Chosen For What? What It Means to Be Part of the "Chosen People"

We Are All Public Figures Now. Now What? Sanctifying G-d's Name in the Age of Smartphones

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

The Passover Lesson We Need Right Now: Stay at the Table

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 [https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/04/06/at-synagogues-tensions-are-boiling-over], 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 Lives

When Jews Gather, the Sanctuary Lives Torah 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 [http://www.shaareikodesh.org] Subscribe to Torah from Boca for weekly reflections on Torah, Jewish life, and the questions that shape our world today.

What Does Home Sound Like? A Miami-Born Rabbi on Bad Bunny and the Torah of the Stranger

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.

Chosen For What? What It Means to Be Part of the "Chosen People"

What does it really mean to be part of the “Chosen People”? Is chosenness about privilege, identity, or responsibility? In this deeply personal and timely episode, Rabbi David Baum reflects on a powerful conversion story that raises one of Judaism’s oldest and most challenging questions. Through the lens of Parashat Yitro, the revelation at Sinai, and the courage of Queen Esther, this sermon explores the difference between being chosen and choosing covenant. Drawing on midrash, lived experience, and the realities of Jewish life after October 7, Rabbi Baum reframes chosenness not as superiority, but as sacred obligation. What does it mean to embrace Torah in a world that sometimes pressures Jews to feel small or silent? And how can a deeper sense of Jewish identity empower us to stand up for ourselves and for others? This episode invites listeners to rediscover Sinai as a living moment and to ask a timeless question: You are chosen. Now what will you do with that gift?