What To Do?

This week we studied the portion vayeitzei in which Jacob dreams of a ladder to heaven. In the very first verse of this portion we learn that Jacob has left Bersheva, travelling to Haran, so we know he is on a journey. The rabbis, the ancient sages of Israel, tell us that when a righteous…

Read More

What is Right?

So this last week we studied Toldot, the narrative with the most famous interaction between the brothers Jacob and Esau – in which Esau sells his birthright for a bowl of lentils. If you grew up Christian as I did, it might seem that Jacob is the villain of the story, the deceiver, somehow tricking…

Read More

Where’s the Lamb?

This week’s portion is Vayeira, which includes the story of the binding of Isaac. This story is central to Judaism and Christianity. A misrepresentation of this story is also central to Islam. What I mean by a misrepresentation is that Islam believes that it was not Isaac who went up with Abraham but Ishmael. That…

Read More