Parashat Ha Shavua Commentaries

He is our first forefather, the progenitor of the Covenant, and yet we do not call ourselves "Bnai Avraham", the children of Abraham. We invoke the memory of the Akeda when we beg God's forgiveness, but we do not call ourselves "Bnai Yitzchak", the children of Isaac. We are "Bnai Yisrael", the children of Israel, the descendants of Jacob. Jacob? Why Jacob? Of the three, Jacob is our least likely spiritual ancestor. He is manipulative, conniving, and entirely amoral. He exploits his brother's weakness to purloin his birthright. He uses his father's blindness to steal his blessing. Read more...

Most Jews in America were born here, so it's easy to forget the remarkable combination of courage, vision, and sacrifice that it takes to move to a new place, surrounded by a foreign culture, language, and expectations. It's easy for those of us whose ancestors showed such pluck to look with scorn upon today's immigrants - those brave souls who most resemble our grandparents and great-grandparents - and to see them as threatening "our" way of life or "our" jobs, just as earlier Americans viewed our families when they first arrived here. Read more...

VAYEIRA EILAV ADONAI B'EILONEI MAMREI V'HU YOSHEIV PETAH-HA'OHEL K'HOM HAYOM [The Lord appeared to him (Abraham) by the terebinths of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot.       (Genesis 18:1 - NJPS Translation)] Midrash teaches that Abraham often sat at the entrance to his tent, the better to observe from afar weary travelers in need of hospitality... In our day it is the rabbi who sits at the entrance to the tent of Jewish community... Read more...

I'd like to begin with a story. A story of a man whom I must admit, I don't know personally, but whose story I heard from a colleague some years ago (and to whom I apologize for not remembering specifically who shared the story) and whose impact has been felt by so many. Read more...

Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a cloth, placed it against both their backs, and, walking backward, they covered their father's nakedness; their faces were turned the other way so that they did not see their father's nakedness. When Noah woke up from his wine and learned what his youngest son had done to him, he said, "Cursed be Canaan; the lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers." (Genesis 9:22-25) Read more...