I Shall Also Surely Bring You Up
In the Torah section of VaYigash, we read of Jacob’s descent with his entire family to Egypt after discovering his beloved son Joseph’s whereabouts. “So Israel set out with all that he had and he came to B’er Sheva where he slaughtered sacrifices to the G-d of his father Isaac. And G-d spoke to Israel […]
Do Not Jump to Conclusions
In the Torah section of Miketz, we read the continuation of Joseph’s ordeal. As a result of perceived improper behavior with regard to his brothers, Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt, initiated by his brothers, and eventually suffered further tribulations while in Egypt. Fortunately, G-d was watching over him and after some time, Joseph […]
Be Wary of Good Intentions
We read in the Torah section of VaYeshev how, after many difficulties that Joseph endured during his lifetime, including being sold into slavery by his brothers, he was regularly harassed by his captor’s wife to perform an immoral act with her. Our Sages tell us (Bereshit Rabbah 85:2) that Joseph’s captor’s wife actually had some sort […]
We Will Overcome
In the Torah section of VaYishlach, after Jacob’s struggle with an unexpected foe, we read (Bereshit 32:33), “Therefore, the children of Israel are not to eat the displaced sinew on the hip-socket to this day, because he struck Jacob’s hip-socket on the displaced sinew.” In commenting on the aforementioned verse, the latter day Torah giant […]
Leaving an Impression
The first verse of the Torah section of VaYetze reads: “And Jacob departed from Beer Sheva and went to Haran” (Bereshit 28:10). On this verse the great medieval exegete Rashi comments: “It need only have written ‘And Jacob went to Haran.’ Why does it mention his departure? This teaches that the departure of a righteous […]
A Peek into the Future
In the Torah section of Toldot, we read of three wells that Isaac dug. We are told that these were originally dug by his father Abraham, but later filled in by others. Now, Isaac took the opportunity to reopen what his father first initiated. In his commentary on the Torah (Bereshit 26:20), R. Moshe ben Nachman, […]
Stay Out of Harm’s Way
In the beginning of the Torah section of Chaye Sarah, we read that Abraham’s son Isaac had come of age. After G-d’s miraculously giving Abraham’s wife Sarah the ability to conceive a child at an advanced age and subsequently testing Abraham’s and Isaac’s conviction, the time had come for Isaac to marry. To this purpose, […]
Hurry to Your Friend
In the beginning of the Torah section of VaYerah (Bereshit 18:2-6), we read: “And he [Abraham] lifted his eyes and saw, and behold three men were standing over him, and he perceived and he ran toward them from the entrance of the tent and bowed toward the ground. And he said…’Let some water be brought […]
Imagine What the Future Has to Offer
In the Torah section of Lekh Lekha, G-d appears to Abraham and reveals to him what He has in store for Abraham and his offspring. “And He said to Abram, ‘Know with certainty that your offspring shall be aliens in a land not their own, and they will serve them, and they will oppress them […]
G-d Can Make a Little Go a Long Way
In the Torah section of Noach, we read of G-d’s decision, as a result of the corruption that engulfed the planet, to destroy all that was on Earth in an extraordinary flood except for those creatures spared by G-d in the ark that he asked Noach to build. In order to prepare for the flood and […]