Bereishit

Article Abstract: The word טוב appears more times in Parashat Breishit than in any other – but what does the word actually mean? "Good"...

Parshas בְּרֵאשִׁית Naked before Hashem עַרוּמִים: naked עָרוּם: cunning עַרָמָה: a pile of grains וַיִּהְיוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם עֲרוּמִּים...

Parshas נֹחַ Aspect of the Divine חֹל: to profane חוּלִין: profane חִלוֹנִי: secular חֵיל: wall, soldier, valor, tremble חוֹל: sand...

Article abstract for Parashat Noach: In his Sefer Hashorashim, Radak assigns one word in one verse in our Parashah to two different roots...

We are all familiar with two very different arks that are mentioned in the Bible: The Ark of Noah and the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of...

Article abstract for Lech Lecha: In this week's Parashah, we are introduced to Abraham's nephew, Lot. What is the meaning of his name,...

Reuven Chaim Klein My wife and I were once traveling in the subway in Los Angeles, and a friendly African-American stopped us to ask,...

In one of Isaiah’s prophecies (that happens to be read as the Haftarah for Parshat Lech Lecha), he describes G-d as, “The Giver of...

Parshas לֶךְ לְךָ Where Are You Coming from and Where Are You Going? לֵךְ: go לְךָ: to you הַלָכָה: the rules of how I lead my life...

Which is the true Abraham - the Abraham of the beginning of this week's Torah Sidra, in which defends the wicked Sodomites in a...

The Hebrew word for a blind person is iver. Cognates of that word appear in such Biblical quotations as “Do not put a stumbling block in...

Article abstract: Parashat Chayei Sarah contains two rare words: 1. Eliezer, Abraham's servant, in requesting a drink of water from...

The two seemingly unrelated stories in this week’s Parshah find common ground in bowing. When telling of Abraham buying the plot that...

The word “maybe” in English is neutral; it belies not the speaker’s preference regarding the possibility of which he speaks. The same is...

Beyond the Call of Duty גְמִילַת חַסָדִים (גמ”ח): bestowing kindness גָמָל: camel גִימֶל: letter gimel הַגוֹמֶל: gomel ...

The battle between Esau and Jacob, first introduced to us in Parashat Toldot, is far beyond sibling rivalry or a personal struggle - it...

My wife and I were once travelling in the subway in Los Angeles, and a friendly African-American stopped us to ask, “Hey! Are you guys...

Parshasתּוֹלְדוֹת The Smell of Truth רֵיחַ: smell רוּחַ: wind, spirit רֵיחַיִם: millstone, grinder יְרִיחוֹ: Yericho יָרֵחַ: moon...

Our Parashah, Vayeitzei, focuses in the main on the life of Jacob our father, a shepherd by profession. Jacob was not the first of the...

I’m not a geologist, nor do I pretend to be one. But I do think that we can draw some fascinating insights into the Holy Language by...

Parshas וַיֵצֵא All along the Watchtower מִצְפֶּה: watchtower צָפוּי: foreseen צָפוּן: hidden צָפוֹן: north מְצַפֶּה: expect צַףְ: float...

Article abstract: The Torah in Parashat Vayishlach recounts the violation of Dinah Bat Yaakov by Shechem Ben Hamor. Then, Scripture...

The Gift of Giving Ahead of the epic meeting of brothers, Jacob sent his older brother Esau quite a generous tribute, consisting of 550...

A “messenger of G-d” refers to either an angel or a prophet, but what about a “messenger of Jacob”? When Jacob sent a message of peace to...

For the illui neshamah of my father, Dovid Yitzchak ben Tzvi Moshe, on his yahrtzeit, the thirteenth of Kislev. Parshas וַיִשְׁלַח Sweet...

בר’ מ:ח-וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו חֲלוֹם חָלַמְנוּ וּפֹתֵר אֵין אֹתוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יוֹסֵף הֲלוֹא לֵאלֹהִים פִּתְרֹנִים סַפְּרוּ נָא לִי....

Olives and Oil During these days of Chanuka, everybody is talking about the miracle of the Menorah and the jug of shemen zayit zach (pure...

When a very pregnant Rivka consulted with the prophets Shem and Ever to find out what is in store for her unborn child, she was informed...

Parshasוַיֵשֵׁב Born to Fly/Break on through to the Other Side פָּרְחָה: fly פֶּרַח: flower פִּרְחֵי כְּהוּנָה: young kohanim אֶפְרוֹח:...

Article abstract: In the Torah portion Miketz, the word "חכם" (wise) appears for the first time in Scripture - used by Pharaoh to...

Playing with Fire When telling of the future downfall of the descendants of Esau, the prophet Ovadiah (Obadiah 1:18) refers to the House...

Parshas מִקֵץ How to Charm the Snake נִיחוּש: divination נַחְשׁוֹן: Nachshon נָחָשׁ: snake נְחוֹשֶׁת: copper נִיחוּשׁ: Divination...

Article abstract: Parashat Vayigash relates the emotional scene of Joseph reveals his true identity to his brothers. With emotions often...

Speaking in Tongues In the Hebrew language, there are two different words for “language”—safa and lashon. If taken hyper-literally these...

In the Hebrew language there are two different words for “language” — safa and lashon. If taken hyper-literally, these two words actually...

Parshasוַיִגַשׁ Pharaoh Exposed פַּרְעֹה: Pharaoh פָּרוּעַ: exposed פֹּטִי פֶרַע: Potiphar לְמַפְרֵעַ: retroactive, to nullify פֹּרֵעַ:...

Article abstract for Parashat Vayechi: On his deathbed, Jacob asks his beloved son Joseph to swear that he will bury him in the land of...

Upon his deathbed, Yaakov bequeaths to his favorite son Joseph the city of Shechem “which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my...

Parshas וַיְחִי Hashem’s Escort — The Greatest Chesed לְוָיָה: funeral לֵוִי: Levi לִוְיָתָן: Livyasan לֹוֶה\מַלְוֶה: loan לְוָיָה:...