Parashat Vayehi begins with Yaakob Abinu summoning Yosef and asking, “Please do not bury me in Egypt.” Yaakob had Yosef promise on oath that he would bring his remains back to the Land of Israel, rather than...
We read in Parashat Vayigash of Yaakob Avinu’s move to Egypt, where he was reunited with his beloved son, Yosef, whom he had not seen in twenty years, and whom he had thought was no longer alive. The...
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”...
After vanquishing the Greeks from Yerushalayim, the Hashmonaim set out to cleanse the Bet Ha’mikdash, which had been defiled by the Greeks, and they dedicated the Bet Ha’mikdash anew. As the Gemara famously relates, all the oil had...
We read in Parashat Vayishlah the famous story of Yaakob’s wrestle with an angel, whom our Sages identify as “Saro Shel Esav” – Esav’s angel that was sent from the heavens to fight against Yaakob Abinu. The Torah...
The opening verse of Parashat Vayeseh tells, “Va’yeseh Yaakob Mi’Be’er Sheba Va’yelech Harana” – “Yakaob left from Be’er Sheba, and he went to Haran.” Rashi notes that the first half of this verse – “Yaakob left from Be’er...
The Torah tells in Parashat Toledot that Yishak Abinu had special love for Esav because “Sayid Be’fiv” (25:28). Rashi gives two explanations for this phrase: 1) Esav would hunt animals and then bring meat to Yishak;...
Parashat Haye-Sara tells the story of Avraham’s search for a burial plot for his wife, Sara. We read that Avraham purchased the site of Me’arat Ha’machpela in Hevron from a man named Efron, who charged Avraham the exorbitant...
We read in Parashat Vayera about the final of the ten tests that Avraham confronted and withstood – the test of Akedat Yishak, when G-d commanded him to sacrifice his son, Yishak. Avraham complied, proceeding with the...
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...