The Empty Pew Problem (And What We Can Do About It) : A Shabbat Sermon from June 7, 2025

Rabbi Louis Sachs explores the tension between decorum and belonging in our synagogues. Drawing on halachic sources, personal anecdotes, and a striking Midrash about Rabbi Meir, he challenges us to consider: are our expectations of reverence in the sanctuary pushing people away from the very place they most need to feel at home? From coffee cups to crying children, this sermon reflects on how cultural norms evolve—and why preserving shalom bayit sometimes means letting go of our own assumptions about what “respect” looks like.

Delivered on Shabbat morning, June 7, 2025, at Beth Sholom Synagogue in Toronto.

Torah Outside the Box is a podcast from Rabbi Louis Sachs of Beth Sholom Synagogue in Toronto, sharing sermons and teachings that bring Torah beyond the synagogue and into everyday life. With clarity and care, Rabbi Sachs explores how ancient Jewish wisdom speaks to the challenges and questions of the modern world. Each episode offers thoughtful, relevant, and tradition-rooted insights that invite listeners to reflect, feel, and live with greater intention. Honest and relatable, these teachings offer a spiritual lens through which to view our lives — because Torah belongs not just in the synagogue, but everywhere.