Parsha

Esau handled the meeting with Jacob far more grace than most people manage an argument with a spouse. Not bad behavior for a person we are taught is one of the most evil biblical characters!

Human interpretation of G-d’s work is always reaching beyond ourselves, and we should be suspicious of any theory that successfully explains everything in Torah – more likely we are imposing our own vision on the text.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

At times it almost seems as if Hashem is deliberately sabotaging our well-laid plans for serving Him. And it doesn’t make much sense.

Jacob did not have problems with 'doorways.' He experienced one emotional earthquake after another, and managed to maintain focus. No 'event boundary' issues for our hero. How did he do it?

Ya’akov did not pray for Rachel to conceive because he did not believe in "forcing God’s hand." He asks, “Am I instead of God? God knows best whether to give children or not. All I can do is ask.”

Leaders often have to make difficult decisions of critical importance.

We are what we make ourselves.

A man is approaching. Do I smile and nod, or do I look the other way? He’s looking at me; do I turn my head to respond or do I look out at the trees?

Reflections on "mirror images"

It is unwise to see contemporary events as exact replays of Biblical history, but it is valuable to recognize that Torah and tradition offer narratives of hop--as well as gloom--about Jewish national relationships

Sarah Imeinu was a strong, emotionally stable woman. She had unshakable bitachon, having lived through many trials and travails.

A dog that barks much is never a good hunter. -Proverb

Avraham and Sarah ended up in the land of Canaan. Canaan? The most debased and decadent society! Yet, there Avraham and Sarah build their destiny and shape world history. Canaan actually held the key to Avraham and Sarah's redemption.

Yishmael’s challenge was whether to come back at all. Having been so clearly rejected, why would he want to have anything more to do with his father Avraham?

That understanding is enough to evoke terror in any man’s heart, and we can certainly understand why he didn’t move.

Arrogance and the punishment of Angels

Religion must face the question of how its followers should behave while members of a corrupt society.  How should they relate to the norms of that society, especially when those norms are embodied in law?  

Who are these beings? Why do they play such important roles in the stories of Genesis? Why are the stories of the beginnings of humanity so rich with characters so unfamiliar?

There are many potential spiritual hazards. How can we survive?

Avram’s father was not impressed with the cleverness of his son. In fact, he was so unimpressed that he took him to Nimrod the king, who pronounced him an enemy of the state and attempted to execute him.

The commentators agree that Hashem is the beloved and Shabbos is the bride. But why is Shabbos called a bride? Who is she marrying? And what do we mean when we invite Hashem to greet the Shabbos bride with us?

When we are driven out of our complacency by a wrong we don't know what the perfect world will look like. We only know that we can't allow the world as it stands to continue. The need to leave home is clearer to us than our destination. Lekh Lekha.

The benefits of sacrificing-but not TOO much

In the first conversation HaShem had with him, Avraham was told to live in Israel, or in modern terms, make Aliyah.

The purpose of the mabul was to recreate a world that had been infected with man's evil. After the flood, that changed and the world was no longer affected in the same way by man's actions.

Our hishtadlus (efforts) and our bitachon (trust in Hashem) have to be balanced.

But the question of Noach and global warming can be understood as a theological rather than a factual question: Are there any circumstances under which G-d would allow the human race to be destroyed?

What possible comparison is there between this simple mitzvah of leaving a portion to the poor man and the colossal mitzvah of bringing all of the sacrifices on each holiday?

Adam's two Fermatas resonate in the two Noahs, and the notes continue to reverberate in our souls as we struggle to retain our connection to the Garden,