No Pain, No Gain
“…Do not be afraid of going down to Egypt, for there i will make of you a great nation. – Bereishis 46:3 אַל תִּירָא מֵרְדָה מִצְרַיְמָה כִּי לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל אֲשִׂימְךָ שָׁם – בראשית מו, ג As Yaakov and his family made their journey to Egypt, G-d appeared to Yaakov and told him: “Do not be afraid of going down to Egypt; […]
Surviving or Thriving?
“…And he saw the wagons that yosef had sent to carry him, and the spirit of Yaakov their father revived. and Yisrael said: “it is much; yosef my son is still alive; i will go and see him before i die.” – Bereishis 45:26-27 וַיַּרְא אֶת הָעֲגָלוֹת אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַח יוֹסֵף לָשֵׂאת אֹתוֹ וַתְּחִי רוּחַ יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם: וַיֹּאמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל רַב עוֹד […]
One Track Education
“…He sent Yehuda ahead of him to yosef, to prepare goshen in advance…” – Bereishit 46:27 ואת יהודה שלח לפניו אל יוסף להורת לפניו גשנה ויבאו ארצה גשן – בראשית מו, כח Yaakov sent Yehuda to Egypt to establish a place of Torah study and education in Goshen before the rest of the family arrived. Why was it necessary for […]
A Time to Weep – Parashat Vayigash
“….And he fell on his brother Binyamin’s neck and wept, and Binyamin wept on his neck….” – Bereishit 45:14 ״….ויפל על צוארי בנימין אחיו ויבך ובנימין בכה על צואריו…״ – בראשית מה, יד When Yosef and Binyomin were finally reunited, they fell on each other’s necks in embrace and wept. Rashi explains that Yosef and Binyomin cried because they prophetically […]
How Low Can You Bow? – Parashat Mikeitz
“….And he had him ride in his chariot of second rank, and they called out before him, ‘Avrech – The king’s patron’ – Appointing him over the entire land of Egypt….” – Bereishit 41:43 ״….וירכב אתו במרכבת המשנה אשר לו ויקראו לפניו אברך ונתון אתו על כל ארץ מצרים….״ – בראשית מא, מג Rashi cites an alternative interpretation for the […]
Between Pebbles and Pearls
Rashi’s parable of a person searching for a pearl lost in the sand also alludes to the Jewish people’s task in the lands to where we have been exiled: to sift through “the settlements of Eisav.” The search for the pearl symbolizes our mission to find the holiness—the G-dly meaning and potential—hidden within the mundane world with which we are […]
Don’t Let it Go to Your Head
The barrier that Yaakov formed around his head was obviously not the only protection he was relying upon, as it left the rest of his body still exposed. It’s possible that Yaakov didn’t erect a blockade around his body because he trusted that G-d was protecting him, but if so, why did he take extra measures to guard his head? […]
127 Varieties – Parashat Chayei Sarah
In the story of Purim, the miraculous salvation of the Jewish people came about through Esther’s position as queen over 127 provinces, which the Midrash links to the 127 years of Sarah’s life. The correlation drawn by the Midrash is certainly not only a numerical parallel. Rather, the matching numbers serve to indicate that there is a common theme shared […]
The Basics of Hospitality
“…And he lifted his eyes and he saw, and behold, there were three men standing beside him, and he saw and he ran toward them…” – Bereishit 18:2 וישא עיניו וירא והנה שלשה אנשים נצבים עליו וירא וירץ לקראתם… – בראשית יח, ב In Parshas Vayeira, Avraham interrupts a visit from G-d Himself in order to host three passersby (angels disguised […]
Food of Fanatics
Og’s encounter with Avram while the latter was fulfilling the mitzvah of Matzah played a critical role in molding Og’s plans. That is why the Midrash states two seemingly unrelated facts about Og’s name and his motives in immediate succession. Matzah is called “food of faith” in the Zohar. Avram’s engrossment in this faith-building activity reflected his super-rational commitment to G-d, […]
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