One of the central features of this week's Torah portion is the attention it lavishes on Abraham's efforts to acquire property in the Land of Israel. Having wandered from Haran in northern Mesopotamia into the Nile region of Egypt, and finally back up to Israel, Abraham confronts the unpleasant necessity of burying his beloved wife, Sarah, while also providing a final resting place for his own remains. Read more...

 Testimony to the Power of Love God's love for humanity is revealed in the love two people feel for each other -- "a man for a woman, a woman for a man, and both with God." Our tradition repeats the insight that human beings are fulfilled in their love for each other, in the deeds of love they can perform for each other. Love, then, is the dynamic process of completing yourself and another person at the same time. Read more...