There is one passage in our Torah portion that has always bothered me. I’d never heard a satisfactory teaching on this passage until I listened to Avivah Zornberg’s teaching, linked here. (Thank you, ...

This week’s parsha is called Vayechi, “And he lived.” Yakov spent the final 17 years of his life in Mitzrayim, Egypt. There, he “lived” quietly, peacefully, with no external threats and no internal ...

Contrary to the common perception that the reconciliation between Yosef (Joseph) and his brothers is fully realized in Parashat Vayigash, a deeper examination in this week's parsha (Torah portion) ...

Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its ...

Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its ...

This week and in the last few parashiot (weekly Torah portions -ed.), the Torah continues to follow Yosef (Joseph) as the main character of the story. Looking at the psukim (verses), it is very clear ...

In this week’s Parsha Yaakov passes away. The brothers are now fearful of a vendetta from Yosef. They suspect that Yosef was only kind to them because their father was alive out of deference to their ...

Parshat Vayechi has always been a special Parsha for me as it was my older brother’s Bar Mitzvah portion. I was in 4th grade for the weekend spectacular at the Washington Hotel (may its memory be for ...

I believe in the power of brachas. My father’s favorite way to end a conversation is “many blessings” – and I’ve adopted it for myself, trying to say it a few times a week to different people and say ...

Why does Jacob, in his blessings to Simon and Levi, say that they will be achalkem (separated) and afitzem (scattered) among all of Israel? (Genesis 49:7). Rashi notes that as teachers of Torah, the ...

As I have mentioned in previous articles, one of the things I love about Judaism is that every week we as Jews are connected in our study of the weekly Torah portion. Jews all over the world are ...