Parashat Shemot (Exodus 1:1-6:1) By Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld The story of our departure from Egypt begins with a cry—the deep, inarticulate cry of pain and longing that rises up from the bellies of the Israelite slaves and ascends to heaven. It is their cry, in this week’s Torah portion, that—after generations of slavery—finally evokes a response from God, and sets the process of liberation in motion. “The Israelites were groaning under their bondage and cried out; and their cry... Read more
Parashat Vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26) By Rachel Adelman, PhD The Book of Genesis revolves around stories of rivalry between brothers, from Cain and Abel to Joseph and his brothers. All entail terrible acts of violence—murder, banishment, stolen blessing, plotted revenge, and abduction into slavery—exacerbated by God’s favor of the younger son. Do we see any moral evolution from that original act of fratricide to the relationship between Jacob’s sons, the twelve founding fathers of Israel? Certainly, no blood is shed in... Read more
Parashat Vayigash (Genesis 44:18-47:27) By Rabbi Suzanne Offit “Hinei mah tov u’ma na’im shevet achim gam yachad.” “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers sit all together.” — Psalm 133:1 I first learned these words and several musical renditions of this textual snippet as a child, long before I could even translate the psalmist’s words into English. Years later, having learned the literal meaning of this verse, I began to contemplate its meaning more deeply, knowing how difficult it can... Read more
Parashat Mikeitz (Genesis 41:1-44:17) This year, as is often the case, we read Parashat Mikeitz on Shabbat Hanukkah, a celebration of light that affirms the durability of our Jewish identity during periods of assimilation and even oppression. In one such period—of assimilation in the United States and of genocide in Europe—Muriel Rukeyser spoke about the gift of being a Jew: To be a Jew in the twentieth century Is to be offered a gift. If you refuse, Wishing to be... Read more
Parshat Vayeishev (Genesis 37:1-40:23) By Cantor Ken Richmond As someone who, by nature of my profession, has the privilege of leading my congregation in prayer on a regular basis, I have long taken inspiration and instruction from a quote from the Hasidic master Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (1772-1810), who said in his teaching “Azamra”: …The one who can create these melodies by finding the good points in every Jew… is fit to be the prayer leader. The leader of the communal prayers must... Read more
Parshat Vayishlach (Genesis 32:4 – 36:43) By Rabbi Leora Abelson Not long ago, a young man approached me in the parking lot of the synagogue where I serve as the rabbi. He wanted permission to park his car in our parking lot overnight. He would be sleeping in his car. It felt safer than parking somewhere more public, he said. The man had lost his home in the California wildfires and made his way to Massachusetts, where he had hoped... Read more
By Rabbi Jordan Braunig, Rab`14 Perhaps the most memorable words from this week’s parasha, Parashat Vayetze, are the oft-quoted words of Jacob, who having awoken from a holy vision of a ladder connecting the heavens and earth says: אכן יש ה במקום הזה ואנוכי לא ידעתי Surely Adonai was in this place, and I…I didn’t know it. The line is in some ways the quintessential expression of spiritual awakening. Eyes are opened to a new world of metaphysical possibility, and... Read more
Parashat Toldot (Genesis 25:19-28:9) By Rabbi Becky Silverstein When people hear that I am a twin, they tend to immediately ask, “are you identical or fraternal?” Upon seeing us, it is clear that we are fraternal. The next question people ask is “who is older?” And sometimes they will follow up with, “which one is the good twin?” The answers to these questions are linked—I am older because my sister is the bad twin. Just before we were born, my... Read more
Parashat Chayei Sarah (23:1-25:18) Bu Rabbi Daniel L. Lehmann Toward the beginning of this week’s Torah portion, Chayei Sarah, Abraham describes himself to those with whom he lives with the phrase, “ger v’toshav anochi imachem, I am a stranger and a resident among you” (Gen. 23:4). Various Jewish commentators have interpreted this self-description as much more than just a statement about Abraham’s relationship to his immediate neighbors in the context of purchasing a burial plot for his dearly departed wife, Sarah.... Read more
Parshat Vayera (Genesis 18:1-22:24) By Rabbi Shira Shazeer Last week, my four-year-old announced gleefully, “It’s almost Kislev!” He is joyfully anticipating the next Jewish month because of my personal custom to declare the holiday-free month of Mar-Cheshvana family-wide post-holiday sugar detox. My son’s excitement makes perfect sense – except that it is only the second day of cheshvan. I answer somewhat incredulously, “It’s almost kislev?” “Yes,” he says, “Only twenty-eight days!” Somehow, what is for me a necessary moment of... Read more
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