Leading up to the holidays, I kept hearing the same refrain again and again – Sukkot is wonderful in Memphis. I can attest to the fact that Sukkot is wonderful in Memphis! There were so many outstanding community programs and get-togethers. Simchat Torah was so lively. There were so many guests in town. The weather was also very nice for most of the holiday. What a great week! Over the past number of weeks, I spent a lot of time praying (as I’m sure you did, too). I also spent a lot of time reflecting on prayer. Often, we measure the quality of the tefila experience from how we were affected or how we feel during the experience of davening . These types of measures are certainly important, but they are not the only measures of a quality tefila experience. This week’s parsha introduces an important perspective in considering what makes a good prayer experience and, more specifically, what makes a good prayer. Adam and Chava gave birth to Kayin and Hevel. Kayin was a farmer ...
Rabbi Benjy Owen, Dean, Margolin Hebrew Academy-Feinstone Yeshiva of the South, Memphis, TN