This week’s parasha is entitled Shemot, which means, “names.”  It covers Exodus, Chapter 1:1 to Chapter 6:1.  Exodus, the name for this book in your Bible, comes from a Greek word, which is composed of two parts, “ek,” which means “out,” and “hodos,” which means “road.”  The Hebrew title for this Parasha comes from the […]

In last week’s Parasha Joseph tested his brothers’ honesty by devising a plan to accuse them of thievery. He engineered a plan to accuse Benjamin, his younger brother, the son of his mother Rachael.  Benjamin would be the means of this test. We know of the elaborate plot Joseph contrived; of the cup that was […]

The parsha for this week is entitled MiKetz, meaning “at the conclusion” and covers Genesis 41:1-44:17. Joseph has been in prison in Egypt on a bogus rape charge. Poor Joseph; betrayed by his brothers, enslaved in Egypt, imprisoned on false charges. But everywhere he went, Joseph conducted himself with integrity and God was with him. Eventually Joseph was given […]

The name of this week’s Parasha is Vayeshev, which means “and he settled.”  It covers Genesis 37:1-40:23, and provides us with several important events in the lives of Jacob and his family, who are now dwelling in the land of Canaan. Unfortunately, Jacob favored Joseph over the rest of his sons, which caused the brothers […]

This week’s Torah portion is entitled Vayishlach which means, “And he was sent.” It covers Genesis 32:4 to 36:43. In the preceding chapter we learn that God’s purpose for the time being had been accomplished with Jacob in the house of uncle Laban. Now it was time to return to the land of his fathers […]

This week’s Parasha is Vayetze and covers Genesis 28:10 – 32:3. In last week’s Torah portion, Jacob had deceived his father, and taken the blessing intended for his brother.  Then, fearing for his life, he had to flee his parents’ home, getting the opposite of what he sought in obtaining his father’s blessing. A recurring […]

Moses compiled eleven genealogies in the book of Genesis. The parasha for this Shabbat is entitled Toldot, translated generations, histories or descendants. This Parasha covers the 9th of these genealogies or toldot, which is the account of the generations of Isaac. Isaac’s wife Rebecca, like Sarah before her, had trouble conceiving. Isaac had learned from […]

This week’s parasha, Genesis 23:1 to 25:18, is Chayei Sarah, meaning “The Life of Sarah” the title of which is a little ironic, since it records her death (at 127 years of age). After grieving for Sarah, Abraham approaches the sons of Heth in nearby Hebron to negotiate the purchase of a field and a cave in Machpelah, […]

This week’s Parashat passage is called Lech L’Cha, which translates as “go forth, yourself.”  If covers Genesis 12:1 -17:27.  In Chapter 12, God speaks to Abram, and tells him to leave his land and to go forth to a place that God will show him.  Prior to that, at the end of Chapter 11, we find that […]

This Parasha is entitled Noach (Noah) which means ‘rest’, or ‘quiet’. It covers Genesis 6:9-11:32. Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation, Noah walked with God, despite living during a time of great unholiness. We ourselves must understand that we cannot use the excuse of the corruption of our times to justify the […]