Chanukah 5579

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…

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Parshat Vayeshev 5779

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…

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Parshat Vayishlach 5779

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…

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Parshat Vayetzei 5779

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.…

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Parshat Toldot 5779

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…

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Parshat Vayera 5779

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…

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Parshat Noach 5779

Parshat Noach תשע"ט When introducing us to Noach, Hashem is careful to tell us that Noach is a צדיק  - a completely righteous person. This portion begins (Genesis 6:9) ספר בראשית פרק ו ט) אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק…

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