleasant it is for brothers to sit together.”

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

PS The sale of chametz can be done in person at Shul over the next few days, or online at www.chabadneworleans.com/chametz.

Their Very Own Prayerbook

Friday, March 13, 2026 - 11:18 AM

Another week has gone by. Another attack against a Jewish institution, this time a Synagogue/school in Michigan. Another water-main break in New Orleans, (you think we should be under a default permanent boil water advisory?). There were also some nice things in the community, a bris, a Bar Mitzvah, Limmud-NOLA.

One of my highlights this week was attending a Siddur party for my first grader. Following much time invested in learning how to read Hebrew, the first graders of Slater Torah Academy are ready to start praying from their own Siddurs. A beautiful ceremony included the parents inscribing a message to their child and decorating the cover of each Siddur. The children, wearing crowns that proclaimed “my prayer” in Hebrew, sang several songs from the prayers. Then each of them was presented with their own Siddur. Refreshments, including a “siddur cake” were then served.

It was very special to see ten children from diverse family backgrounds so enthusiastic about prayer. Each child feels the culmination of their years’ long quest for Hebrew reading achievement and a love for connecting to Hashem through prayer. This is a foundation for Jewish life that will make a big difference going forward for those children, wherever life takes them. I was speaking to one of the other fathers and he shared with me how proud he is of his child, who, on his own, says Modeh Ani and washes his hands (Netilat Yadaim) every day.

I am grateful to all the staff and administration of Slater Torah Academy for enabling our children to thrive Jewishly. Everyone who is involved in establishing and supporting this important institution in our community should be proud of the work they have done. Our greater New Orleans Jewish community needs to become more aware of the valuable and critical role Slater Torah Academy serves in ensuring a Jewish future for our community.

May we as a community derive much “nachas” from these children. If “it takes a village to raise a child,” then everyone in the “village” can rejoice in the accomplishments of the children. The most powerful weapon against antisemitism is raising proud and thriving Jews.

Over the next two weeks, Chabad of Louisiana will be distributing 1,100 boxes of Shmura Matzah in New Orleans and the Northshore. Together with our colleagues in Metairie and Baton Rouge, close to 2,000 boxes of Shmura Matzah will be distributed throughout the state of Louisiana. If you would like to volunteer and help deliver, please let us know. Even an hour or two of volunteer time would be greatly appreciated. Thank you to our sponsors, Vivian and Richard Cahn, Steve Rittvo (in memory of Lee Rittvo), and Bradley Egenberg.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

Parallel Purim Universes

Friday, March 6, 2026 - 1:06 PM

This has been a sensational week. Purim was amazing. Over 1,000 Jews in the New Orleans metro area participated in a Chabad Megillah reading. Hundreds attended the various Purim events that were held throughout the holiday. We were able to reach not only the masses, but also the individuals who sometimes fall between the cracks. Jews who are hospitalized. Jews living in senior homes. Folks who cannot make it to Shul for whatever reason.

In a parallel universe, the attacks against the Iranian regime and their counter attacks occurred in fascinating juxtaposition to Purim. Israelis are again in and out of shelters, as the Iranian regime attempts a last gasp at survival.

(In an alternative universe, the antisemitic conspiracy theorists are outdoing themselves in what has become a theater of the absurd. IYKYK.)

The Purim story also has two parallel plots running through it.

There is the story that starts off about the Jewish struggle with their own identity and ends with the ultimate embrace of their true selves.

Then there is the story of the Jew-haters (Haman and his ilk) and their failed attempt to destroy the Jews, which boomeranged back at them. In the words of Haman’s wife Zeresh, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely fall before him!”

Mordechai and Esther were bouncing back and forth between the two parallels, but their main focus was the first story. They recognized that the parallel plot was simply a subplot to drive the main story. First the Jews humiliated themselves with their excitement at finally being “accepted” by a society that sought their disgrace. Then, with the encouragement of Mordechai and Esther, they reconnected with their core identity and relationship with Hashem.

Along the way, at first, Haman was allowed the illusion of free reign against the Jews, only to be tripped up by his own machinations once the Jews reconnected with Hashem. He was hung on the very gallows that he prepared for Mordechai. The crazy detail in the story is, that despite witnessing what happened to their leader Haman, 75,800 dolts remained committed to his plot to destroy the Jews and lost their lives in the process. (Imagine the modern headlines of this story, “Disproportionate response as the Jews kill 75,800 innocent civilians (who attacked them…).”)

The similarity to today is uncanny. Jews are reconnecting with their identity. Antisemites are barking and threatening. Crazy conspiracy theorists are spinning increasingly disturbing tales. In the end “Haman and his ten sons are swinging on the gallows,” and the Jews, supported by their allies, will be victorious, with the help of Hashem.

As we say after the Megillah reading, “The rose of Jacob thrilled with joy and exulted... You have always been their salvation, their hope in every generation, to make known that all who place hope in You shall not be put to shame, nor shall all those who trust in You be disgraced forever.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin