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, but not only because its first chapter describes the creation of the world and everything

Will you find the treasure? Parshas Vayechi 5786

When we think of the Spanish galleons roaming the high seas in the 1500 and 1600, bringing gold and treasure from the colonies back to Spain, and fending off pirates and privateers, we think of massive wooden ships, with multiple decks and rows of cannons protruding from the sides. We think of the huge captains’

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 the book of Bereshit – Genesis. It concludes with Yaakov’s death, his burial in Israel,

Around, Around, Around you go! Parshas Vayigash 5786

Phil’s best friend in college was Jack. Jack Daniels that is. He would take Jack everywhere with him, in a natty little hip flask that Jack Daniels included in their holiday gift pack during Phil’s freshman year. By junior year, Jack started getting a little possessive of Phil’s time. He wanted to hang out with

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 interpreted his dream and that of the baker. The butler came forward and told Pharaoh

My time in Maximum Security Prison…Parshas Mikeitz/Shabbos Chanukah

Yesterday, I was sent to prison. Not by the judicial system, but by the Aleph Institute, a phenomenal organization that looks after the spiritual and physical needs of a number of isolated populations, most notably: the incarcerated, the military, and the institutionalized. I was sent to go light the menorah for the Jewish prisoners living