Category Archives: Sermons

‘Earn This’: Last Day of Passover 5782

Posted on April 24, 2022 by mjknopf

Over the course of the past year or so, I’ve committed to filling in what I call my “pop culture blindspots,” making a point to watch movies with a significant cultural footprint that I, for various reasons, haven’t seen.  One … Continue reading →

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Judaism for the Wise and Wicked: Passover 5782

Posted on April 20, 2022 by mjknopf

Questions are perhaps the defining feature of the Seder. The ceremony, with its unusual rites and symbols, appears to have been specifically designed to arouse questions, particularly from children.  To all these questions, let me add one that I want … Continue reading →

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When the Devil Comes for You: Parashat Tazria 5782

Posted on April 2, 2022 by mjknopf

Sometimes, live television affords us moments that could never have been predicted in advance and yet, as you watch them happen, you know you are witnessing something that everyone is going to be talking about for years to come.  Last … Continue reading →

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Having a Heart: Parashat Teztaveh 5782

Posted on February 13, 2022 by mjknopf

As far as I can tell, it was contemporary author Elizabeth Stone who first said that having a child is to forever “have your heart go walking around outside your body.” It’s since become something of a cliche, a quote … Continue reading →

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What Oneness Demands of Us

Posted on January 31, 2022 by mjknopf

The following remarks were delivered at Trinity Episcopal School in Richmond, Virginia on Monday, January 31, 2022. Good morning, Trinity. It’s such an honor to be with you today, and I’m deeply grateful for the invitation and opportunity to speak … Continue reading →

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Up Close and Far Away: Parashat Bo 5782

Posted on January 10, 2022 by mjknopf

Whenever I talk to or run into someone I haven’t spoken to or seen in a while, and they say something like, “I love seeing pictures of your family on social media; your kids always look so happy and well-behaved. … Continue reading →

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And Out Come the Wolves: Parashat Va-Yehi 5782

Posted on December 18, 2021 by mjknopf

**Trigger warning: sexual assault and violence** It’s altogether fitting that we read Parashat Va-Yehi, the last portion in the Book of Genesis, this Shabbat, as we approach the end of the secular year. Endings are always meaningful opportunities to reflect … Continue reading →

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Time to Live: Parashat Va-Yeshev 5782

Posted on November 28, 2021 by mjknopf

In the grand scheme of things, our lives are extremely short. On average, most of us will only live to 75 or 80. If we’re lucky, maybe we will live 120 joyful years. Perhaps modern medicine will help us to … Continue reading →

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Blessings Are Not a Finite Resource: Parashat Toldot 5782

Posted on November 6, 2021 by mjknopf

The first half of the 20th century heralded a building boom of public swimming pools in the US. These were not dinky little DIY neighborhood projects. Rather, communities all over the country were building grand, resort-style, pools, the kind that … Continue reading →

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To Be, or Not To Be: Sukkot 5782

Posted on September 26, 2021 by mjknopf

When I first became a father, I felt the predictable mix of joy, excitement, and fear. Other fathers had told me to expect all of those feelings, particularly the fear. Babies are fragile and needy and apparently don’t come with … Continue reading →

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