Shabbat Shalom: Parshat Vaera (Exodus 6:2 – 9:35) By Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – What makes Moses Moses? He is certainly the consummate prophet, the man of G-d whose vision of ethical monotheism was expressed in a moral code of law which commands to this very day, more than 4000 years later. He is …
This week’s parsha has been sponsored in memory of Florence Bryskin (Tzipporah bas Mayer Yitzchak and Henya) on the occasion of her Yahrzeit on the 22 of Teves Shabbat Shalom: Parshat Shemot (Exodus 1:1 – 6:1) By Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “But the midwives feared God and they did not do as the …
This week’s commentary has been dedicatedin honor of Karen Aron, a remarkable Aishet Chayil and Imma, by her husband, Mike Shabbat Shalom: Parshat Vayechi (Genesis 47:28 — 50:26 ) By Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel -In a most uplifting and inspiring deathbed scene, grandfather Jacob/Israel peacefully takes leave of this world …
Shabbat Shalom: Parshat Vayigash (Genesis 44:18 — 47:27) By Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel — “And Joseph went up to greet Israel his father; he fell on his neck and he wept on his neck exceedingly” (Gen. 46:29) In these few words, our Torah describes a dramatic meeting between an aged …
Shabbat Shalom: Parshat Miketz (Genesis 41:1 – 44:17) By Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “Yosef was served by himself and the brothers by themselves… the brothers were seated before Joseph (with Yehuda at head of table)… they drank with him and became intoxicated.” (Gen 43:32) “And Joseph’s brothers came …
Shabbat Shalom: Parshat Vayeshev (Genesis 37:1 – 40:23) Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “And Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup and I placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” (Gen. 40:11) The Bible believes in the significance of dreams; so did the Sages of the …
Shabbat Shalom: Parshat Vayishlach (Genesis 32:4 – 36:43) By Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – We left Jacob at the end of last week’s portion as he was leaving behind Laban and Laban-land, heaven-bent on returning to the land of Abraham and to the house of Isaac. Jacob understands that his inner self has been …
Shabbat Shalom: Parshat Vayetze (Genesis 28:10-32:3) By Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “And Jacob kissed Rachel, and he lifted up his voice and he wept” (Gen 29:11) The Bible presents two models for finding one’s life partner: the Isaac-Rebekah arranged marriage model, and the romantic Jacob-Rachel model. In both instances, there must be “love” (ahava): …
Shabbat Shalom: Toldot (Genesis 25:19-28:9) By Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel — “And they said, we saw indeed that the Lord was with you and we said: let there now be an oath between us, between us and you, and let us make a covenant with you.” (Gen. 26:28) On what basis, and with …
Shabbat Shalom: Chayei Sarah (Genesis 23:1-25:18) By Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “Sarah died in Kiryat Arba, which is Hebron in the Land of Canaan. And Abraham came to eulogize Sarah and to weep over her.” (Genesis 23:2) What was Sarah doing in Hebron? According to a simple reading of the text, Abraham, …
Shabbat Shalom: Vayera (Genesis 18:1-22:24) By Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – One of the most difficult stories of the Bible – and certainly the complex highlight of Vayera – is the “binding” (and near slaughter) of Isaac, but the tale preceding it may legitimately be called the “binding” (near death) of Ishmael. This …
Shabbat Shalom: Lech Lecha (Genesis 12:1-17:27) By Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Efrat, Israel – “And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew: now he dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner; and these were confederate with Abram.” (Genesis 14:13) “Go away, for your …
