We Cannot Outsmart our G-d

In this week's reading, the spies were sent out to investigate the Land of Israel, to see how to enter and minimize risk. They returned with a bad report: "indeed, it is a land flowing with milk and honey," they said, even bringing back samples of the oversized fruit...
Filling the Void

Filling the Void

We learn in this week's reading that when Yosef had prophetic dreams about ruling over his family, his brothers resented it. Thinking that he was a threat to them and the nation they were to build, they contemplated killing him. Reuven, though, convinced them to throw...

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What Really Matters

What Really Matters

In our reading, Yaakov is informed that Esav is coming out to meet him with 400 men. Yaakov prepares to face tremendous losses—"And he said, if Esav comes upon one camp and strikes it, the remaining camp will be for a remnant" [32:9]. The Medrash say that Yaakov...

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Wellsprings of Truth

Wellsprings of Truth

"And all the wells that the servants of his father had dug, during the days of Avraham, the Pelishtim had closed them up and filled them with dirt" [26:15]. Yitzchak wanted to use the wells his father's servants had made, but the Pelishtim had gone and filled them in....

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Reasonable Repetition

Reasonable Repetition

Sometimes, the Torah strikes us as repetitive. We are forced to wonder why the Torah felt it necessary to tell us the same thing twice, and to look more deeply to determine what we learn from the retelling. Nowhere is this more striking than the story of Eliezer going...

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Coming to Terms

Coming to Terms

The Torah tells us that after the birth of Yitzchak, “the child grew and was weaned, and Avraham made a great banquet on the day that Yitzchak was weaned” [Genesis 21:8]. Rashi explains that what made the banquet “great” was the presence of the great men of the...

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The Merits of our Forefathers

The Merits of our Forefathers

In our parsha (reading), Hashem tells our forefather, “do not fear, Avram, I will shield you, your reward is very great” [15:1]. And Avram replies in the following verse, “Hashem, what will you give me, and I go childless…” [This was before Avraham and Sarah were...

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