Honesty Despite Deceit This week’s Torah reading tells us about the time Yaakov (Jacob) spent with his uncle, who was also his father-in-law, Lavan. Lavan hired Yaakov to be his […]
Weekly Torah Portion
Insight and themes on the weekly Torah portion read aloud in synagogue.
In the beginning of this week’s Torah reading, Esav (Esau) sold his first-born status to his brother Yaakov (Jacob), in exchange for a dish of lentils. The verse says that […]
The Final Test From God The Mishnah (Avos 5:3) says that our patriarch, Abraham, was handed ten major tests by God. Rabbeinu Yonah writes that the final test was an […]
Kindness Through a Messenger – A Deficiency? In this week’s Torah reading, Avraham Avinu (our patriarch Abraham) welcomed three guests, who were angels disguised as humans. Avraham then went to […]
What Does God Want From Me Now? In this week’s Torah reading (17:1), God asks of Avraham Avinu (our patriarch Abraham) to walk in front of Him and be “complete.” […]
In this week’s Torah reading, the Torah makes note of a certain episode in history which took place. Noach had gotten drunk, and was found by his son Cham, rolling […]
Why Wait for Prayers? The verse in this week’s Torah reading says (2:5) that although all the plants were created during the six days of creation, the plants hadn’t grown […]
In this week’s Torah reading we have an interesting mitzvah (commandment). The Torah instructs us (30:19) to choose life. What does it mean to choose life? By nature, every human […]
Improving Our Character: A Fundamental of Judaism The verse in this week’s Torah reading says (28:9), “And you shall go in His [God’s] ways.” The Sefer Hachinuch (Mitzvah 611) says […]
Opportunities, Not Rights In this week’s Torah reading, we have a mitzvah (commandment) to refrain from muzzling an ox while it is threshing. Why does one owe his ox to […]
