The Torah portion this week is called ‘Vayishlach’ and contains within it the well-known story of Jacob wrestling with the ‘ish’ – the ‘man’ – which the Torah does not identify. Was it Esau, his brother from whom Jacob had been estranged for some 20 years? Was it Jacob’s conscience which bothered him since taking [...]
The Torah portion this week is filled with all sorts of stories. In fact, here are all the stories in this parasha: Jacob dreams of angels going up and down a ladder. God blesses him. Jacob names the place Bethel. (28:10-22) Jacob works seven years in order to marry Rachel, but Laban tricks Jacob into [...]
Picture from the Temple Institute This week's parasha is interesting in that the text tell us the following: וַיָּ֙שָׁב יִצְחָ֜ק וַיַּחְפֹּ֣ר׀ אֶת־בְּאֵרֹ֣ת הַמַּ֗יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ בִּימֵי֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֔יו וַיְסַתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֖י מ֣וֹת אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֤א לָהֶן֙ שֵׁמ֔וֹת כַּשֵּׁמֹ֕ת אֲשֶׁר־קָרָ֥א לָהֶ֖ן אָבִֽיו׃ 19 וַיַּחְפְּר֥וּ עַבְדֵֽי־יִצְחָ֖ק בַּנָּ֑חַל וַיִּ֙מְצְאוּ־שָׁ֔ם בְּאֵ֖ר מַ֥יִם חַיִּֽים׃ 20 וַיָּרִ֜יבוּ רֹעֵ֣י גְרָ֗ר עִם־רֹעֵ֥י [...]
The Torah portion for this week is Chayei Sarah which, although it translates into the “Life of Sarah” really records her death and burial at the Cave of Machpela. In this portion, Abraham buys the cave from Ephron the Hittite. The negotiations are concluded for 400 shekels of silver (a huge price, by the way) [...]
(A very neat painting of Abram and the Three Angels by Josse Lieferinxe between 1493–1503/08) In the Torah portion for this week, we see one of the most interesting encounters in Abram’s life. The text tell us, וַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה בְּאֵלֹנֵ֖י מַמְרֵ֑א וְה֛וּא יֹשֵׁ֥ב פֶּֽתַח־הָאֹ֖הֶל כְּחֹ֥ם הַיּֽוֹם׃ 2 וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה֙ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים נִצָּבִ֖ים [...]
Lech-Lecha is one of those Torah portions that is so filled with goodies, it boggles the mind – but in a good way. Having said that, I want to share with you a small offering and commentary. The text says, וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ׃ The LORD said [...]
For about the 97th time, I watched 2001: A Space Odyssey – (one of the true gifts of monolith was, I am convinced, Netflix!) Every time I watch the movie I get something else out of it. Now that the story of Noah is here, I have yet another, more Jewish, insight. You have probably [...]
I have two parts of my brain. But I am not talking about the right brain/left brain thing. I am talking about the religious/scientific dichotomy. And every year when we get to the stories of Genesis, that dichotomy is very much on my mind. I am a science freak. I love science. I always have. [...]
One of the interesting things about the Festival of Sukkot is the strangest of all fruits, the etrog. Most people would not think of using it for anything other than for decoration. It is hard to cook with, extremely sour and very, very tough to peel. So why did Jewish tradition choose the etrog of [...]