(Torah Portion Toldos) Let it Go The Torah relates that our matriarch Rivka was pregnant with twin boys, Yaacov and Aisav. She was informed through prophecy that Yaacov would be devout and pious, while Aisav would be wicked. Until the boys were fifteen years old their dissimilar personalities were not apparent. However, on the day …
Category: 5773
Sep 26
It Happened Right Here
(Torah Portion Vayaitzai) It Happened Right Here! Greetings from the holy City of Jerusalem! Malki and I are in Israel for a short but uplifting and electrifying visit. As of now, the war is going on in Southern Israel and Gaza, and here in Jerusalem for the first time in many years, siren warnings of …
Sep 26
Switched
(Torah Portion Vayishlach) Switched Reuven was the first-born son of Yaacov and Leah, and the first of the twelve tribes. Along with this first-born right came many prestigious positions: the priesthood, the monarchy and the right to a double portion of inheritance. However, because of a questionable incident that Reuven was involved in, he forfeited …
Sep 26
Judaica
(Torah Portion Vayaishev) Judaica If one takes a look around an ordinary Jewish home, he is sure to notice some type of Judaica or memorabilia displayed. Some of the more obvious ones are: the Mezzuza affixed to the doorpost, Shabbat candlesticks, a Kiddush Cup, a Chanukah Menorah, a Shofar, Yarmulkas, Prayer books, Books on Torah …
Sep 26
Internal Beauty
(Torah Portion Miketz) Internal Beauty The centerpiece of the City of Jerusalem was G-d’s magnificent and breathtaking Holy Temple on Mount Moriah. The story of Chanukah occurred while Israel was ruled by the Greeks. Unlike their predecessor, the Babylonians, who had captured the first Temple and then destroyed it, the Greeks plundered the Temple’s contents …
Sep 26
Our Heroes
(Torah Portion Vayigash) Our Heroes Yosef, who had become the Viceroy of Egypt, came face to face with his brothers, who twenty-two years earlier, had sold him as a slave. Yosef recognized his brothers; however they did not recognize him. Yosef saw this event as an actualization of his prophetic dreams which had predicted that …
Sep 26
Staying Alive
(Torah Portion Vayechi) Staying Alive! This week’s portion tells us that our forefather Yaakov lived the last years of his life in Egypt. The title of this week’s Portion is Vayechi – and he lived. The Torah draws our attention to the word “and he lived” to indicate that during the final seventeen years of …