Our parasha contains the mitzvah of sippur yetziat Mitzrayim, the recounting of the story of the Departure from Egypt, that is fulfilled during the Pesach Seder. The 13th century author of the Sefer … more

From the start of Genesis, we have been reading one long story extending over many centuries. It began with the creation of man and proceeded with the narrative of the transformation of a small … more

With a small push, yet surprisingly little creativity, we can easily notice that the Exodus from Egypt mirrors the events that surround the last evening of the existence of Sodom. In Egypt, the … more

What is the power of a hug? Sometimes it’s all about the context. Recently, someone sent me a story regarding a fellow named Yankel, a survivor of Auschwitz who began his journey there … more

Sometimes others know us better than we know ourselves. In the year 2000, a British Jewish research institute came up with a proposal that Jews in Britain be redefined as an ethnic group and not as a … more

One of the highlights of the Pesach seder is the presentation of the Ten Plagues. Precisely because they are so well-known, however, there is a danger that some among us may lose sight of their … more

How old was Moshe when he fled from Egypt in Chapter 2? Depending which midrash you follow, he was either a teenager, 20, or 40. No matter which approach we follow, he spent at least 40 years in … more

We have all heard the comment, “They don’t make them the way they used to,” with reference to all sorts of things, usually tools and utensils. Despite all the technological advances … more

The Torah sometimes says something of fundamental importance in what seems like a minor and incidental comment. There is a fine example of this near the beginning of this parsha. In last … more

How does one make life meaningful? How do we make sure that we are living every moment to its fullest potential? This week’s portion, Shemos, contains a powerful indication to Judaism’s … more