Hineni/ Here I am is not a simple response in the Tanach, nor in our lives. After the seventeen year old Joseph describes his dreams to his family that seem to predict his future rulership over them, he creates a deepening rift of hatred and envy in the family. We read the following ”So his … Read more
We read in the parsha “And he said to him, what is your name? And he said, Yaakov. And he said, No longer will you be called Yaacov ( Yaacov) , but rather Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed. (Genesis 32:28-29). As we are to discover this naming … Read more
Yaacov (Jacob,) our forefather, was the prototype for our people’s voyage. He too had great moments and yet was beset with equally difficult moments in his personal walk into destiny. Yaacov was fleeing from his home. He was escaping from a brother who was set to kill him. He was running from a father who … Read more
After twenty years of childlessness, Rivka ( Rebecca)and Yitzchak ( Isaac)are blessed with twin boys. Yet even this much awaited pregnancy is difficult:“ And the children struggled within her, and she said, “If [it be] so, why am I [like] this?” And she went to inquire of HaShem.”( Genesis 25:22) The Yalkut Shimoni explains that … Read more
Sarah dies at the age of 127 and Avraham approaches the “sons of Heth” to purchase the Machpelah Cave in Hebron. The Torah spends what seems to be an inordinate amount of text to describe the negotiations, the agreement and the amount of money necessary for this purchase. The Midrash Rabba gives an explanation for … Read more
Miracles come into being in pre-existing vessels. The Torah portion of Vayera (Genesis 18:1–22:24) and the Haftorah (2 Kings 4:1-37) connected to it, teach much on the relationship between hessed, deeds of loving-kindness, and miracles. In this Torah portion Abraham and Sarah are told that they would miraculously have a son. They are told about … Read more
The Haftorah that is read from the book of Prophets, after the reading of the Torah portion, is intrinsically linked to that same Torah portion. Throughout our history, the ruling authorities which held sway over the conquered Jewish people, saw the reading of the weekly Torah portion as a spiritual threat. The Jews will endeavor … Read more
On the verse “Noah ( Noach) was a righteous man, perfect in his generations (Genesis 6:9), our sages disagree regarding its intent. Rashi says, “Among our sages, there are those who interpret this as being in praise of Noah: If he was righteous in his generation then certainly he would have been even more righteous … Read more
