“They journeyed from Rephidim, and they arrived in the desert of Sinai, vayachanu, they encamped,…
Beshalach: The Bones of Joseph
The Exodus from Egypt is the seminal event in Jewish history. While it was just the first stage of…
Bo: How Long Were We in Egypt
“The length of time that the Israelites lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years” (Shemot…
Va'eira: Dual Identity
We are introduced – genealogically – to Moshe twice. The first time is, quite naturally, when he is…
Shemot: Who Am I?
The youthful Moshe has grown up in the Royal Palace, far removed physically and psychologically…
A Portrait of Panama
For those looking to escape the cold weather of the Northeast, there are few better places to go…
Vayechi: Time for a Blessing
The contrast between the beginning of sefer Breisheet and its ending could not be more stark. The…
Vayigash: A True Lie
“And we said unto my lord: We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one;…
Vayishlach: Seeking Peace
Yaakov Avinu is finally heading home. Instead of feelings of intense joy he is nervous. After 20…
Vayetze: Beyond the Children
“And G-d saw that Leah was hated and He opened her womb. Rachel remained barren” (Breisheet 29:31…
Toldot: Family Dynamics
It is hard to imagine a more disparate couple than Yitzchak and Rivka, the quiet contemplative…
Chayei Sarah: Riding a Camel
“Let the maiden to whom I say, ‘Please, lower your jar that I may drink,’ and who replies, ‘Drink,…
Vayeira: Praying for Sedom
We first hear of Sedom as the Torah records the genealogies of the children of Noach. “And the…
Lech Lecha: Time to Sin
One of the beautiful aspects of the Torah is that it presents its “heroes” not only through their…
Noach: Great Parenting
Noach was a righteous, pure person who found favour in the eyes of G-d and saved the world from…
Breisheet: Clothes Make the Woman (and Man)
“The two of them were arumim, naked, the man and his wife, yet they felt no shame (Breisheet 2:25…
Shmini Atzeret & Simchat Torah: Two Holidays or One?
Simchat Torah is a medieval invention, a holiday designed by and for the Jews of chutz la’aretz,…
Sukkot: The Right Season
If asked which holiday Rosh Hashanah is most connected to, I think most of us would, for very good…