Lighting the Darkness

Jan 11, 2008 By Lisa Gelber | Commentary | Bo

It鈥檚 difficult not to notice darkness at this time of year; so many of us set out for work in the dark and leave our places of business long after the sun has set.

Blessings From a Deathbed

Nov 22, 2007 By Charles Savenor | Commentary | Vayehi

Laying on his deathbed, Jacob beckons for his grandchildren, Ephraim and Manasseh.

Jealousy As a Test of Virtue

Dec 14, 2007 By Daniel Nevins | Commentary | Vayiggash

Gifts can make you crazy. Picking them is hard, and so is accepting them with grace.

Joseph the Righteous One

Dec 1, 2007 By David Hoffman | Commentary | Vayeshev

I have always been deeply curious as to why鈥攐f all the characters in the Torah鈥攖he Rabbis attributed to Joseph the appellation, 鈥�丑补-罢锄补诲颈办鈥�&苍产蝉辫;(the righteous).

Jacob’s Struggle Is Our Struggle

Nov 24, 2007 By Marc Wolf | Commentary | Vayishlah

鈥淚n olden times when wishing still helped, there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful, but the youngest was so beautiful that the sun itself, which was seen so much, was astonished whenever it shone in her face.鈥�

Why Are We Called the People of Israel?

Nov 17, 2007 By Edward Feld | Commentary | Vayetzei

We are called not the People Abraham, nor the People Isaac, rather we are called the People Israel, named for the third of the patriarchal family, Jacob.