Recently, while studying the Daf Yomi – a page a day of Talmud learning – the Gemarah/Talmud cites various verses from which they derive the concept that, “One who raises an orphan in their home, is as if they gave birth to them.” The great commentator Maharsha explains that the child does not have to …
Category: Beraishis
Jan 02
Miracles!
Chanukah comes and goes so quickly. I think it may be due to the fact that it falls on the shortest days of the calendar year and before you know it, you are already lighting the next candle. Today is the eighth day of Chanukah. In our teachings, the number eight represents the supernatural. Eight …
Dec 26
Intact!
During the Second Temple period, when Israel was under the Ptolemaic rule, King Ptolemy IV demanded that our Written Law – the Torah – be translated into Greek. The Talmud relates that Ptolemy took 70 great Sages, separated them, and then ordered them to translate the Torah into Greek. Since quite a few of the …
Dec 19
Joseph!
The Torah relates that Yosef, after being sold as a slave to an Egyptian officer, was alone, away from his family. There he was challenged by the constant entreaties of his master’s wife. Yosef, who is known as the righteous one, regularly fended off her advances. However, one day when no one else was in …
Dec 12
Tefila!
The Torah relates that after the dramatic meeting of Yaacov with his hateful brother Aisav, they parted ways. Yaacov set up his encampment before heading to the land of Israel. As Yaacov was entering Israel, his wife Rachel went into labor with her second son Binyamin. Sadly, she passed away during childbirth and was buried …
Dec 05
In the Dark!
Our portion begins by telling us that our forefather Yaacov was traveling, and as nightfall was quickly approaching, he set up camp. He went to sleep and had a prophetic dream. In the dream he saw a ladder extending from Israel to the heavens with angels going up and down the ladder. G-d spoke to …
Nov 28
Assurance!
When we study the Torah and read about the lives of our forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaacov, we see that their lives were not smooth sailing. They all met with challenges, but within each of them was the ability to stand up to the task or test. Rabbi Yaacov Kamenetzky o.b.m. points out something very …
Nov 21
The Clincher!
The Torah relates that our forefather Avraham instructed his faithful servant Eliezer to travel from the land of Israel to his birthplace, Aram Naharyim, to find from his family, a suitable wife for his son Yitzchok. Avraham sent Eliezer with ten camels laden with gifts. Our Sages tell us that Avraham’s camels stood out from …
Nov 14
Challenge!
The Torah relates that Avraham and Sara were childless for many years. Sara, wishing that her husband Avraham have a child, recommended to Avraham that he take their maidservant Hagar as a surrogate wife. Avraham acquiesced and together they had a son Yishmael. In his youth, Yishmael basked in the spiritual influence of Avraham. In …
Nov 07
Illuminate!
Possibly one of the most well-known Medrashim on the Torah is the story of when Avraham was cast into a fiery furnace and miraculously emerged without injury. Let’s take a closer look at this amazing incident. As an aside, the Torah does not openly tell us this story, it only alludes to it and leaves …
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