Chayei Sarah This week’s Torah portion, named Chayei Sarah, “Sarah’s Life,” begins as follows: (א) וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי שָׂרָה (ב) וַתָּמָת שָׂרָה בְּקִרְיַת אַרְבַּע הִוא חֶבְרוֹן בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן וַיָּבֹא אַבְרָהָם לִסְפֹּד…
Vayeira תש"פ In this week’s portion, Vayera, we learn about how HaShem destroyed the evil cities of Sodom and Gomorah. The Torah reports (Genesis 19:24,25): "וַה' הִמְטִיר עַל סְדֹם וְעַל עֲמֹרָה גָּפְרִית וָאֵשׁ מֵאֵת יְדֹוָד מִן הַשָּׁמָיִם. וַיַּהֲפֹךְ אֶת הֶעָרִים…
It was the perfect day. Jack had been dating Emily for three years, and he was finally going to pop the question! The setting could not have been more stunning; on a clifftop overlooking the Pacific ocean, at sunset, in…
Parshat Lech Lecha תש"פ In this week's portion, we are introduced to Avraham Avinu, Avraham our forefather. Maimonides writes: רמב"ם הלכות עבודה זרה פרק א א כיון שנגמל איתן זה התחיל לשוטט בדעתו והוא קטן והתחיל לחשוב ביום ובלילה והיה…
You’re having dinner in middle of February, and your furnace blows. The house slowly starts getting colder, and you call the HVAC guy who tries to troubleshoot it over the phone. When nothing works, he promises to come right away,…
Parshat Noach תש"פ Rashi commenced his Torah Commentary last week in Parshat Bereishit with Rabbi Yitzchak’s famous question: Why did HaShem begin the Torah with a description of Creation? If the Torah’s purpose is to convey to humanity its obligations…
There is a time in every baby’s life when they are smart enough to want to communicate with the outside world, but not smart enough to communicate with the outside world. This creates enormously vexing situations. Lil’ baby Numzi wants…