Be Fruitful
Our Torah contains 613 commandments, mitzvot. There are 248 positive ones that we must “do,” and 365 negative ones that we must be careful “not to do.” These 613 are the key mitzvot, from which thousands of other mitzvot branch…
Perfect Harmony
As we start the new cycle of reading the Torah, we have the opportunity to refresh ourselves with the concepts of the book of Bereshit. One could ask, since this book comprises mainly of historical events of our forefathers, why…
A Beautiful Fresh Start!
This week we restart reading the Torah from the beginning – Bereishit. The first book of the Torah takes its name from the first word – Bereishit – in the beginning. The first Pasuk of the Torah is filled with…
Antidote to Exile
Near the end of this week’s Parasha, the Torah tells us: “And Yosef sustained his father and his brothers and all of his father’s house with bread according to their numbers”(47:12). It makes sense that Yosef would provide for his…
What makes a leader?
The eleven sons of Yaakov stood accused and threatened before one of the most powerful men in the world, the Viceroy of Egypt – a regime not known for compassion or forgiveness. They had to make a decision, and their…
100 Berachot
The Gemara Menachot (43b) brings a famous saying of Rabbi Meir who states: “It is obligatory for every person to say 100 blessings (Berachot) each day.” The source for this 100 Berachot is derived from a Pasuk in Devarim (10:12)…
The “love” bite!
When Jacob and Esau finally meet in this week’s sedra the Torah describes; “Esau ran to meet him and hug him, and he fell on his neck, and he kissed him and they cried”. (Genesis 33:4) In a Torah scroll, there is…
