Recent Weekly Torah
Creating an Ethical Will
As Jacob is dying, he calls together Joseph and his sons to bless them, and then he utters Chapter 49 of the Book of Genesis, commonly referred to in Hebrew as birkat ya'akov, "the blessing of Jacob." Unlike the blessing Jacob gives to Efraim and Menashe, what he says in this chapter is not always positive. In fact, Jacob himself tells his family that what he is about to do is not to bless them, but "I will tell you what is to befall you in days to come" (Gen. 49:1).
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An Understudy For The Mashiach!
People never believe me, but it is always the most innocent of Rashi's commentary (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, 1040-1105) that are the most revolutionary. When I quote Prof. Moshe Idel, in his book Kabbalah- New Perspectives, as saying that when Rashi says, "kif'shutow" (literally, "the literal meaning") he is actually masking secrets of the Kabbalah, then I at least get the rise of an eyebrow. Some are willing to even entertain the notion since I'm now supported by a renowned scholar.
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Inside and Outside/Shabbat and Hanukkah
When my kids were younger, they used to have their own version of the song that is traditionally sung during the havdalah ceremony at the end of Shabbat. After we had made the blessings over the spices, the candles and the wine we would sing:
Eliyahu hanavi, Eliyahu hatishbi, Eliyahu hagiladi.
(Elijah the prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah of Gilead)
Here the traditional lyrics continue:
Bimherah yavo eleinu im mashiach ben David
(May he come to us quickly with the messiah son of David)
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Thanksgiving, Thank You!
As I re-read this week's Torah portion (the first of four which narrate the story of Joseph and his brother), I was struck anew by the Torah's description of Joseph's journey into slavery. The Torah speaks of the brothers: "And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing gum, balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt." (Genesis 37:25) From there, the story goes on to describe how Judah convinced his brothers not to kill Joseph; rather, to sell him to the passing Ishmaelites.
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Whom do we count among our teachers?
During my reading of this week's parasha, parashat Vayishlach, and in particular chapter 32, I was struck anew by the image of Jacob - a terrified, emotionally broken man, writhing in his fear, anticipating not a reunion with his brother Esau, but a confrontation. Jacob's anxiety is palpable; his movements, frenetic. I feel for Jacob. But honestly, my sympathy falls to Esau.
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