Parashat Ha Shavua Commentaries

When we speak of dreams, we mean two different things. On the most literal level, dreams are what we do in our sleep. Psychologists tell us that our dreams reflect the workings of our unconscious mind, sorting through our fears, wishes, and desires, attempting to resolve whatever was not clarified in the day that just passed. Our dreams often take the forms of weird narratives and juxtaposed images, all of which seem bizarre to our waking mind, but which adhere to a logic of their own. Read more...

Every year, during the Days of Awe, Rabbis urge their congregants to repent of their wrongdoings of the previous year. This process of taking stock in ourselves, of examining our actions and our motivation, and of recognizing and regretting where we have gone astray is called teshuvah in Hebrew, repentance in English. It is the single most important value within rabbinic Judaism, the key to the entire system of mitzvot (commandments). Small wonder, then, that our holiest days are devoted to its pursuit. Read more...

 Throughout the generations of Jewish history, Jews have been referred to as “B’nai Israel”, the children of Israel, the second name given to Jacob. Read more...

Jacob isn’t someone who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Instead, he worked — hard — for everything that came his way. The birthright, his father’s blessing, his beloved wife Rachel, all of these accomplishments and relationships came to Jacob as the result of long, arduous toil. Looking back on his life, it isn’t hard to understand why Jacob pauses to consider what was the source of strength that enabled him to persevere. How, despite the difficulties and the disappointments, did our ancestor manage to keep on keeping on? Read more...

Friendship is an anomalous relationship in modern culture: We know the bonds that connect us to distant family, but even dear friends enjoy only a private connection, not one hallowed by legal or  social title. While friends may provide for essential emotional and professional needs, our debts to friends—and the contours of our relationships with those friends—is not regulated by law or custom. What, then, is friendship? Read more...