In this week’s parsha, Parshas Toldos, after years of childlessness, Yitzchak and Rivka have twin boys, righteous Yaakov, who becomes our third patriarch, and wicked Eisav. As the boys grow up, their divergent personalities become apparent: וַיִּגְדְּלוּ, הַנְּעָרִים, וַיְהִי עֵשָׂו אִישׁ יֹדֵעַ צַיִד, אִישׁ שָׂדֶה;...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Chayei Sara, our righteous foremother, Sarah Imainu, dies at the age of one hundred and twenty seven years old - וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה, מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים--שְׁנֵי, חַיֵּי שָׂרָה. After much effort and negotiation by Avraham Avinu, and...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Vayeira, we meet Avraham Avinu, our first father, in his role as a ba’al chessed par excellence. The parsha opens with Avraham greeting, and welcoming, the guests to his tent (Ch.18). Despite the pain of bris milah, on the third...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Lech Licha, we begin the age old journey with our first father and mother, Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imainu, once again. And Hashem said to Avram, לֶךְ-לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ, אֶל-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ, go for yourself, from your land, and...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Noach, we learn of Noach, who was an אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו, a righteous man, pure, in his generation; Noach walked with G-d (Bereishis 6:9). In the ten generations from Adam to Noach, the people had forgotten G-d, Who...
Sefer Bereishis, Parshas Bereishis; Baruch she’he’chiyanu v’ki’yimanu v’hi’giyanu la’zman ha’zeh! With the yomtov season behind us, and the cold, dark days of winter ahead of us, we relish with excitement, once again, the privilege of beginning from The Beginning. Though we read, and learned, Bereishis last...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Vayelech, Moshe continues to prepare for his upcoming demise, soon to take place on the eastern banks of the Jordan River. He is commanded to write the song of Torah, to teach it to the Bnei Yisrael, to place it...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Nitzavim, we learn about the mitzvah of teshuva, repentance. Not for naught is this parsha read before Rosh Hashana, as it reminds us of leaving our sins behind and returning in purity and holiness to G-d. וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד-ה’, וְשָׁמַעְתָּ בְקֹלוֹ,...
This week’s parsha, Parshas Ki Savo, begins with the mitzvah of Bikkurim, the dedication of the first fruits of the shivas ha’minim (seven species of the Land, Devarim 8:8), and the bringing of the fruits up to Yerushalayim, to the kohen in the Beis Ha’Mikdash. ...
This week’s parsha, Ki Seitzi, ends with an account of the battle of Amalek against Am Yisrael (see Shemos 17). זָכוֹר, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-עָשָׂה לְךָ עֲמָלֵק, בַּדֶּרֶךְ, בְּצֵאתְכֶם מִמִּצְרָיִם - Remember what Amalek did to you, on the way, when you were leaving Egypt; that he...