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Weekly Torah
Are you afraid of the dark? Take comfort, fear of darkness afflicts many. But what if you are afraid of the light? The darkness that enveloped Pharaoh and his Egyptian subjects in the penultimate of the ten plagues was nothing more nor less than their all-consuming fear of the light of G-d’s truth.
Bo (Exodus 10:1-13:16)
Parashat Bo is read on Shabbat:
Shevat 3, 5774/January 4, 2014
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The multifaceted message of the ten plagues was to drive home the truth that there is but one G-d in the world, that He is concerned with every facet of His creation, and that He is the master of all that he has created. All the Pharaohs in the world can’t hold a candle to G-d’s great light.
Va’era (Exodus 6:2-9:35)
Parashat Va’era is read on Shabbat:
Tevet 25, 5774/December 28, 2013
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The book of Exodus is called in Hebrew the book of Names, (Shemot). Why? What’s in a name and why does Torah repeat the names of the seventy souls of Israel who descended into Egypt when their names were already mentioned earlier in the book of Genesis? Torah has come to teach us a deep and essential lesson in self-knowledge.
Shemot (Exodus 1:1-6:1)
Parashat Shemot is read on Shabbat:
Tevet 18, 5774/December 21, 2013
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When Yaakov was reunited with his beloved son Yosef, he understood it as the confirmation of G-d’s Oneness, and recited the Shema proclamation of G-d’s unity. His twelve sons would later reconfirm G-d’s Oneness by reciting the Shema, as Yaakov prepared to reveal to them his vision of the end of days. By this very affirmation of G-d’s Oneness in our world, Yaakov fulfills the promise of his other name, Yisrael, and his children, throughout the generations, fulfill their role as witnesses to G-d’s abiding and eternal unity.
Vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26)
Parashat Vayechi is read on Shabbat:
Tevet 11, 5774/December 14, 2013
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The seismic shocks, the tectonic rumblings, the pulsating magnetic fields could all be felt from one end of creation to the next when Yehudah drew near to Yosef in their battle for custody of Binyamin. Neither brother was willing to abandon Binyamin and that’s what G-d wanted to know! When Yosef revealed his true identity to Yehudah and the others, they all realized that they could lay down their arms: It was all in G-d’s hands!
Vayigash (Genesis 45:28-46:7)
Parashat Vayigash is read on Shabbat:
Tevet 4, 5774/December 7, 2013
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The story of Yosef’s descent into the darkness of Egypt and his rise to leadership coincides each year with the eight day festival of Chanukah. They likewise share the same deep lesson: All of life’s seemingly chaotic randomness is, in truth, directed by G-d. Our role is not merely to trust in G-d’s benevolence but to work without rest to insure our own part in His great plan. This is what distinguished Yosef and this is what distinguished the Chashmonean kohanim who led the Jewish revolt against the Greek oppressors.
Miketz (Genesis 41:1-44:17)
Parashat Miketz is read on Shabbat:
Kislev 27, 5774/November 30, 2013
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Have you ever felt utterly and completely alone? Yosef must have. He was separated from his loving father and his brothers wanted to kill him. Ultimately he was thrown in a pit filled with scorpions and snakes and then sold to some passing Ishmaelites, who in turn sold him into slavery. Yet we’re never alone, and if our hearts are turned to G-d, we will identify His fingerprint upon our lives.
Vayeshev (Genesis 37:1-40:23)
Parashat Vayeshev is read on Shabbat:
Kislev 20, 5774/November 23, 2013
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