How unfortunate when man must put his fate in the hands of other men. “And the warden had placed all the prisoners in the dungeon under Yosef…
Chanukah: Looking Backward and Forward
The holiday of Chanukah is a most beloved one. Lighting the candles is the only mitzvah that has, built into its performance, a three-tiered system:…
Vayeshev: Sibling Rivalry
The Talmud records that one who has no dreams for a period of seven days is called a wicked person (Brachot 55b). Dreams represent our innermost…
VaYetze: G-d is Against Me
The experiences of history have made our people a nervous lot. Whatever nervousness is warranted as members of the human race is significantly…
Toldot: All My Children
It is hard to imagine a more disparate couple than Yitzchak and Rivka, the quiet contemplative husband who would "meditate in the fields" (…
Noach: Stuck in the Present
"G-d said: I will obliterate humanity that I have created from the face of the earth; man, livestock, land animals and birds of the sky. I…
Nitzavim: It's Great to Be a Jew!
One often hears the lament that it is difficult to be a Jew. There are seemingly endless demands from morning to evening, 365 days a year, year in…
Ki Tavo: In the Garden of Eden
"And now, behold, I have brought the first fruits of the land which You have given me" (Devarim 26:10). The Israeli farmer was to…
Ki Teitzei: What a Story!
A legal brief and a good story are two very different forms of writing. We have even coined a term, legalese, to describe the distinct writing…
Re'eh: A Special Place
The land of Israel is a special, holy land and thus, all produce grown on it has properties of holiness. This is the underpinning of such laws of…
VaEtchanan: The People and Moshe
“At that time I pleaded with G-d, saying, ‘O G-d, Lord…please let me cross the Jordan. Let me see the good land across the Jordan…
Devarim: Heading Home
The narrative portion of the Torah has come to an end. The last book of the Chumash, that of Devarim, concentrates on the charge that…
Massei: Don't Forget the Details
“And the Egyptians were burying all their first born, who had been killed by G-d” (Bamidbar 33:4). Occupied with grief and…
Pinchas: Idolatry for Adultery
"And they called the people to their religious sacrifices, and the people ate and worshipped the Moabite gods" (Bamidbar 25:2). How…
Chukat: Unbelievable!
It is truly astounding how people can actually believe the most ludicrous of claims. “And Moshe divested Aharon of his vestments, and…
Behalotcha: Running Away
"The Israelites marched for a three day journey “mei'har Hashem”, from G-d's mountain (Bamidbar 10:33). The Torah has been…
Naso: To Be or Not to Be!
A fundamental question that has been debated since the beginning of Jewish history regards the degree of contact and integration one should have with…
Bamidbar: Natural Life
Sefer Bamidbar can be viewed as a book of missed opportunities. A small group of Jewish slaves—the midrash claims no more than one in…