In Parshas Vayishlach, Yaakov and his family are returning to Canaan after twenty years of living with Lavan. The parsha opens with Yaakov’s fears that Eisav will come kill him. Yaakov does three things to prepare for this historic confrontation: he divides his family into...
Parshas Vayeitzei begins as Yaakov is fleeing from Be’er Sheva to Charan, running away from his murderous brother, Eisav. He then has his famous dream, known as “Sulam Yaakov,” the Ladder of Yaakov. Yaakov continues on and journeys to the land of the easterners, back to...
Parshas Toldos begins with Yitzchak and Rivka davening for children. After twenty years of marriage, twin boys - Yaakov and Eisav - are born. As the boys grow up, their different personalities become apparent: וַיִּגְדְּלוּ֙ הַנְּעָרִ֔ים וַיְהִ֣י עֵשָׂ֗ו אִ֛ישׁ יֹדֵ֥עַ צַ֖יִד אִ֣ישׁ שָׂדֶ֑ה וְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ אִ֣ישׁ...
Parshas Chayei Sarah begins with the death of Sarah at one hundred and twenty-seven years old, and ends with the death of Avraham, at the age of one hundred and seventy-five years old. Both are buried in the Me’aras Ha’Machpela, which Avraham purchased from Efron...
Parshas Vayeira begins as Hashem comes to visit Avraham, who is recuperating from his bris milah. We then learn of Avraham’s hachnasas orchim, as he welcomes guests to his tent. The angels promise that at this time next year, Sarah will have a child. While...
In Parshas Lech Lecha, the life and times of Avraham Avinu are narrated in great and rich detail. The parsha begins with Hashem’s command to Avraham to leave his past and journey to “the land that I will show you” (Bereishis 12:1). At the age...
Parshas Noach begins by recounting the good deeds of Noach, who was righteous and pure in his generation, and who walked with G-d. Noach and his family - his three sons: Shem, Cham and Yafes, his wife Na’ama, and his daughters-in-law - remained upstanding and...
Bereishis 5786. Baruch she’he’chi’yanu v’ki’yi’manu v’hi’giyanu l’zman ha’zeh - Blessed is Hashem Who has kept us alive and sustained us and allowed us to reach this time. אַשְׁרֵינוּ מַה־טּוֹב חֶלְקֵנוּ וּמַה נָּעִים גּוֹרָלֵנוּ - Happy are we! How good is our portion, and how pleasant...
With the final two parshios of Devarim, not only does the Chumash come to an end, but so does the life of our great teacher, exalted leader, the man-of-G-d, more humble than all other men, known for posterity as Moshe Rabbeinu, Moshe our rabbi. At the...
5786: a new year, new beginnings, a fresh start, the blessing of life renewed this year, ברוך שהחיינו וקימנו והגיענו לזמן הזה. The first ten days of Tishrei are known as the Aseres Yimei Teshuva, the Ten Days of Repentance, which begin on Alef Tishrei/Rosh Hashana...