Category: Parashah

Who has been the most arrogant person who has ever lived? A candidate for this dubious title would certainly be Pharaoh, King of Egypt. Parshat Mikeitz commences with the words, “Vayehi mikeitz shnatayim yamim uPharoh choleim, vehinei hu omed al hayaor,” – “And after two years had passed, Pharaoh had …

That is the surprising view of the Or HaChaim Hakadosh. If that’s the case, what does being ‘shomer mitzvot’ mean? The Or HaChaim explains that it means ‘to look forward to the performance of mitzvot.’ He derives this from a passuk that we’re all familiar with from our kiddush on …

Reb Meir Shapira of Lublin contrasts the way in which Jacob described Hashem and the way in which Abraham described Him. In Parshat Vayishlach we read how Jacob established an altar and gave it a name: “Kel Elokei Yisrael,” meaning, “God is the God of Israel.” In Parshat Vayeira however …

Success in life doesn’t just fall into our laps. We learn this important lesson from an intriguing passage in Parshat Vayeitsei. Yaakov came to his father in law Lavan and demanded that he be paid for his many years of service, during which he hadn’t received a penny. The Torah …

  Parshat Chayei Sara commences as follows (Bereishit 23:1): “Vayihyu chayei Sara,” – “And the life of Sarah was,” “Meah shana v’esrim shana, vesheva shanim,” – “a hundred years and twenty years and seven years,” (i.e. a total of a hundred and twenty seven years) “Shnei chayei Sara,” – “the …

It is possible for your parent not to be related to you. And this applies to everyone. In Parshat Vayeira (Bereishit 18:19), Hashem pays the ultimate compliment to Avraham Avinu, Abraham our Patriarch. “Lema’an asher yetzaveh et banav v’et beito acharav” – “He shall command his children and his household …

At the commencement of Parshat Lech Lecha, Hashem commands Avraham and Sara to make aliyah, a pilgrimage, to the land that He would show them, the land of Canaan. Hashem promises (Bereishit 12:2), “V’eescha legoy gadol,” – “I will make you into a great nation,” “Va’avarechecha,” – “and I will …

The very first verse of the Torah – “Bereishit barah Elokim et hashamayim v’et haaretz,” – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,” contains seven words and 28 letters. (Bereishit 1:1.) Quite remarkably the opening verse of the ten commandments, “Vayedaber Elokim et kol hadevarim haeileh leimor,” …

SUCCOT This month is packed with major festivals, but we need them all. As I see it, in the same way as we need all three paragraphs of the shema, so too we need, in close sequence, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, then Succot, followed by Shemini Atzeret and Simchat …