Every Friday night we re-enact one of the most moving scenes in the book of Bereishit. Jacob, reunited with Joseph, is ill. Joseph comes to visit him, bring bringing with him his two sons, Manasseh … more

O ur Sages, in Tosefta Berachot 4:17-18, ask a fundamental question: “Why did Yehudah merit kingship?” After all, each of the brothers was great in his own way; why, then, was Yehudah and … more

Many of us are familiar with families in which brothers and sisters have not spoken to each other in years, sometimes even having forgotten the original reason for the destruction of their … more

S chopenhauer asked, “What do porcupines do in winter? How can they stay warm?” If they come too close to one another, they will injure each other. If they stay too far apart, they … more

Parashat Vayeshev concludes with the story of Yosef’s imprisonment in an Egyptian dungeon as a result of Potiphar’s wife’s false accusations. While incarcerated, Yosef rises to the … more

Listen to these words that are among the most fateful and reverberating in all of Jewish history: Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. Gen. 42:8 The Torah is a … more

While this week’s Torah portion, Miketz (Genesis 41:1-44:17), is typically read during Chanukah, this year (when we read it the day after Chanukah) is an exception. Since my early … more

Why is Chanukah an eight-day holiday? With respect to the eight days being contingent on a miracle of a small amount of oil lasting eight days, there are many answers for the question. But in truth, … more

Chanukah and Purim, the two rabbinically based chagim , are joyous days of celebration and giving thanks to Hashem. Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zt”l said “Purim and Chanukah … more

When I recall the great teachers I was blessed with over the course of my lifetime, one thing comes to mind: they were a diverse group who had something in common: They were thinkers and … more