14 Dec PARASHAT VAYEHI: THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE
Toward the end of Parashat Vayehi, we read of Yosef’s brothers’ fears that Yosef would avenge the pain which they inflicted upon him. They suspected that now that their father,...
08 Dec PARASHAT VAYIGASH: TUNING IN TO THE RIGHT FREQUENCY
The Torah in Parashat Vayigash lists the names of Yaakob’s sons and grandsons who settled in Egypt to escape the harsh famine in Eretz Yisrael, thus beginning the Egyptian exile....
30 Nov PARASHAT MIKETZ: THE WINE-BEARER AND THE BAKER
Parashat Miketz begins with Pharaoh’s unusual dreams, and his desperate attempt to find out what they meant. After he was dissatisfied with the interpretations given by his advisors, the Sar...
23 Nov PARASHAT VAYESHEV- YOSEF’S FAITH
The Midrash (cited by Rashi to Bereshit 37:3) tells us that before Yosef was sold as a slave by his brothers at the age of 17, he learned Torah from his father, Yaakob. Specifically, the Midrash writes,...
17 Nov BROOKLYN SEPHARDIC COMMUNITY IS BOOMING! Q & A WITH RABBI ELI MANSOUR
Rabbi Mansour is one of the most revered leaders of the Syrian Jewish community, which has experienced astounding physical and spiritual growth over the past few decades. Rabbi Mansour is...
17 Nov PARASHAT VAYISHLACH- JEWISH PHOTOSYNTHESIS
We read in Parashat Vayishlah of the angel that attacked Yaakob Abinu as he made his way back to Eretz Yisrael from the home of Laban. The Rabbis teach us...
10 Nov PARASHAT VAYESE: THE TWO TESTS
The Midrash relates that when Yaakob left his parents’ home to flee from his brother, Esav, who wanted to kill him in revenge for his “stealing” Yishak’s blessings, Esav instructed...
26 Oct PARASHAT HAYEH-SARAH: THE DANGERS OF VANITY
The opening verse of Parashat Hayeh-Sara tells us that our matriarch Sara lived for “one hundred years, twenty years, and seven years.” This is an unusual way of telling us how long Sara lived, as rather than simply...
19 Oct PARASHAT VAYERA: BREAKING OUR NATURE
We read in Parashat Vayera the famous story known as “Akedat Yishak,” where G-d commanded Abraham Abinu to offer his son, Yishak, as a sacrifice. This story begins by telling...
12 Oct PARASHAT LECH-LECHA: WE’RE NEVER OFF-DUTY
Parashat Lech-Lecha begins with G-d’s command to Abraham Abinu to “go forth” – “Lech Lecha” – and move to Eretz Yisrael. Rashi explains the phrase “Lech Lecha” to mean, “Le’hana’atecha...