Vayechi – Sorry, Not Sorry: When “It Worked Out” Isn’t an Apology
In Vayechi, Joseph’s brothers approach him after their father’s death, but their fear and his restrained response show that true reconciliation never fully happened. Why?
Tag Archives: parsha
The Limits of Fatherhood: How to Support While Letting Go.
Becoming a father again has me reflecting on Vayigash: how we support our children, how we let go, and how faith guides us when we can’t protect them completely. Yosef shows that true parenthood is both care and trust.
Colorful Coats, Hanukkah Pajamas, and a Shirt in a Married Woman’s Hand: What Do Your Clothes Say About You?
Vayeishev keeps coming back to clothing—Yosef’s coat, his garment in Potiphar’s house, Yehuda’s cloak. Each one reveals identity in a surprising way. As Chanukah begins, I reflected on what our own “garments” say about us, and how the holiday pushes us to show who we really are.
Did the Man Who Violated Dina Become Rabbi Akiva?
A surprising kabbalistic tradition links Shechem’s corrupted desire to Rabbi Akiva’s sanctified passion.
Yaakov Became Angry With Rachel: Can Lashing Out Ever Be Justified in Marriage?
In a moment of deep vulnerability, Rachel cried to Yaakov for help. Instead of comfort, she got a flash of anger. Was Yaakov justified or was this a tragic mistake?
Yaakov Wasn’t a Moderate — Leadership Takes More Than the Middle Ground
The American political divide isn’t just about policy—it reflects two deep spiritual forces that have shaped the world since Creation. By exploring how Avraham, Yitzchak, and especially Yaakov balanced these forces, we can rethink what real leadership demands.
The Physics of Miracles: Finding Blessing in What Remains
Miracles rarely arrive out of nowhere. They begin with what’s already in your hands. The oil in your jar, the crumbs on your table, the few minutes of light left in your candles. We keep waiting for God to start from scratch — but maybe the blessing begins in what remains.
Counting Wrong, Desperate Uncertainty: Purim and the Golden Calf — By Ben
It’s an odd thing that the holiday of Purim is celebrated around the time we read Parshas Ki Sisa, the Torah portion that features the sin of the golden calf. […]
Mishpatim & Milk: When Generosity Becomes Control — By Ben
The word Mishpatim usually refers to civil laws, meaning the laws that govern society that make sense. Judges shouldn’t take bribes, if you damage someone’s property you should compensate them, […]
Man Plans, God Laughs: Life is a Joke – Are You in on It? — By Ben
The person who runs away from a prophecy ends up running right into it. It’s probably the most cliché plot device in all of storytelling. Oedipus Rex. Return of the […]
Six Degrees Of Kosher Bacon 