Exodus 13:17–17:16 Judges 4:4–5:31 Luke 7:18–35

Voices of Doubt and Trust

Cecelia Raker

It‘s the silence that gets to you. It‘s even more terrifying than this steady column of flame that sends eerie light over the camp even in the darkest of night. Even the mud villages in Goshen were noisy compared to this. You‘ve snuck out of . . . → Read More: Beshallach 5772

Exodus 10:1–13:16   Jeremiah 46:13–28   Luke 7:1–17

Before the final plague – the death of the firstborn – God commands Moses to tell the people to ask for objects of silver and gold from their Egyptian neighbors. Where was Moses when Israel was despoiling the Egyptians and what was he doing? What do we . . . → Read More: Bo 5772

Exodus 6:2–9:35 Ezekiel 28:25–29:21 Luke 6:17–38

What is the significance of da’at (knowledge) in parasha Va’era?

Yahnatan Lasko

Our parasha opens with the famous four-fold expression of redemption that God vows to Moses:

I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage, . . . → Read More: Va’era 5772

Exodus 1:1–6:1 Isaiah 27:6–28:13; 29:22–23 Luke 6:1–16

What can this week’s Torah portion tell us about the character of Moses? Does it reveal a crisis in identity? Rabbi Joshua Brumbach

Shemot is the first Torah portion in the book of Exodus and contains the narrative of Moses’ early childhood, his flight to Midian, his encounter with the . . . → Read More: Shemot 5772

Genesis 47:28–50:26 1 Kings 2:1–12 Luke 5:27–39

It can be said that everything written in the Torah concerns Messiah. As such, how does this week’s Torah portion, Vayyechi, reveal Messiah?

Rabbi Joshua Brumbach

This week‟s Torah portion reveals Messiah in two primary ways – through our final glimpse of the life of Joseph, who the rabbis identify . . . → Read More: Vayyechi 5772

Genesis 44:18–47:27 Ezekiel 37:15–28 Luke 5:12–26

Slavery in Egypt….Enslavement of Egypt

Britta K

Joseph is clearly a person of great gifts and vision, accurately interpreting dreams (including Pharaoh’s) and keenly discerning forthcoming events. He ably coordinates the harvesting and storage of huge silos of food to last Egypt through a longtime famine, and in the current portion, . . . → Read More: Vayyigash 5772

Genesis 37:1–40:23 Amos 2:6–3:8 Luke 4:31–44

What connects our Torah and Haftara readings? What can we learn from this connection? Rabbi Jonathan Kaplan

With this week’s Torah reading, we turn to the story of Joseph, the acrimony of his brothers, and their selling of him to Ishmaelites for 20 pieces of silver. Our Haftara reading focuses on . . . → Read More: Vayyeshev 5772

Genesis 32:4–36:43 Hosea 11:7–12:12 Luke 4:16–30

In this week’s Torah portion, Jacob begins his journey home by preparing to meet his brother Esau. On the eve of encountering Esau, Jacob meets a man whom he wrestles until morning. During the encounter the man maims him, but Jacob holds on to receive the man’s blessing. Who . . . → Read More: Vayyishlach 5772

Genesis 28:10–32:3 Hosea 12:13–14:10 Luke 4:1–15

What is the significance of sandwiching this week’s parasha between angelic encounters, and what is the meaning of the ladder in Jacob’s dream?

Rabbi Joshua Brumbach

This week’s Torah portion begins and ends with the mention of angels. At the beginning we read about the angels who ascend and descend upon . . . → Read More: Vayyetze 5772

Genesis 25:19–28:9 1 Samuel 20:18–42 Luke 3:18–38

How much Blessing?

Cecelia Raker

Two sons, one father—what if there’s not enough blessing to go around? It’s the root of any sibling rivalry, and anyone who’s ever had a brother or sister or even a friend can attest to its occasional reality.

It would seem that Esau and Jacob encountered . . . → Read More: Toledot 5772