Torah From Boca

Returning What We’ve Lost: The 25th Anniversary of 9/11Erev Rosh Hashanah, 5787 | Rabbi David Baum
We remember September 11. But what do we remember about September 12, when so many of us felt a renewed responsibility for our neighbors and our country? Can we recover that sense of connection without another tragedy bringing us together?
In this episode of Torah from Boca, I share my opening sermon for Rosh Hashanah, delivered on the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Beginning with the remarkable story of the flag raised at Ground Zero, which disappeared and was recovered years later, I explore the Torah’s commandment to return lost objects and its connection to teshuvah, the work of returning.
As we enter a new year, what have we lost along the way? A relationship, a sense of purpose, or the belief that we are responsible for one another? This sermon invites us to consider what we can reclaim and how we can begin, one conversation, one act of kindness, and one choice at a time.
Delivered at Congregation Shaarei Kodesh in Boca Raton, Florida.
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The Wholeness of a Broken Heart: A Conversation with Rabbi Amy PessahRosh Hashanah Day Two, 5787 | Rabbi David Baum
How do we begin again when life has changed in ways we never would have chosen? And what does hope look like when moving forward means carrying our loss with us?
In this episode of Torah from Boca, I sit down with Rabbi Amy Pessah for a Rosh Hashanah conversation about grief, acceptance, and sacred renewal. Drawing on her experience of losing her son, Yossi, and the book that grew from that journey, Amy reflects on the distinction between pain and suffering and what it means to accept the life we have been given.
Together, we explore Aaron’s silence after the deaths of his sons, the difficult questions raised by the Akeidah, and the possibility of opening our hearts again after loss. As we enter a new year, this conversation invites us to consider how sorrow and joy can live within the same heart, and how we might begin to make room for both.
A conversation at Congregation Shaarei Kodesh in Boca Raton, Florida.

Yom Kippur, 5787 | Rabbi David Baum
My great-grandmother taught her children to fight for themselves. Generations later, her lesson still matters. But how do we defend our people while keeping our hearts open to the suffering of others?
In this episode of Torah from Boca, I share my Yom Kippur sermon, continuing the conversation begun on Rosh Hashanah through Hillel’s next question: “If I am only for myself, what am I?” Through my family’s immigrant story, Rachel Edri’s extraordinary courage on October 7, and an unexpected connection with a Haitian domestic worker, I explore our obligations to ourselves, our people, and the larger world.
As we remember the people whose lives made ours possible, we also face a responsibility: deciding what kind of future we will create because of them. How can our Jewish story teach us to recognize someone else’s?
Delivered at Congregation Shaarei Kodesh in Boca Raton, Florida.
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The Future of the Jewish American Story Is Still Being WrittenRosh Hashanah Day One, 5787 | Rabbi David Baum
What is Superman doing on a wall in Tel Aviv, and what does he have to teach us about being Jewish in America?
In this episode of Torah from Boca, I share my first-day Rosh Hashanah sermon, connecting a graffiti tour in Israel with conversations at Camp Ramah that left me thinking about the future our children will inherit. Drawing on Dara Horn’s insights into Jewish peoplehood and Hillel’s question, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?” I explore what it means to take responsibility for Jewish life in America.
As America marks its 250th anniversary, how do we confront antisemitism without allowing it to define our Judaism? Our ancestors helped build a country where we could be fully Jewish and fully American. What will we build for those who come after us?
Delivered at Congregation Shaarei Kodesh in Boca Raton, Florida.
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A few months ago, my son asked me if he could read Hitler's Mein Kampf. His reason: "Abba, I need to know our enemy. I want to know why they hate us."
This week, we returned from Israel to a New York City mayor calling Jewish organizations and their supporters "monsters" — the same word Hitler used for Jews in his manifesto.
Same hatred. Different century. 
In this episode, I explore the oldest mystery in Jewish history: why are we hated, and why does the language never really change? And I turn to Parashat Balak — where a pagan prophet hired to curse Israel can only bless us — for a 3,000-year-old answer.
They called us monsters. But We Are Lions.
Which one are you going to be?
Shema Israel. Rise like a lion.

