After not having seen each other for 36 years, Yaakov returns to the land of his fathers, to be confronted by Eisav. “Eisav ran to meet them. He hugged [Yaakov], and throwing himself on … more

Ask a large enough group of Israelis who they think of when asked to think of a Jewish leader, and someone will come up with Menachem Begin. A leader of the Jewish underground Irgun in pre-state … more

In ancient times, if a person killed someone else accidentally, a trial could sentence the perpetrator to exile in a city of refuge, for a term that would last until the death of the kohen … more

There is a fascinating paradox in Tazria that relates to the laws of tzara’as, the spiritual malady, a skin discoloration that affects those who gossip. On one hand, only a kohen can either … more

The beginning of our parasha, Vayishlach, depicts Ya’akov Avinu’s return to Eretz Yisrael and the preparations he undertook before encountering his estranged brother, Eisav. What … more

Many questions have rightly been asked about the story of Balak and Bilam and the would-be curses that turned into blessings. Was Bilam a true man of G-d, or was he a fraud, a magician, a … 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

In a cattle car in Poland, in the summer of 1942, Reb Azriel Dovid Fastag, a composer for the Modzitzer Rebbe, was headed to his death in Treblinka. Over a hundred Jews, forced to stand for days on … more

Parshat Bo Issue of January 22, 2010/ 7 Shvat 5770 Before the instruction of “Hachodesh hazeh lachem” established the calendar for the Israelite nation, G-d told Moshe, “Now speak to the … more

Maxim Cohen was born in Morocco and made aliyah as child. He enlisted in the IDF, but left Israel with his parents after the Six-Day War to live in France. On Yom Kippur in 1973, … more