The Misunderstood Maccabees and Miketz Miracles
There is a lot of misinformation about the Chanukah holiday. People teach that the Greeks took over Israel, the Jews fought back, the Jews won the battle, and then there was the miracle of the oil -- enough oil to explain the Menorah, Latkes, and Sufganiyot (Israeli...
War & Peace… Together
Our reading begins with Yaakov returning to the land of Cana'an, re-encountering his brother Esav after several decades of separation. This was, however, no ordinary family reunion. After Yaakov received his father's blessing intended for Esav, Esav decided to kill...
Preparation… for More than a Lifetime
At first glance, one could attempt to compare the encounter between Yaakov and Rachel to a scene from a novel. The Torah previously described in detail how Avraham's servant Eliezer journeyed to find a wife for Yitzchok, and brought her to him, sight unseen, to be his...
First, Choose a Direction
This week's reading begins with Rivka's pregnancy, which came about only after many years and many prayers. And then we read a verse which, according to Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki himself, begs further explanation: "And the children struggled within her, and she said 'if...
Losing Perspective
What on earth — or perhaps, off earth — did Nimrod and his followers think they could accomplish? How could building a tower enable them to “make war against G-d?” [Rashi to 11:1]
Not only is the idea nonsensical, but they contradicted themselves: “They said: ‘Come, let us build a city and tower, its head in the Heavens, and make a name for ourselves, that we not be scattered across the earth.'” [11:4]
Daunting or Doable?
It is not in Heaven, such that one could say ‘who will go up to Heaven and take it for us’… For this matter is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to do it” [30:12, 14]. At first glance Torah observance can seem daunting, filled with myriad rules and regulations governing every aspect of life.
