Parshat Vayigash 5779
Parshat Vayigash תשע"ט After Yosef revealed himself to his brothers, they hurried home to tell Yaakov that Yosef was still alive and that he was the ruler of Egypt, second in command only to Pharaoh. Yaakov’s response was to…
Parshat Vayigash תשע"ט After Yosef revealed himself to his brothers, they hurried home to tell Yaakov that Yosef was still alive and that he was the ruler of Egypt, second in command only to Pharaoh. Yaakov’s response was to…
Chanukah תשע"ט Have you ever wondered where the nameחנוכה - Chanukah comes from and what it means? The Sages who instituted Chanukah as a holiday created the name and it is a combination of two words: חנו כ"ה , which…
Vayeshev תשעט This week’s portion relates the events leading up to Yosef becoming the Viceroy of Egypt. Hashem told Avraham Avinu in the ברית בין הבתרים - the covenant between the parts--that his children would be slaves in a foreign…
Vayishlach תשע"ט Yaakov lived in his Uncle Lavan’s house for 20 years. Yaakov had come alone, penniless, and completely righteous. Now, after living with the scoundrel Lavan for two decades, Yaakov remained a perfect tzaddik. He had passed his first…
Vayetzei תשע"ט Yaakov had to leave home because Esav had vowed to kill him. This week’s portion begins with Yaakov’s journey (Genesis 28:10): י) וַיֵּצֵא יַעֲקֹב מִבְּאֵר שָׁבַע וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה 10) Yaakov left Beer Sheva and travelled towards Charan.…
Parshat Toldot תשעט Yitzchak and Rivka had been married for 20 years and had not been blessed with children. Our Sages tell us that were physically unable to do so. Yet, at age 60, Yitzchak would have liked to see…
Chayei Sarah תשעט Avraham and Yitzchak returned safely from the Akeida, and now it was time to plan the next stage of Avraham’s legacy. Yitzchak almost lost his life, and had he died, Avraham’s entire contribution to the world would…
Parshat Vayera תשע"ט 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): ספר בראשית פרק כב ב) וַיֹּאמֶר קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ אֶת יְחִידְךָ אֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתָּ אֶת…
Lech Lecha 5779 The Mishna in Pirkei Avot (5:3) tells us that Hashem tested Avraham Avinu - our Forefather - with 10 tests, and he passed them all. One of the tests was the command to Avraham in this week’s…