In this week’s Torah portion, Miketz, Joseph, who has risen to the role of Viceroy of Egypt, meets his brothers after many years of separation. The brothers last saw Joseph when they left him in [...]
Could it be that Joseph was a young man who was misunderstood because of some sort of disability that challenged him? We hear stories all too often of those with disabilities who perplex their [...]
When I was a rabbinical student living in New York City, I was once a Shabbat guest at the house of a lovely Orthodox family living on the Upper East Side. Yet as I sat down to dinner, I couldn’t [...]
In every reading and rereading of the Torah that I do, I’m constantly amazed by the brilliance of our matriarchs. Despite limited agency compared to their male counterparts, women in the Torah [...]
In Toldot, this week’s Torah portion, Isaac urgently plans for the future. Between his advanced age and failing health, our second patriarch focuses on bestowing a blessing on his children. [...]
The modern sage Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote, “When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.” What a wonderful lesson from a man who surrounded himself [...]
Our patriarch Abraham is venerated by our tradition for many good reasons. He is a most dedicated and obedient servant to God, having been willing to leave his homeland with his family and travel [...]
Just one month ago, Jewish families around the world stood together on Yom Kippur, pledging to transform ourselves and our world. After taking an honest measure of who we are and who we could be, [...]
Midrash is a rabbinic commentary on the bible that clarifies legal points so that we can derive lessons through literary devices. We use stories, parables, and legends to help understand, fully [...]
The Torah opens with the story of creation. In the first chapter of Genesis, we are taught that all people were created in the image of God. The text relates that God created fish “of every [...]