The concluding pasukim of our parasha, Vayechi, present Yosef’s final words to his brothers. They contain both a reminder of Hashem’s promise to ultimately redeem the Jewish people from … more

Parshat Bereishit By Rabbi Avi Billet Issue of October 16 2009/ 29 Tishrei 5770 Chava bears two children, Kayin (Cain) and Hevel, and each one takes on a profession. Time passes, Kayin … more

G-d instructs Moshe to tell the people about the importance of observing His statutes and laws: “Keep My decrees and laws that a person can do — and live with them. For I am … more

We are a people who are proud to honor the Bris Milah and willingly and unquestioningly circumcise our sons. We do this because of our commitment to our end of the Covenant, and our belief that as … more

This Shabbat will be Rosh Chodesh, and we will read Parshat HaChodesh in addition to Tazria — an uncommon opportunity to take out three Torahs. Both Parshat HaChodesh and this Rosh Chodesh … more

Reading the story of the dispersion at the beginning of chapter 11, it is hard to see where the people went wrong. In the words of Targum Yonatan, they … more

Pekudei has sometimes been called “The Accountant’s Parsha,” because that is how it begins, with the audited accounts of the money and materials donated to the Sanctuary. It is the … more

A not-too-farfetched reading of the end of Chapter 45 can indicate that only one person intended to go down to Egypt to stay there. “… And bread and food for his father for the journey” (45:23). “He saw the wagons Yosef had sent to carry him…” (45:27) “Israel said, ‘My son Yosef still lives: I will go and I will see him before I die.’” (45:28) more

Parashat Vayishlach contains the rather perplexing pasuk: “And G-d went up from him [Jacob] in the place where He had spoken with him.” (Bereishit 35:13)* We immediately find that … more

We are now approaching the end of the Three Weeks, the saddest period of the Jewish year. It concludes with Tisha b’Av, commemorating the destruction of two Holy Temples. In an oft-quoted … more