Many parents observe the beautiful, time- honored practice to bless their children every week on Friday night. The blessing they give is, “Yesimcha Elokim Ke’Efrayim Ve’chi’Mnashe” – that Hashem should make them like Yosef’s two sons, Efrayim and Menashe. The...
Parashat Vayigash features one of the most dramatic stories in the entire Torah – Yosef’s revelation to his brothers. Many years earlier, when Yosef was just seventeen-years-old, his brothers threw him into a pit, with the intention...
The Misva of lighting the Hanukah candles features an unusual component, one which is unique to this specific Misva. Namely, the Rabbis instituted three different standards of observing the Misva. The Gemara in Masechet Shabbat (21b) teaches that...
We read in Parashat Vayeshev of the hatred that Yosef’s brothers felt toward him. The background to their hatred is the special love shown to Yosef by their father, Yaakob, who made him a special garment (“Ketonet Pasim”...
Yaakob Abinu was making his way back to Eretz Yisrael with his family when he learned that his brother, Esav, was coming to meet him with an army of four hundred men. He immediately made a...
We read in Parashat Vayeseh that when Yaakob arrived in Haran, at the home of his uncle, Laban, he reached an agreement with Laban. According to the agreement, Yaakob would work for seven years as a shepherd,...
The Torah in Parashat Toldot tells the story of the blessings which Yishak Abinu wished to bestow upon his older son, Esav, but which were taken by the younger son, Yaakob. Yishak informed Esav of his desire to...
Parashat Hayeh-Sara tells the famous story of Eliezer, Abraham Abinu’s servant, whom Abraham sent to Aram Naharayim to find a girl for Yitzhak. Eliezer’s mission was successful, as he brought Ribka, a righteous granddaughter of Abraham’s brother, to...
The Torah in Parashat Vayera tells the famous story of “Akedat Yishak,” when G-d tested Abraham by commanding him to slaughter his only son, which was born when he was 100 years old, as a sacrifice. Abraham took...
When G-d first spoke to Avraham and commanded him to leave his homeland and move to what would become known as the Land of Israel, He made several promises, including, “Va’abarechecha Mebarecheka, U’mekelelcha A’or” – “I shall bless those who...