Parshat Shemot 5786

Parshat Shemot תשפ"ו Last week we completed the first book of the Torah, Bereshit (Genesis); this week we begin the second book, Shemot  (Exodus). In his preface to sefer Shemot, Nachmanides explains that Genesis is called the book of creation,…

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Parshas Vayechi 5786

Parshat Vayechi תשפ"ו I heard this lesson from my Rebbe, Harav Moshe Shapiro זצ"ל , who heard it from his Rebbe, Rav Elyiahu Dessler זצ"ל. Today is Rav Shapiro’s ninth yahrtzeit. This week’s portion, Vayechi, is the last chapter in…

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Parshas Vayigash 5786

Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, had two consecutive baffling dreams, which even his wise men could not satisfactorily interpret.The situation, though, prompted Pharaoh’s butler, who had been in prison two years earlier with Yosef, to recall that Yosef had accurately…

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Parshas Vayeshev 5786

Parshat Vayeshev תשפ”ו This week’s portion relates the events leading up to Yosef becoming the Viceroy of Egypt. Hashem had told Avraham Avinu at the ברית בין הבתרים - the covenant between the parts--that his children would be slaves for…

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