Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Beshalach AND IT CAME BETWEEN THE ARMY OF THE EGYPIANS AND THE ARMY OF ISRAEL. THUS THERE WAS THE CLOUD WITH THE DARKNESS, AND IT LIT UP THE NIGHT, SO THAT ONE COULD NOT COME NEAR THE OTHER ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT. (Shemot 14: 20) Rejoicing Upon One's Rescue Does Not Require Rejoicing Over the Enemy's Downfall Does God rejoice over the fall of the wicked? It is written: as they went forth...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Bo THEY SHALL TAKE SOME OF THE BLOOD AND PUT IT ON THE TWO DOORPOSTS AND THE LINTEL OF THE HOUSE IN WHICH THEY ARE TO EAT IT. (Shemot 12: 5) And put it on the two doorposts and the lintel – On the inside. Are you saying it should be on the inside or, rather, on the outside? We learn from the verse, the blood shall be a sign for you (12: 13)...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Vaera AND THE LORD SAID TO MOSES, "EARLY IN THE MORNING PRESENT YOURSELF TO PHARAOH, AS HE IS COMING OUT TO THE WATER, AND SAY TO HIM, 'THUS SAYS THE LORD: LET MY PEOPLE GO THAT THEY MAY WORSHIP ME.'" (Shemot 8: 16) And the Lord said to Moses, "Early in the morning present yourself to Pharaoh, as he is coming out to the water…" – Why was he coming out to the water?...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Shemot THE DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH CAME DOWN TO BATHE IN THE NILE. SHE SPIED THE BASKET AMONG THE REEDS AND SENT HER SLAVE GIRL TO FETCH IT. WHEN SHE OPENED IT, SHE SAW THAT IT WAS A CHILD, A BOY CRYING. SHE TOOK PITY UPON IT AND SAID, "THIS MUST BE A HEBREW CHILD." THEN HIS SISTER SAID TO PHARAOH'S DAUGHTER, "SHALL I GO AND GET YOU A HEBREW NURSE TO SUCKLE THE CHILD FOR...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Vayechi SO JOSEPH WENT UP TO BURY HIS FATHER; AND WITH HIM WENT UP ALL THE OFFICIALS OF PHARAOH, THE SENIOR MEMBERS OF HIS COURT AND ALL OF EGYPT'S DIGNITARIES (Bereishit 50: 7) And with him went up – in his honor, so that he would not go by himself – This comes to teach us that although Pharaoh's officials did not intend to honor the dead, it is accounted to their merit as...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Vayigash AND THEY TOOK ALONG THEIR LIVESTOCK AND THE WEALTH THAT THEY HAD AMASSED IN THE LAND OF CANAAN. THUS JACOB AND ALL HIS OFFSPRING WITH HIM CAME TO EGYPT (Bereishit 46: 6) That They Had Amassed in the Land of Canaan – but everything they had amassed in Padan Aram was given to Esau in exchange for his share of the Me'arat Ha'Machpeila. I am the One who told your father Do not...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Miketz AND JOSEPH SAID TO PHARAOH: "PHARAOH'S DREAMS ARE ONE AND THE SAME: GOD HAS TOLD PHARAOH WHAT HE IS ABOUT TO DO. THE SEVEN HEALTHY COWS ARE SEVEN YEARS, AND THE SEVEN HEALTHY EARS ARE SEVEN YEARS; IT IS THE SAME DREAM." (Bereishit 41: 25-6) A Bountiful Economy Makes Possible Social Justice, Equality, and Peace When out of the Nile: In good years, people become brothers to each other. And they grazed...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Vayeshev THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH, AND HE WAS A SUCCESSFUL MAN. HE REMAINED IN THE HOUSE OF HIS EGYPTIAN MASTER; AND WHEN HIS MASTER SAW THAT THE LORD WAS WITH HIM AND THAT THE LORD LENT SUCCESS TO EVERYTHING HE UNDERTOOK… AND FROM THE TIME THAT THE EGYPTIAN PUT HIM IN CHARGE OF HIS HOUSEHOLD AND OF ALL THAT HE OWNED, THE LORD BLESSED HIS HOUSE FOR JACOB'S SAKE, SO THAT THE BLESSING OF THE LORD...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Vayishlah THE MESSENGERS RETURNED TO JACOB, SAYING, "WE CAME TO YOUR BROTHER ESAU; HE HIMSELF IS COMING TO YOU, AND THERE ARE FOUR HUNDRED MEN WITH HIM." (Bereishit 32: 7) Your Brother or Esau? – How Does One Interpret the Other's Intentions in Unclear Circumstances? We came to your brother Esau – of whom you would say, "He is my brother", but he treats you as the evil Esau, still harboring his hate. (Rashi...
Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Vayetze THERE BEFORE HIS EYES WAS A WELL IN THE OPEN. THREE FLOCKS OF SHEEP WERE LYING THERE BESIDE IT, FOR THE FLOCKS WERE WATERED FROM THAT WELL. THE STONE ON THE MOUTH OF THE WELL WAS LARGE… AND WHEN JACOB SAW RACHEL, THE DAUGHTER OF LABAN HIS MOTHER'S BROTHER, JACOB WENT UP AND ROLLED THE STONE OFF THE MOUTH OF THE WELL, AND WATERED THE FLOCK OF LABAN, HIS MOTHER'S BROTHER. THEN JACOB KISSED...