Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, the forefathers of the Jewish nation, were real people of flesh and blood. Yet they also embody the very attributes by which G-d administers His world. Avraham embodies the attribute of chesed - loving kindness. Yet from his loins came forth Yitzchak, whose persona embodies the attribute of din - harshness. This reflects the cosmic conundrum: If, as we are taught, G-d created His world with chesed, why then, does harshness exists? Why are there people in pain and in need? By treating our fellow man with chesed we are, in effect, creating G-d’s world anew.
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Toldot (Genesis 25:19-28:9)
Parashat Toldot is read on Shabbat:
Kislev 2, 5769/November 29, 2008

Rabbi Richman’s Weekly Torah teachings are now available in mp3 audio files! They also should begin to show up in iTunes as well.

“And Abraham was old, advanced in days…” (Genesis 24:1) The original Hebrew verse is best translated as, “And Abraham was old, arriving in days…” Our sages teach us that when a person dies and seeks entry into the next world the days of his life come forward to testify as to how he spent his days: in holiness or otherwise. In Avraham’s case, his days arrived before the heavenly court and testified to a life of righteousness.

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Chayei Sara (Genesis 23:1-25:18)
Parashat Chayei Sara is read on Shabbat:
Cheshvan 24, 5769/November 22, 2008

Avraham Avinu was tested ten times by G-d throughout his life. The final and most awesome of the trials was the binding of his son Yitzchak, (Isaac). He faced these trials with equanimity and love. We, too, are tested throughout our lives by G-d. By meeting our own personal trials with the love exhibited by Avraham we, too, can experience G-d’s profound love for us.

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Vayera (Genesis 18:1-22:24)
Parashat Vayera is read on Shabbat:
Cheshvan 17, 5769/November 15, 2008

Young Avraham Avinu takes on the entire civilized world of his day, rejecting their idols and their self-serving culture of I, me, and mine. G-d was so moved, as it were, He personally rescued Avraham from the fiery furnace of Ur.

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Lech Lecha (Genesis 12:1-17:27)
Parashat Lech Lecha is read on Shabbat:
Cheshvan 10, 5769/November 8, 2008

Torah describes Noach as a tzaddik - righteous man, and tammim - pure. Yet, while he saved mankind on the physical level, he failed to pray on their behalf for their spiritual salvation. Our relationship with G-d has limitless potential. But it is up to us to pursue this relationship through prayer and actions in order to reach our full potentials.

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Noach (Genesis 6:9-11:32)
Parashat Noach is read on Shabbat:
Cheshvan 3, 5769/November 1, 2008

Adam HaRishon - the first man contained within his soul the souls of all his progeny until the end of time. His “downfall” which occurred when he ate from the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge became our opportunity to serve G-d even through our “evil urge.”

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B’reishith (Genesis 1:1-6:8)
Parashat B’reishith is read on Shabbat:
Tishrei 26, 5769/October 25, 2008

“And this is the blessing with which Moses, the man of G-d, blessed the children of Israel [just] before his death.” (Deuteronomy 33:1) Moses remains entirely dedicated to the children of Israel up to the moment of his death, even as he knows that these will be his last words and that he will not join his people in entering into the land of Israel.

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V’Zot Habracha (Deuteronomy 33-34)
Parashat V’Zot Habracha is read on Simchat Torah:
Tishrei 22, 5769/October 21, 2008

“Listen, O heavens, and I will speak! And let the earth hear the words of my mouth!” (Deuteronomy 31:2) The word of G-d from Mount Sinai speaks to us constantly, day and night, calling upon us to repent. It is up to us to hear this voice. Man himself has a heavenly, spiritual side to whom G-d addresses: “Listen, O heavens, and I will speak!” And man has an earthly, physical side which can weigh him down, to which G-d speaks, “And let the earth hear the words of my mouth!” G-d loves both aspects of man. His voice can be heard, if we but choose to listen.

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Ha’azinu (Deuteronomy 31:2-35:52)
Parashat Ha’azinu is read on Shabbat:
Tishrei 12, 5769/October 11, 2008

“And I will surely hide My face in that day.” (Deuteronomy 31:18) When we transgress our covenant with G-d it is our own feelings of remorse and self disappointment that create a distance between ourselves and G-d, causing Him to hide His countenance from us. But this terrifying sense of remoteness is no more than a self-generated illusion, as G-d is always with us, in our good moments and our bad.

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Vayelech (Deuteronomy 31:1-31:30)
Parashat Vayelech is read on Shabbat:
Tishrei 5, 5769/October 4, 2008

“Even if you are dispersed in the ends of heaven, from there will HaShem your G-d gather you in, and from there He will take you.” (Deuteronomy 30:4) Parashat Nitzavim, the final parasha before Rosh HaShana, contains within in the Divine promise that G-d’s children will repent, and that, having done so, G-d will turn back their captivity, and gather them in.

Even if our teshuva - repentance - is not totally pure, but is done for reasons other than purely for the sake of heaven, that is, is done for reasons that are merely “dispersed in the ends of heaven,” even then G-d will accept our teshuva - and gather us in.

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Nitzavim (Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20)
Parashat Nitzavim is read on Shabbat:
Elul 27, 5768/September 27, 2008