Overview of the Parsha Twins are born after a long wait At the end of last week’s Torah portion, Isaac marries Rivka and they are determined to continue building the Jewish nation. Twenty years go by before Rivka finally conceives. …
ספר בראשית פרק כג (א) וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי שָׂרָה: 1) Sarah lived one hundred years, twenty years, and seven years; the years of Sarah's life. 2. Sarah died in Kiriath-arba, which is…
There are Parshas in the Torah where you can spend an entire Partners session developing one central idea, going deeper and deeper, and there are places like the opening of Parshas Vayera, where almost every phrase seems to contain another…
WHAT ABRAHAM SAW The Burning Palace, the Seven Days of Creation, and a Whole New Way of Seeing the World PART 1: WHAT DID ABRAHAM SEE?Imagine two people standing before a magnificent palace. One studies its walls, windows, and towers.…
The Power of Peace There are two times in this Torah portion when humanity took a wrong turn and faced Divine punishment. The first occupies the bulk of the portion. It speaks of the human race becoming corrupt, particularly in…
Genesis gives us the first foundations of human life. Each story plants a seed. That seed later grows through individuals, families, nations, and history. The first chapters introduce renewal, freedom, temptation, responsibility, jealousy, exile, and hope. These are not only…
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…
I. Simcha Is Tzmicha How does Torah Judaism understand happiness? What is Jewish joy?Jewish joy is growth. That is the simplest way to say it, and the truest. Sukkot is called “Zman Simchateinu” — the Season of Our Joy —…
“For with You is forgiveness, that You may be feared” There is a Psalm that is often recited throughout the High Holidays. Psalm 130: A song of ascents. From the depths I called You, Hashem. My Lord, hear my voice,…
Introduction What words comes to mind when we think of Rosh Hashanah? Some will mention the months of Elul and Tishrei. Elul is the month that leads straight into Rosh Hashanah, which is at the beginning of the month of…