Our Jerusalem Lights podcast this week features a special tribute to the memory of an extraordinary man. Spiritual trailblazer, archeologist, author and teacher, Vendyl Jones of blessed memory was a true pioneer of bringing the light of Torah to the non-Jewish world. Jim Long fondly recalls his mentor and shares some of Vendyl’s fascinating personal history, and highlights some of his remarkable achievements. The reading of this week’s Torah portion of Vayechi brings the book of B’reishith (Genesis) to a close with the happy reunion of the family of Jacob in the Land of Egypt. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman look at Jacob’s deathbed prophecy-turned blessings, and the dark clouds that are already on the horizon, preluding the bitter exile and servitude of the Children of Israel that is about to begin.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

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The Tenth of Tevet and the Septuagint: King Ptolemy, Torah Translations and the Golden Calf of Intellectual Arrogance

The dramatic reunion of Yosef and his brothers in the Torah portion of Vayigash coincides with three ‘days of darkness’ this week: the 8th, 9th, and the Fast Day of the 10th of this Hebrew month of Tevet. Our Jerusalem Lights podcast focuses on the events in history that these days recall: The forced translation of the Torah into Greek; the death of Ezra the Scribe; and the start of the Babylonian siege against Jerusalem which ultimately led to the destruction of the Holy Temple. Yet Tevet, having begun with the light of the waning days of Chanukah, continues to shines forth with light even in the darkness. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss the contemporary, universal significance of these events and how their messages ring forth like a clarion call to action in our time, in these days of political, social, economic – and most importantly, spiritual upheaval. There is turmoil – but we are transitioning towards a new era. Plus: the inimitable scholarship of Jim Long once again finds harmony between the Biblical narrative of Yosef, and ancient Egyptian historical and archeological records.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Yosef the Dreamcatcher, Making the World’s Dreams Come True

From Yosef in Egypt to the Hasmonean Priests of Chanukah: Fighting Against Illusion

As we welcome the new month of Tevet and the beloved holiday of Chanukah reaches its illuminating crescendo this week, our hosts enthusiastically relate to the action-packed Torah portion of Miketz which features themes whose messages resonate with the urgency of the unique, ‘uncertain’ times in which we are living. These days may seem uncertain, even chaotic…but Hashem knows exactly what He is doing! Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman ponder Yosef’s unprecedented rise to power and his interpretations of Pharaoh’s dreams against the backdrop of the Egyptian mindset of a divided universe – and the Chanukah struggle of reality vs. illusion. The duality of reality is itself an illusion, and only a manifestation of the perfect Oneness of G-d. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Jim Long share from his vast knowledge of ancient Egypt, pointing to fascinating references to the Biblical figure of Yosef in ancient Egyptian historical and archeological records.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Parashat Vayeshev: Yosef and the Beginning of the Descent into Egyptian Exile

The light-filled holiday of Chanukah begins this week, converging with the Torah portion of Vayeshev, which focuses on Yosef (Joseph) the dreamer – the patriarch Yaakov’s beloved son of his old age. To put it mildly, Yosef doesn’t get along with his brothers – and they waylay him, throw him in a pit, and sell him as a slave. He winds up in Egypt as a servant to one of the Pharaoh’s officers. But as our hosts discuss in this week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, all the events in our Torah portion are part of a Divinely-orchestrated progression that will ultimately lead to Israel’s exile in Egypt, a necessary step towards Torah and Redemption. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman find that the concepts and mysteries of Parashat Vayehsev, and the enigma of Yosef himself, are inexorably bound up with the themes of Chanukah, the Festival of Light. An illuminating, must-listen Chanukah special!

