Parshat Vayetzei 5785

Esav has vowed to kill Yaakov for stealing his blessing from Yitzchak, so Rivka and Yitzchak decided to send Yaakov to Rivka’s brother, Lavan. This would both protect Yaakov from his brother’s wrath and find him a wife. On Yaakov’s…

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Parshat Toldot 5785

Nachmanides (49:23) calls Genesis “The Book of Creation”. השלים הכתוב ספר בראשית שהוא ספר היצירה בחדוש העולם ויצירת כל נוצר, ובמקרי האבות כולם שהם כעין יצירה לזרעם, מפני שכל מקריהם ציורי דברים לרמוז להודיע כל העתיד לבא להם The book…

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Parshat Vayara 5785

This week’s Parsha ends with Avraham’s last and most difficult test: the binding of Yitzchak, the Akeida. Hashem told Avraham (Genesis 22:2): ב) וַיֹּאמֶר קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ אֶת יְחִידְךָ אֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתָּ אֶת יִצְחָק וְלֶךְ לְךָ אֶל אֶרֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּה וְהַעֲלֵהוּ…

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Parshas Noach 5785

In this week’s portion, Noach, we learn about the first two of the three famous “generations” spoken about by our Sages. They are (1) theדור המבול   - the “Generation of the Flood,” and (2) the דור הפלגה, the - “Generation…

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Sukkot 5785

The Tur (written by R. Jacob ben Asher 1269-1343) notes in the name of his brother that the three festivals, Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot, correspond to our three forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov: Passover corresponds to Avraham because the angels…

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Yom Kippur 5785

This coming Shabbat is Yom Kippur! Instead of enjoying the traditional Shabbat dinner with our families with all their requisite delicacies and treats, we will instead be in shul, praying and fasting for forgiveness for our sins. Indeed, Yom Kippur…

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Rosh Hashana 5785

When the Torah commands us to observe the festival of Pesach, it tells us clearly that it celebrates our freedom from slavery in Egypt. When the Torah commands us to observe the festival of Sukkot, it clearly tells us that…

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