Yisro – More than Hearing
This week’s parsha may be the most important portion in the Torah. Not only are the 10 Commandments given, but God Himself speaks to the Jewish people. It is a revelation […]
Author Archives: eltram
A Leader and One Who Leads — By Ben
We’ve all had “test of faith” moments (or in Jew-speak test of emmunah.) And in this week’s parsha, Beshalach, the Jews have a pretty daunting one. Just after leaving Egypt, God instructs Moses […]
Rosh Chodesh and New Beginnings — By Ben
Parshas Bo has a ton going on. It finishes up the plagues (most notably the death of the first born), the Jews are given their freedom finally becoming a nation, […]
Va’eira – Denial isn’t Just a River in Egypt
In this week’s parsha, Va’eira, there is the big showdown between Moses and Pharaoh. God sends Moses to plead with Pharaoh for the Jewish people’s freedom and every time Pharaoh […]
Shemos – Five Times No
If ever there is an iconic image from the Torah recognized by the religious and the secular world alike, it would probably be Moses and the burning bush. Throughout the Torah, […]
A Tale of Two Messiahs
The messianic prophesy is one of the most fascinating and crucial aspects of Judaism. The belief that the world will one day be redeemed by a single individual to usher in a new […]
Chanukah, a REAL holiday. — By Ben
Chanukah is a lie. Or rather that’s what I came away with after a seminar taught at my reform Temple when I was 12. I don’t remember much, I just […]
Reward for Failure – Vayeishev
This week’s Torah portion, parsha Vayeishev, begins Joseph’s story. And it’s quite a story at that. There’s betrayal, seduction, a prison set piece, some dreams sequences, and (of course) mistaken identity. But the event […]
Pulp Fiction and Vayishlach
I know what you’re thinking. I’m going to go into Jules’s use of Ezekiel 25:17 as a speech before he “takes care of” his clients. Maybe go into how he dissects it […]
Vayeitzei – 12 Rocks and 70 Faces — By Ben
“There are 70 faces to the Torah” -Midrash As the Midrash is pointing out, there’s no one way to read the Torah. There’s gematria, Aggadata, the four levels of understanding, Rashi’s […]
Six Degrees Of Kosher Bacon 