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Parashat Vayishlach and Plain Talk About Israel, Iran and the Fakhrizadeh Assassination

The Stain of Esav’s Influence on the History of Western Culture

The Torah portion of Vayishlach includes an exciting array of many of the seminal events in the patriarch Yaakov’s life, including Yaakov’s struggle with an angel; his much-anticipated reunion with Esav, the rape of Dina by Shechem and the revenge of brothers Shimon and Levi on the city, and more. In this week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman ponder the relationship of the brothers Yaakov and Esav throughout the ages, and the nations who are their descendants. Our hosts examine Biblical and historical references that trace Esav’s influence on the development of Western culture, and find that so many of these historical forces converge together, as reflected by the upcoming festival of Chanukah.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

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This week’s Torah portion of Vayeitzei recounts the adventures of the patriarch Yaakov, who fled from Esav and worked for Lavan for 20 years. Yaakov married Lavan’s daughters Rachel and Leah, who together with Bilhah and Zilpah became the mothers of the Children of Israel. But it was Rachel whom Yaakov felt was his true soul mate. Why did he kiss her and cry when they first met? How did Lavan manage to trick Yaakov by substituting Leah in Rachel’s stead? In this week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, our hosts share some amazing background of Torah tradition that fills in the blanks, and gives us an entirely new perspective of this intriguing Torah portion. Plus: Jim Long and Rabbi Richman discuss some dilemmas faced by Noahides and their families based on insights from our Torah portion.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Parashat Toldot: Plain Talk about the Birthright, the Blessings, and the Legacy of Abraham and Esav, the Progenitor of Western Culture

This week we usher in the new month of Kislev, whose energy is informed by its crescendo, the Festival of Chanukah, with its theme of the revelation of the hidden light of creation. Indeed, light and darkness is a major theme of this month, and features prominently in this week's Torah portion of Toldot, as Yaakov and Esav emerge and begin a face-off which will last until the end of time, while the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. In this week's episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss the Torah's mysterious account of these twins and the elusive meaning and universal significance of their encounters over the birthright and blessings.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

Donate to help support the work of Jerusalem Lights at [email protected] or:

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All About Life and Death - and Love and Marriage

The Torah portion of Chayei Sarah features only two concepts: the death of Sarah and her burial at the ‘double cave’ in Hebron, and Eliezer’s mission to find a wife for Isaac. Yet in this week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, our hosts discover that a major theme emerges from the connection of these ideas – namely, the true meaning of a life well lived. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share some fascinating ideas about this Torah portion and its lessons on life and death, love and marriage, and above all, the legacy bequeathed to us by Abraham and Sarah for all generations – our responsibility to change the world.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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The Incomprehensible Test of the Binding of Isaac :  A Defining Moment at the Crossroads of History

In a show not to be missed, this week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast was recorded on the 17th day of MarCheshvan – the day that marks the beginning of the Great Flood in the time of Noah – as the election ballots in the USA are being counted and tension mounts. All sides are in agreement that we are now reaching a defining moment in history, and our hosts reflect on the deeper meaning of the timing of this important election falling out in the week of the Torah portion of Vayera. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman find compelling historical comparisons and contrasts to our contemporary reality mirrored by the life and mission of our patriarch Abraham and alluded to by the epic themes of both this week’s Torah portion and this month of MarCheshvan.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Also, The Amazing Merit of our Mother Rachel

In  this week’s Torah portion of Lech Lecha (“Go to yourself”), the patriarch Abraham bursts upon the scene. He begins a career of teaching  a world that was in denial of G-d, that there really was a Creator. Abraham literally stood up against the whole world, confronting  and exposing the fallacy of idolatry and confounding the evil establishment,  and he reinstated belief in the One G-d, bequeathing this knowledge to  all humanity. But where did Abraham come from? How did he find the Creator? What motivated Abraham to begin his spiritual quest? In this week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman focus  on the patriarch Abraham and examine fascinating and inspiring Torah teachings about the founder of the nation of Israel, the great spiritual seeker Abraham. Our program also features a compelling teaching about the virtuous deeds and shining  humanity of our mother Rachel, whose yahrtzeit (the anniversary of her death) is  observed this week on 11 MarCheshvan (Oct. 28-29) and is reckoned as a day especially  propitious for heartfelt prayer.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

Donate to help support the work of Jerusalem Lights at [email protected] or:

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In the USA:

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In Israel:

Tel 972 54 7000395

Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel