This week’s Torah portion covers Exodus 6:2-9:35. It is called Va’era, which means “and I appeared,” the first words spoken to Moses in the text. In Va’era, the story of the Exodus begins. Plagues hit the Egyptians in full force. Pharaoh knew the names of many false gods, but the one true God, the God of the Israelites, was a mystery to him. Through a series of pestilence, blood, darkness, death, and disease, Yahweh shows himself greater than any other imaginable power. 

Exodus is the most supernatural book in the Hebrew Bible. But it is also the climax, the pinnacle of Israel’s story. Until now, the patriarchs learned of God’s covenant promises through quiet acts like nighttime wrestling, angelic visitations at the door of a tent, or through firm convictions of conscience and clear revelations. But now the birth pangs are growing sharp. The Egyptians require unprecedented signs and punishments that go beyond the explainable.

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Genesis closed with the descendants of Jacob living in the land of Egypt, waiting out the period of famine that had overtaken the region. What started as a temporary move turned into a centuries-long stay. We do not know the exact time interval separating Joseph from Moses. The Bible says a Pharaoh arose who “did not know Joseph” (1:8). The new Pharaoh was not beholden to the Israelites. The history of Joseph’s service was long forgotten, which meant the Israelites lost their protected status as the relatives of a national hero.

Goshen no longer hosted just Jacob and his descendants. That original generation of 70 refugees passed away. But they were an “exceedingly fruitful” people, fanning out over the Nile Delta. They grew so large that the native Egyptians felt threatened by their size. The first words out of the new Pharaoh’s mouth were: “Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land” (1:9–10).

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This week’s Torah portion Vayechi covers Genesis 47:28–50:26. These are the last chapters of Genesis and the final moments of the era of the patriarchs. It is a biblical pivot point. While Genesis covered the personal lives and divine encounters of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Exodus will launch into the national history of the twelve tribes. 

A Heart Anchored in the Promise

After Joseph brought his family to Goshen, Jacob lived there with his extended family for the last seventeen years of his life. These were likely his most peaceful years. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. Yet, as his strength begins to fail, his mind does not dwell on the comforts of Egypt. He calls Joseph to his side for a final request. He says: “Deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt” (Gen. 47:29).

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As we follow the Jewish reading calendar, we arrive at this week’s Torah portion, called Vayigash (Genesis 44:18–47:27) which means “and he drew near.” It is the climax of the Joseph cycle, when he reveals himself to his brothers, who assumed he was long dead. For both Jewish and Christian readers, Vayigash is a revelation of how God guides human history toward redemption.

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The Hebrew title of this week’s Torah portion is Miketz, which translates to “at the end,” and it covers Genesis 41:1 to 44:17. After two years, Joseph’s long season of suffering is almost over. This portion chronicles his meteoric rise from prisoner to the Pharaoh’s chief economic advisor, second in command only to the ruler of Egypt himself. It exposes Joseph as a brilliant leader, but more importantly, it reveals a man of character whose wisdom and humility paved the way for the salvation of his family.

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Joseph’s life story is one of the most masterful literary arcs in the whole of scripture. It goes far beyond just an example of brotherly jealous provoked by parental favoritism. The complex characters are fully developed so that no one is entirely guilty or innocent. The setting changes from pit to palace to prison as the storyline progresses. Although God does not make a dramatic appearance to Joseph, like the burning bush or a wrestling angel, he speaks to him in dreams, both his own and others. The entire time a tension hangs over the story asking the reader to discern between human agency and divine providence. 

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As we follow the weekly Jewish reading calendar, we arrive at this week’s Torah portion, called Vayishlah, which means “and he sent.” The portion covers Genesis 32:4 through 36:43. 
Jacob was not the same person returning to Canaan as he was when he left twenty years prior. The biblical narrative presents an intentional symmetry to show this transformation, framing his self-induced exile with two distinct nighttime encounters with the Divine. These two events place parentheses around his time away, marking the beginning and the culmination of his spiritual journey. Jacob’s transformation started during his initial flight from home and was only fully realized upon his return. In both instances, Jacob was vulnerable and isolated. However, the nature of his interaction shifted dramatically from a passive recipient to an active participant.

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As we follow the weekly Jewish reading calendar, we arrive at this week’s Torah portion, called Toldot, which means “descendants” or “generations,” covering Genesis 25:19–28:9.

The reading picks up where the last portion ended: the union of Isaac and Rebekah. After twenty years of childlessness, God blessed the couple with twin boys: Jacob and Esau. However, before we delve into Jacob and Esau’s turbulent rivalry, it is essential to pause and give their father, Isaac, his due attention.

Isaac is a mysterious figure, by far the most understated of the patriarchs. The biblical narrative that surrounds Isaac is undramatic. Abraham negotiates with God and Jacob wrestles a divine being and demands a blessing. Isaac, on the other hand, hardly speaks at all. The stories where he is the central character rarely have him in extended dialogue.

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This week’s Torah portion is called Chayei Sarah, which means “the life of Sarah.” 
The title of this portion is ironic because it begins with the death of Sarah, at the ripe age of 127. The passing of Sarah sets the stage for two great movements in Abraham’s later life. First, he purchases a piece of land in the place God promised him and his descendants. Second, he finds a suitable bride for his son, Isaac.

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This week’s Torah portion is called Vayera, which means “And he appeared.” It is named for God’s appearance to Abraham and it covers Genesis 18:1–22:24.

The narrative opens with the arrival of three visitors at the entrance to Abraham’s tent. The text states, “The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them and bowed down to the ground” (Gen. 18:1-3).

The identity of these three men is bathed in mystery. Jewish tradition interprets the three “men” as three distinct angels—Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael—each sent on a specific mission. Christian tradition interprets the third figure—the one identified as “Lord”—as a Christophany, a visible manifestation of the pre-incarnate Christ. The visitor apparently had a human form, as he ate and drank the meal Abraham had prepared. Yet, he also spoke with divine authority and knew Sarah’s hidden thoughts. Both Jewish and Christian traditions praise Abraham’s elaborate hospitality to these strangers. The author of Hebrews uses Abraham’s interaction in Genesis 18 as the highest standard for showing hospitality, stating, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Heb. 13:2). It is during this visitation that the divine messenger delivers a crucial promise: even though the couple was advanced in years, Sarah would finally conceive a son. The announcement is naturally met with disbelief and a laugh from Sarah. The Lord acknowledges her reaction by posing the rhetorical question, “Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?” (Gen. 18:14).

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