Rabbi Shabbat Greetings

In this week’s Torah portion, Vayeitzei (Genesis 28:10-32:3), we learn of the events of the famous story of “Jacob’s Ladder”.  Jacob is fleeing the wrath of his brother Esau after the trickery that…

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Toledot (Genesis 25:19-28:9), is a challenging text for a variety of reasons – here are the basic facts: Rebecca has a difficult pregnancy. Esau and Jacob are born – in…

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Eliezer has a tough job in this week’s Torah portion (Chayei Sarah – Genesis 23:1-25:18).  How would YOU like to be responsible for choosing a partner for your boss’s child? …

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It was on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, in 1918, that Allied and German forces set aside their arms, effectively ending what at the…

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Mark Twain is quoted saying, “When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I…

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Parashat Noach (Genesis 6:9 – 11:32) is rich with relevance. The stories of Noah and the Ark and the Tower of Babel teach us about caring for animals, honoring parents, preparing…

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Beginning the Torah anew this year with Parshat Bereshit (Genesis 1:1-6:8), I have been asking myself what God was trying to tell human beings by creating us at the very end of…

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This Shabbat we will read the book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), as we do every year on the Shabbat of Chol HaMoed Sukkot. The book of Kohelet, one of the five Megillot,…

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The next to last portion in the Book of Deuteronomy, Haazinu (Deuteronomy 32:1-52) consists of the poetic song that Moses sings to the people of Israel before he delivers his deathbed blessing.…

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In this week’s Torah portion, Vayelech (Deuteronomy 31:1-31:30), we are told (31:22): “That day, Moses wrote down this poem and taught it to the Israelites.” This may surprise some readers who have…

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