Eliezer Shemtov

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Jun 2, 2022, 12:33 PM

Faith and Reason: The Two Pillars of Judaism

"Tell me, Rabbi: is Judaism based on logic or faith?" "Yes." One of the great challenges for the Western Jew is to reconcile "Faith and Science", especially if he or she was raised in Uruguay, one of the most secular countries...

Nov 26, 2020, 5:20 AM

What’s In a Name?

Texts&Contexts Vayeitzei In this week's parashah, Vayeitzei , "Leah conceived and bore a son. She named him Reuven 'because,' she said, 'the eternal one saw my humiliation, for now my husband will love me.’” Rashi quotes the words "And she named him...

Nov 16, 2020, 11:39 PM

Calculating One’s Natural Life Span Plus a Surplus

Texts&Contexts Toledot In this week's Torah portion we read about the blessings that our patriarch Isaac gave to his son Jacob. Let's take a look at the the passage in which Isaac talks about his old age and the fact that...

Nov 13, 2020, 7:34 AM

The Meaning of The Cave “of Machpela”

Texts&Contexts Chaie Sarah In his search for a place to bury his late wife Sarah, the Torah tells us how Avraham asked the Hittites to sell him "the cave of Machpelah (duplication)" for that purpose. Rashi quotes the word "Machpelah"...

Oct 28, 2020, 6:42 PM

Avram and Sarai’s Name Change

Lech Lecha Two of the best known Jewish names are Abraham and Sarah, in fact they are the names of the progenitors of the Jewish people. But it was not always so. Before their names were Abraham and Sarah, they were...

Oct 23, 2020, 9:20 AM

The Dove and the Olive Leaf

Texts and Contexts: Noach In this week's Bible reading, Noach , we read about the dove that Noach sent to see if the waters of the flood had subsided and he could get out of the ark. If the dove...

Oct 16, 2020, 9:02 AM

Texts and Contexts

My resolution for this new year is that, with G-d's help, I will do muy best to give expression to my destructive instincts. One of the great challenges we faced when we arrived in Uruguay some 35 years ago was:...

Oct 13, 2020, 3:09 AM

The Blessing And The Fall

Vezot Haberachah This past Sunday we celebrated Simchat Torah, concluding the annual Torah reading cycle. It contains a very powerful teaching regarding the role and benefit of depression. The reading is called Vezot Haberachah , "and this is the blessing", as...

Sep 22, 2020, 7:45 PM

The Secret Weapon

Ki Teitzei One of the results of anxiety and distress is paralysis. From the perspective that one has in either of those two states of mind, one cannot see the possibility of succeeding in the challenge in front of him....

Sep 16, 2020, 8:38 PM

How Good are Your Hearing, Listening, Speaking and Saying Skills

Haazinu So far, in this series of Biblical Life Hacks, we have shared possible solutions to help deal with thoughts and feelings of anxiety or depression. This week we will look at a tool that can help one who is living...

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About Me

Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov, born in in Brooklyn, NY in 1961. Received Smicha From Tomchei Temimim in 1984 and shortly after was sent by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, may his merit shield us, together with his wife Rachel to establish the first Beit Chabad in Montevideo, Uruguay and direct Chabad activities in that country. He has authored many articles on Judaism that have been published internationally. Since publishing his popular book on intermarriage, "Dear Rabbi, Why Can't I Marry Her?" he has authored several books in Spanish, English and Hebrew dealing with the challenges that the contemporary Jew has to deal with.

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