What does it mean to be a Jew? When I describe myself as a Jew, what does that really mean? It is readily apparent that none of the normal categories […]
Weekly Torah Portion
Insight and themes on the weekly Torah portion read aloud in synagogue.
HEADS UP The main story of this week’s Torah portion is the SPLITTING of the Red Sea. The Sages tell us that G-d wanted the entire world to witness this […]
EXODUS 2014 This week’s Torah portion tells the story of the Jewish People leaving Egypt. Our sages tell us that on the night of Pesach (Passover), it is not good […]
A man walks down the street He says why am I soft in the middle now? Why am I soft in the middle? The rest of my life is so […]
THE RED TEAM AND THE GREEN TEAM This week’s Torah portion describes seven of the Ten Plagues. I would like to focus on the first two. The very first plague […]
In the opening chapter of Parshas Shemos, we read about the beginnings of Jewish slavery in Egypt. One of Pharaoh’s main objectives in enslaving the Jewish people was to end […]
In this week’s Torah portion, we find an interesting statement. As an introduction to his last will and testament, Yaakov (Jacob) tells his children, “Gather and listen, sons of Yaakov, […]
BE YOURSELF In this week’s Torah portion, Yaakov (Jacob) blesses all of his children, highlighting through his blessings each son’s particular strengths. The only way that we can achieve our […]
In this week’s Torah portion, Parshas Vayigash, Yaakov (Jacob) and his son Yosef (Joseph) dramatically see each other for the first time in many years. It is a very emotional […]
WHO SERVED FIRST? The central theme of the Torah portions that we are reading now is Yosef being the Chief Minister or Grand Vizier of Egypt. This calls for a […]
