Honour Your Father and Your Mother
The moment when Esau pitifully begs his aging father for a blessing after all, bitterly weeping (Genesis 27:38), can easily kindle our sympathy. Does any of his textually recorded behaviour or character trait justify his woeful fate? Is our traditional…
RELATIONSHIPS
Alexandros III Philippou Makedonon commonly known in the West as Alexander the Great King of Macedon (336–323 B.C.E.), was the most successful military commander of ancient history, conquering most of the known world before his death. Our Sages relate the…
Parasha Insights
“Yitzchak was caused to love [VAYE’EHAV] Esav for he hunted/ensnared with his mouth, and Rivka loves [OHEVETH] Ya'akov” (25:28). Rashi, citing the Medrash, explains to us how Esav would cunningly ensnare his father Yitzchak with his mouth. He would ask…
Sons and Fathers
A Rabbi said to a precocious six-year-old boy, "So, you tell me that your mother says your prayers for you each night. That’s very commendable. What does she actually say?" The little boy replied, "Thank G-d he's in bed!" Leading…
Parasha Insights
Truth is one of the pillars of the world. (Avot 1:18). The Gemara stresses the importance of speaking the truth by relating that it was due to a lack of honest men that Jerusalem was destroyed (Shabbat 119). Furthermore someone…
