It Only Looks Like a Snake Pit
In this week's reading, the sons of Yaakov sell their brother Yosef into slavery. First, they take him and throw him into a pit, intending to kill him. But seeing a caravan approaching, Yehudah suggests that they sell him instead, keeping the money while sending him...
You Can Save a Life
What if I told you there was something you could do, right now, that could save a life in Israel? Would you do it? In this week's reading, Yaakov returns to the Land of Israel, only to meet his brother Esav -- who years earlier tried to kill him. Yaakov prepared for...
The Appropriate Blessing
This week we read that Yitzchak (Isaac) wanted to bless his older son Esav, but Yaakov came instead, as advised by his mother Rivka. As a result, both sons were blessed -- and though Yitzchak was deceived, he was Divinely Inspired to give each child the right...
Big Talkers and Big Doers
At the beginning of this week's reading, Sarah passes away and Avraham goes to find a burial place for her. He would like to bury her in the burial place of Adam and Chava (Eve), which is the Cave of Machpela near Hebron. So he goes to the Hittites to ask for that...
The Source of Moral Virtue
It is as predictable as sunrise. At roughly this time of the year, someone claims the mantle of religious authority in order to announce that Avraham "failed" the test of the Akeidah, of sacrificing his son. Why? Because, the speaker insists, Avraham should have told...
Out of the Comfort Zone
Do you like your house? “Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home.” It is human nature to find comfort in familiar surroundings, friends and neighbors, even habits.
