Three Visions, One Promise: Jacob’s Lifelong Conversation with God
In this week’s Parasha, Vayigash, we learn about Jacob’s final journey: to Egypt. This journey doesn’t start in Egypt but in the dark, sacred pause just before it. In Genesis […]
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Miketz and Hanukkah: Hidden Light, Revealed Hope
Parashat Miketz almost always coincides with Hanukkah, and that “almost always” is itself a kind of commentary. It prompts the question: what happens when the Torah’s story of Yosef […]
Why do Jews play dreidel on Hanukkah?
The dreidel’s story is a great example of how Jews take something from the surrounding culture and spin it into something deeply Jewish. Historically, the dreidel began as a […]
From Bondi Beach to the Menorah: Hanukkah, Antisemitism, and the Fight Against Assimilation
On the first night of Hanukkah this year, as Jews gathered to kindle lights on Bondi Beach in Sydney, gunmen opened fire and turned a public celebration of Jewish […]
What is so special about December 4th or 5th?
The Jewish calendar is packed with holidays, and while the secular dates for these holidays may shift from year to year, the Hebrew dates stay the same annually. Pesach starts […]
Dear Jonah Platt
Dear Jonah Platt. Last night, I had a lot of trouble sleeping—and it’s all because of you! More on that in a moment. First, I want to sincerely thank you […]
Not in the Cave: Why Rachel Waits on the Way
I have always been puzzled by a story in this week’s Parasha, Vayishlach. In the Parasha, , we learn of the death of Rachel (Genesis 35:15-19). The text tells […]
God Was in This Place, and I Did Not Know
Genesis 28:16 may be one of the most mysterious verses in the Torah, because in a single startled sentence, Jacob discovers that his ordinary, anonymous campsite has in fact […]
Was Jacob Jealous of Esau?
Jacob’s story can be read as one of deep spiritual purpose, not of jealousy—as someone who stays true to his calling without wishing for Esau’s life or possessions. In […]
Acts of Kindness, Acts of Faith: Reflections on Chayei Sarah
Today’s d’var Torah is dedicated to the memory of my father, Henry Goldwasser, Zicron L’vracha on his fourth Yahrzeit, this Shabbat. This week’s Torah portion is Chayei Sarah (Genesis […]