Parshat Vayechi תשפ"ג This week’s portion is the portion of blessings. In it, our forefather Yaakov bestowed blessings upon Yosef’s two sons, Ephriam and Menashe, and on all of his own sons, the 12 Tribes of Israel. It is striking how…
Vayigash תשפג After sitting in prison for 12 years, Yosef was suddenly called up to interpret Pharaoh’s two disturbing dreams. Yosef accurately interpreted the dreams, which warned Pharaoh of an impending 7-year famine that would wipe out all life in Egypt…
Chanukah תשפ"ג Before coming to Partners this evening, we lit the third Chanukah candle. The one flask of oil, which should have fueled the candles for only one day, miraculously lasted for a full eight. Jews the world over lit their menorahs to…
Vayeshev תשפ"ג The second verse in this week’s parsha (Genesis 37:2) starts out telling us about Yaakov’s descendants, but then focuses only on Yosef. (ב) אֵלֶּה תֹּלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף 2) These are the chronicles of Yaakov, Yosef … The Torah next informs us…
Parshat Vayishlach תשפ"ג The Ramban prefaces his commentary to the second book of the Torah, Shemot, by writing. 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…
A Jew must pray three times a day, morning, evening, and night. The source of this law is the subject of an argument in the Talmud (Berachot 26b). One opinion holds that the forefathers originated the prayers, viz, Avraham instituted…
Toldos תשפ"ג Yitzchak and Rivka had been married for 20 years and had yet to be blessed with a child. To seek to remedy the problem, they stepped up their prayers and began beseeching Hashem. The Torah tells us that Yitzchak…
Chayei Sarah תשפ"ג Yitzchak was 40 years old, and it was time for him to get married and continue the legacy that Avraham had begun. Avraham then lived in Canaan; an area inhabited by the descendants of Noach’s grandson Canaan. Because…
Parshat Vayeira תשפ"ג It was Pesach, the 15th of Nissan, and, just three days earlier, Avraham, now 99 years old, had circumcised himself upon Hashem’s command. In those days, sterile conditions were unavailable, and by the third day it was common to…
Lech Lecha תשפ"ג The Mishna in Pirkei Avot (5:3) tells us that Hashem tested our forefather Abraham (“Avraham Avinu”) - - with 10 tests, and he passed them all. One of the tests was the command in this week’s portion to leave his…