BY RABBI JUSTIN KERBER
• Published January 4, 2012
I noticed something peculiar in the story of our ancestor Jacob's young adult life. "And G!d went up from him." (Gen. 35:13) It looked almost as if God "lifted off" from him. Could it really be, I wondered, that with the ending of Jacob's conflicts with...
By Rabbi Brad Horwitz
• Published December 21, 2011
Hanukkah is often referred to as the Festival of Lights. We add one candle to the Hanukkah menorah each of the eight nights of Hanukkah to commemorate the miraculous victory of the Macabees as well as the miracle of the small cruse of oil that lasted...
By Rabbi Roxanne J.S. Shapiro
• Published December 14, 2011
A "ketonet passim" (ornamented tunic/striped tunic/robe of many colors) caused all this mess? Joseph was hated for this?It was not the tunic itself...but rather what it represented. Why should Joseph be blamed? He could not help that his father loved...
By Rabbi Justin S. Kerber
• Published December 7, 2011
Less than a week before the start of the Jewish New Year, Erev Rosh Hashanah, our family was blessed with a new baby. Amid the joy of this fall, as we have entered him into the Covenant of Abraham and formally named him after beloved family members we...
As the Torah portion Vayetzei (Gen. 28:10 - 32:3) opens, our spiritual ancestor, Jacob, is running from his brother, Esau's, wrath after obtaining his brother's birthright blessing by trickery. Jacob makes camp, and has an amazing dream: angels are going...
By Rabbi James Stone Goodman
• Published November 23, 2011
Isaac entreats God, and God is entreated. Same verb, different structure. It is one of the words we encounter in Torah that is considered prayer.The same root, transitive and reflexive. Isaac entreats God, and God is entreated. We cannot actually translate...
BY RABBI HYIM SHAFNER
• Published November 16, 2011
This week's Torah portion, Chayei Sarah, "The life of Sarah," begins with Sarah's death following the story of the akedah, binding of Isaac, at the end of last week's portion. Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, known as RASHI, a famous 11th century French commentator...
In this week's Torah portion we see two very different sides of our patriarch Abraham. God tells Abraham He plans to destroy the wicked city of Sodom and instead of being happy that God is removing wickedness from the world, Abraham argues to save the...
By Rabbi James Stone Goodman
• Published November 9, 2011
At the end of his lifeAbraham ascended to the top of the chariot of Ezekielit was covered with the dew of light. Abraham dressed in hand-me-down celestial garmentssaw the future -a vision of reconciliationfrom what was missing in his generationhe saw...
By Rabbi Lane Steinger
• Published October 26, 2011
Are you familiar with the "Noahides"? Noahides, or "B'nai Noach/Children of Noah," are non-Jews who commit themselves to living by the Seven Noahide Laws, which were derived by the Talmudic Sages from this week's Torah Portion.The Parashah for the week...
We are beginning, again. How is it possible that the words of Torah continue to have power in our lives? How is it possible that year after year the same words continue to have relevance? Torah is often compared to water, and like a river, it is impossible...
BY RABBI JOSEF DAVIDSON
• Published October 12, 2011
Five days after Yom Kippur the joyous festival of Sukkot begins. It is the one holy day period on which Jews are actually commanded to rejoice. The other major festivals (Pesach and Shavuot) are also joyous and celebrate important events in...
