5779
- 5779, 5780, Adath Israel, Comprehensive Exams, Davening, Dissertation, Faithfulness, HUC, JTS, Relationship, Rosh Hoshannah, Sukkot, Yamim Noraim, Yom Kippur
Decad[e]ing Dreams
After Hebrew school wrapped up last year, I went into deep study mode for my comprehensive exams. B”H, I passed them and am now ABD!* This summer I learned French (to pass a…
- 5779, Benjamin, Challah, Covenant, Death, Esau, Estrangement, Israel, Jacob, Komps Kaos, Parsha, Rachel, Rape, Reconciliation, Revenge, Struggle, Thanksgiving, Tribe, Vayishlah, Wrestling
Growth Through Struggle
After leaving Laban’s household, Jacob must face another strained relationship in a scary encounter. His estrangement from Esau was alway sin the background of his journeys, his relationships, and his self-definition. Before Parashat…
- 5779, Barrenness, Bilhah, Fertility, Genealogy, Generations, Jacob, Journey, Komps Kaos, Laban, Leah, Midrash, Parsha, Rachel, Sister Wives, Tribe, Vayetzei, Zilpah
Sister-Wives for Real
Our foremothers did a lot of kvetching & worrying about fertility. Barrenness is a recurring theme in scripture for these important matriarchs, yet we rarely remember their recorded struggle to conceive. The first…
- 5779, Anger, Blessing, Boiling, Esau, Genealogy, Generations, Isaac, Jacob, Jewish Food, Komps Kaos, Parsha, Rebekah, Stew, Toldot, Twins
Boiling Point
There seems to be a lot of food in this parsha. When we talk about the word toldot, mostly people say, “Oh, that’s the generations” – “It’s all about their lineage” – “Those…
- 5779, Abraham, Altar, Alter, Be'er Sheva, Bereshit, Horns, Komps Kaos, Lekh Lekha, Parsha, Refuge, Sacrifice, Torah
Altering Altars
Did you notice how many altars have already been built in the Torah? Bereshit: Abel & Cain offer first fruits and animals on the altar Noach: Noah builds an altar after the flood…
- 5779, Babel, Comprehensive Exams, Confusion, Hebrew School, Komps Kaos, Languages, Noach, Parsha, Torah
Drowning
I don’t have much for you this week, either, I’m afraid – so instead I’ll offer you a report of our Hebrew school lesson last week. Since the students talked about Noah Sunday…
- 5779, Amoraim, Annual Cycle, Bereshit, Comprehensive Exams, Creativity, Galilee, Growth, HUC, Jerusalem, Komps Kaos, Parsha, Rabbis, Second Temple Period, Tannaim, Torah, Yavne
Restart
Bereshit…that’s how we know it’s time to restart the Torah cycle, to begin a renewed year of growth, learning, and creating. This year already, I feel like I’ve needed several of them! Last…