The oldest physical evidence of the Torah? Not the Dead Sea Scrolls! An archaeologist tried to get rid of an annoying kid. The kid found a 2,600-year-old treasure. My sermon from last Shabbat - Naso and the story of the priestly blessing spanning from 7th BCE to the 23rd century, when a Jewish Vulcan named Spock introduced the world to a certain secret handshake that turned out to be a blessing #HistoryFacts #Archaeology #Torah #AncientHistory #DidYouKnow #Naso - Want to learn more? Check out https://unpacked.media/jerusalems-hidden-scrolls-the-earliest-evidence-of/

What does Parashat Emor have to say about smartphones, social media, antisemitism, and the pressure of representing the Jewish people in public?
In this episode of Torah From Boca, Rabbi David Baum explores the ancient Jewish concepts of Kiddush Hashem and Hillul Hashem through some of today’s most difficult realities: viral outrage, public scandals, Israel, and the uncomfortable truth that in the digital age, every Jew is seen as a representative of something larger than themselves. Drawing on Torah, the Talmud, and recent events, this sermon asks: Is it fair that the actions of one Jew can affect how the world sees all Jews? And if it isn’t fair… does that change our responsibility? From the butcher shop examples in Tractate Yoma to the endless audience created by social media, this message argues that we are all public figures now.
📍 Torah From Boca with Rabbi David Baum
📖 Parashat Emor
📍 Congregation Shaarei Kodesh | Boca Raton, Florida
#TorahFromBoca #ParashatEmor #Judaism #Israel #Jewish #Torah #Antisemitism #KiddushHashem #JewishIdentity #RabbiDavidBaum

Your family argues about Israel. Your cousin won’t budge, your uncle talks too loud, and somehow… you’re all still coming to the Seder.
Right now, across the Jewish world, these conversations are straining relationships and even synagogues, with deep disagreements about Israel shaping how we see ourselves and each other. But maybe that’s not a failure of the Seder, maybe it’s the point. Pesach was never about uniformity; it’s about telling a shared story across difference, holding multiple voices at one table, and choosing to stay in relationship even when it’s hard. The question isn’t how we stop arguing, it’s whether we can keep showing up. 
This Passover - Stay At The Table🍷

When Jews Gather, the Sanctuary LivesTorah from Boca with Rabbi David Baum
What makes a synagogue the “largest” in America? Is it the size of the building, the beauty of the architecture, or the number of people who belong to it?
In this episode of Torah from Boca, Rabbi David Baum explores that question through the lens of Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei and the Torah’s description of the Mishkan, the portable sanctuary built by the Israelites in the wilderness.
At a time when synagogues around the world are facing threats and attacks, this teaching reminds us of a deeper truth in Jewish tradition: long before we had buildings, we were already a people.
The Mishkan was not only about gold, silver, and sacred design. It was about a community gathering together to create holy space.
Because in Judaism, the sanctuary truly lives when Jews gather together.
📖 Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei🎙 Torah from Boca with Rabbi David Baum📍 Congregation Shaarei Kodesh – Boca Raton, Florida - www.shaareikodesh.org
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In this episode of Torah from Boca, Rabbi David Baum reflects on an unexpected source of inspiration: the Super Bowl halftime show and the cultural conversation that followed. After a personal Facebook post about growing up Jewish in Miami reached far beyond his usual audience, Rabbi Baum turned the moment into a sermon exploring Parashat Mishpatim and the Torah’s repeated command to care for the stranger.
“What Does Home Sound Like? A Miami-Born Rabbi on Bad Bunny and the Torah of the Stranger” weaves together memories of a multilingual childhood, a powerful encounter with a stranger, and Jewish teachings about empathy, belonging, and American identity. This episode invites listeners to consider how music, culture, and Torah can expand our understanding of what it means to feel at home, even when the rhythm is unfamiliar.