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)…
Who are you?
It wasn’t long ago that the most popular figure in the news was none other than the 45th American President Donald Trump. A few months ago he went on a campaigning trail in Miami. He entered an old age home and…
Where is the Holy Place?
We commonly assume that the Hebrew word “Kadosh” means “holy.” However, the Torah calls a harlot “Kedesha” (Gen. 38:15, 21), even though such a person doesn’t exactly fit anyone’s definition of holy. The commentators explain that “Kadosh” means separate, set aside or wholly designated…
Potatoes, eggs and coffee!?
Yosef at a young age faced many challenges. Sold down to Egypt as a slave at the age of 17, he was able to work his way through the prisons to eventually become viceroy of Egypt. He is the first…
Life Patterns
We could easily view the first 30 years of Joseph’s life as a roller-coaster. As a young man he is described as a favourite son to his father, he is given a special coat and dreams of grandeur are revealed…
The best of both worlds
There are two events in Klal Yisrael which seem very similar on the surface, but when analysed in depth, they are clear to be far from the same. The stories of Chanukah and Purim tell of the attempt to annihilate…
