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

From Vayeshev to the end of the book of Bereshis we read the story of Joseph and his brothers. From the very beginning we are plunged into a drama of sibling rivalry that seems destined to end in … more

By any standards it was a shocking episode. Jacob had settled on the outskirts of the town of Shechem, ruled by Hamor. Dina, Jacob’s daughter, goes out to see the town. Shechem, Hamor’s … more

You don’t hear much about them, and sometimes you don’t even know their names, but they are the true heroes and heroines in our lives and in our times. It was also true in biblical times … more