Parashat Mikketz, which is almost always read on Shabbat during Hanukkah, begins with Pharaoh’s dream of 7 fat cows being swallowed up by seven lean cows, and the seven hearty sheaves of wheat replaced by the frail, windblown ones. Perhaps it’s a coincidence, but...
This week’s Torah reading is Vayishlach, and contains the famous story of Jacob wrestling with the angel before his meeting with his brother Esau after 20 years. “And a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him,...
“Ruth Gruber has moved across most of the twentieth century as a compassionate writer, eloquent speaker, humanitarian and rescuer of Jews.” Barbara Seaman, Jewish Women’s Archive We learn in midrash Bereishit Rabbah that, “Some people have the dignity of old age...
This year, for some reason, I haven’t been dreading Yom Kippur. No, I’m not thrilled about fasting, and the hours spent in synagogue (yes, sometimes even the rabbi!) but there’s more to it. I was no more organized to lead services this year than in the...
There’s a saying that insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different outcome. On the other hand, there’s comfort in doing the same thing over and over and getting the same result. As we approach Rosh Hashanah, I’d like to suggest that we...
Parashat Re’eh begins with God telling the Israelites, “See, I have put before you a blessing and a curse…” Basically, if we follow God’s ways we will be blessed, and if we follow strange gods, we will be cursed. The word re’eh means “see,” but in this case, it’s not,...
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