This week’s Dvar Torah is dedicated to the memory of my maternal grandfather’s daughter, Devora bas Yitzchak a’h HY”D, who was born in Poland in 1941, R”L, the week of Parshas Beshalach. She was named Devora for the weekly haftorah of Beshalach, after the prophetess...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Bo, the Hebrew slaves begin their long march to freedom. After ten destructive plagues, which decimate a once powerful Pharaonic Egypt, Pharaoh relents and lets the Israelites go free. It is the tenth and final plague, Maakas Bechoros (death to the...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Va’era, the redemption from Pharaonic Egypt begins to unfold. A tyrannic, murderous king, who refuses to free the Israelite slaves, along with his willing countrymen, will soon meet their end. The process begins in this week’s parsha with the first...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Shemos, the shibbud Mitzrayim (Egyptian enslavement) commences with full force. As was in Nazi Germany, the Hebrews in Egypt are libeled and subjected to slander, harassed with financial oppression, subjugated with forced slave labor, and finally, horrifically tortured with infanticide,...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Vayechi, the curtain closes on the book of Bereishis. As we read the final verses of the first book of the Torah, we marvel at the passage of time. Did we not just read “In the beginning G-d created the...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Vayigash, we learn of the emotional, tear-filled revelation of the Egyptian viceroy, as the ruler of Ancient Egypt and antiquity, powerfully and stunningly declares (what may arguably be the most famous words in all of Bereishis): אֲנִי יוֹסֵף, הַעוֹד אָבִי...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Mikeitz, Yosef the Hebrew, Yosef the slave-boy, Yosef who was stolen from the land of the Ivriim, Yosef, who can’t seem to catch a break from the troubles that befall him, suddenly, without scarcely a moment’s notice, becomes Yosef The...
In this week’s dramatic parsha, Parshas Vayeishev, we move full-steam ahead into the story of Yosef ha’Tzaddik (Yosef the righteous) …. Yosef, whose mother died in childbirth with his younger brother, Binyamin; Yosef, who spends too much time fixing his hair and eyelashes; Yosef, the...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Vayishlach, we meet our forefather, Yaakov, preparing for his return to Eretz Yisrael. He has worked for his father-in-law Lavan for twenty years - fourteen for his wives and six for his flocks - and with his family and animals,...
In this week’s parsha, Parshas Vayeitzei, we journey with Yaakov Avinu, who enters the parsha a lonely and hunted man, fleeing the wrath of his brother, Eisav, and ends the parsha a man wealthy in family and flocks. During his twenty year stay at the...