Parashat Vayetze begins with the story of ... A midrash on this week’s Torah portion interprets the well-known verse from Psalms: “A song of ascents: I lift my eyes to the mountains (he ...
How will we get through the next four years? This week’s Torah portion, Vayetzei, offers some answers. Though there are multiple views within the Jewish community, many people I know are deeply ...
Jacob has a dream—a vision of a ladder reaching up to the heavens. Upon awakening, he is deeply moved by the realization that God is present in this place. He concludes his reflections with the ...
Everyone seems to be in a rush this week. Eliezer runs towards Rivka. Rivka hurries to serve Eliezer, and proceeds to run to and from to the camels. This is following in the footsteps of Avraham ...
We see Hagar three times in the Torah, in Genesis 16, Genesis 22, and, according to the Midrash, in our Torah portion, Chayyei Sarah, but under the name Keturah. We met Hagar as the maidservant of ...
Isaac was not the weakest link. Abraham the founder had many potential successors. There was his first-born son Ishmael, by Sarah’s maidservant Hagar. After Sara’s death Abraham fathered six ...
Rabin was murdered on a Saturday Night following Parashat Lech Lecha. Rav Meir was murdered a few days after the following Parasha - Vayera. In Parashat Lech Lecha, Avraham asks Hashem ...
This parsha is not only about the legacy of Sarah, but also about the important transition to the next generation. Abraham was focused on ensuring his values and vision would be passed down ...
Tibetan Buddhists have the interesting tradition of searching for their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, only after the previous one has died. They believe that the spirit of their leader is ...
It’s been said, “Man plans and G-d laughs.” Meaningful spiritual laughter, the type we are introduced to in the parsha, comes from trusting that whatever comes, comes through Hashem’s ...
This powerful message emerges at the commencement of Parshat Noach. Hashem commanded Noach to construct an ark, instructing him, “tzohar ta’aseh latevah” —”make a window for the Ark ...