Parshas Vayigash – Invincibly Vulnerable
Now Yosef could not restrain himself… He cried out in a loud voice… The prophet Yirmiyah foretells how ‘crying’ will herald the future redemption. With weeping will they come, and with supplications will I lead them… (31 8) The Midrash comments, ‘Just as Yosef only appeased his brothers through tears so too G-d will only […]
Parshas Toldos – A Battle is Raging
Rivkah, concerned she has an errant child agitating in her womb, hurries to the Academy of Shem, hoping to solicit the prophet’s help in gaining divine guidance. The Holy Chida, quoting from ‘earlier sources’, explains Rivkah’s dilemma. Rivkah observed that Avraham had fathered two children from separate wives — Yitzchok from Sarah, and Yishmael from […]
Parshas Vayeira – The Moment of Truth
Many of us have grown up being taught about the contrast of the kindness, and compassion Avrohom Avinu felt for others — that compelled him to pray to G-d to spare the degenerate inhabitants of Sedom from destruction if there would be just a handful of righteous citizens among them — with the self-absorption of […]
Parshas Lech Lecha – Holy Wars
The Torah describes in detail the first ‘world war’ in history where the Four Kings conquered the Five Kings, taking Lot captive and drawing Avraham into the fray, where he succeeds in subduing the conquerors and saving Lot. Sounds eerily familiar. Even more striking is the depiction of Four Kingdoms that sought supremacy, and current […]
Parshas Breishis – What A Shame
Fear is gripping us. Fear for the brave soldiers who are risking their lives for our people. Fear for the families whose loved ones have perished or are injured. Fear for our brothers and sisters throughout our holy land who are exposed to constant assault and danger. Fear for the fate of our thriving nation […]
Parshas Haazinu – Rise and Shine
This week we read the portion of the Torah that is referred to as שירת ×”××–×™× ×• — the Song of Haazinu. Encapsulated within its verses is the full history of the Jewish people, both the collective as well as everyone’s personal journey. Nachmanides asserts that within the letters of these verses there exist hidden allusions […]
Parshas Shoftim – The King of Hearts
The Torah describes how the unintentional murderer must flee to a city of refuge “lest the redeemer of the blood chase after the killer, for ×™×—× ×œ×‘×‘×• — his heart will be hot, and he will overtake him for the way was long, and he will strike him mortally — and there is no judgment […]
Parshas Eikev – The Kiss of Life
And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and upon your gates. In order to prolong your days and the days of your children… (×“×‘×¨×™× ×™× ×›-×›×) The Talmud derives from this verse that the consequence for one who is lax in fulfilling this command to affix a Mezuzah on the […]
Parshas Vaeschanan/Nachamu – Good Grief
One thousand, nine hundred and ninety-five years ago, the Bais HaMikdash was destroyed. We have been grieving for a long time. I recently discovered a psychiatric syndrome known as Prolonged Grief Disorder. The symptoms of this condition include: Feeling as though part of you has died. A sense of disbelief about the death. Avoidance of […]
Parshat Matos-Masei – Natural Intelligence
Moshe instructs the nation to wage a battle against the Midianites taking vengeance for their having incited the people to immorality which led to a plague that took 24,000 lives. As they return from their mission, Moshe — in one of the few moments he frothed with anger — takes them to task for having […]
