בס”ד Shmot (Exodus 1:1-6:1 ) In this week’s Torah portion, Moshe escapes from Egypt and meets Tzipporah, the daughter of Yitro. The Torah states: “Va’yoel Moshe (Moshe desired) to dwell with the man and he gave his daughter Tzipporah to Moshe.”1 The simple understanding of the verse is that that Moshe desired to live with Yitro, yet the… Read More »PARSHAT SHEMOT 5785 – YITRO’S DESIRE TO HAVE HIS SON SERVE IDOLS

בס”ד Vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26 ) Bereishit, 49:8: “Yehudah, you your brothers will acknowledge…”Targum Onkelos, Bereishis, 49:8 “Yehudah, you admitted and you were not ashamed – your brothers will acknowledge you.”Targum Yonatan, Bereishis, 49:8: “Yehudah, you admitted in the incident with Tamar, because of that your brothers will acknowledge you and Yehudim will be called on your name.”Bereishit Rabbah, 98:6: “…Rebbe Shimon Ben Yochai… Read More »PARSHAT VAYECHI 5785 – THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HUMILITY AND GRATITUDE

בס”ד Vayigash (Genesis 44:18-47:27 ) Bereishis, 45:12: “And behold, your eyes see and the eyes of my brother, Binyamin, that my mouth is speaking to you.”Rashi, Bereishis, 45:12: “In my honor, and that I am your brother, and that I am circumcised like you, and moreover, that my mouth that is speaking you is in lashon hakodesh (the holy language).” When… Read More »PARSHAT VAYIGASH 5785 – HEBREW AND THE HOLY TONGUE

בס”ד Mikeitz (Genesis 41:1-44:17 ) On Chanukah we celebrate the momentous defeat of the Hasmoneans over the mighty Greek army and the subsequent miracle of the oil that lasted eight days. The war with the Greeks was far more than a standard military confrontation between two nations striving to attain power. This was the first ideological war… Read More »PARSHAT MIKETZ 5785 – CHANUKAH’S IDEOLOGICAL CLASH

בס”ד Vayeshev (Genesis 37-40 ) Towards the end of the parsha, Joseph finds himself in a hopeless situation, having been in prison for ten years with no prospect of freedom. Then Joseph interprets the dreams of Pharaoh’s ministers, beginning the process of his meteoric rise to the position of viceroy over the whole of Egypt. There is… Read More »PARSHAT VAYESHEV 5785 – STEPPING OUT OF OUR OWN WORLD

בס”ד Vayishlach (Genesis 32:4-36:43 ) Upon his return to the land of Israel, Jacob sends a peace-making message to his hostile brother, Esau. He begins the message saying, “I lived with Lavan and have lingered here until now.” (1) The Sages elaborate on Jacob’s words, “I lived with Lavan and nevertheless I kept the 613 mitzvot and… Read More »PARSHAT VAYISHLACH 5785 – USING THE YETZER HARA FOR THE GOOD