Torah Insights

Dec172025

Professor Judith Hauptmann: Vayeshev Judah and Tamar: Writing the Story

Professor Hauptmann considers the meaning of the phrase vahinahem Yehudah – usually translated as “Judah was comforted” after the death of his wife. Yet the root can also mean “regretted”, which implies that Judah regretted promising to marry Tamar to Shelah. Then Judah returns to Timnah for the sheep shearing, where he met his first wife. The text indicates that “it was reported to her [Tamar] that her father-in-law had gone to a sheep-shearing”. Professor Hauptmann questions why this was reported to her. Did the community intend for Tamar and Judah to connect?

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Dec172025

Rabbi Silber: Vayeshev

Rabbi Silber introduces another perspective on the narrative of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife. Besides the traditional understanding that Joseph was challenged by lust, he was undoubtedly lonely and bereft, having been cast off by his family, and Potiphar’s wife represented a familial connection. This connection was facilitated by Potiphar’s trust in him.

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Dec72025

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, z’l: Vayetse Encountering God

Rabbi Sacks writes that the Sages attributed the institution of evening prayer to this parashah, based on 2 words; vayifga – encountered, or entreated, and bamakom – the place, for God. While Abraham represents the morning and Isaac represents the afternoon, Jacob represents the night – a time of fear and flight and darkness

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Nov302025

Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein: Vayeitze What Did Yaakov Ask For?

Rabbi Adlerstein questions what Yaakov was actually asking for, when he asks God to guard him. In the bikat kohanim, the brachah is presented before the shemirah, or guarding. Yaakov uses the reverse of this order, when he says “If G-d will be with me, will guard me on this way that I am going; [if He] will give me bread to eat and clothes to wear, and I return in peace to my father’s house, and Hashem will be Elokim to me…”.

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Nov242025

Rabbi Bernie Fox: Toldot What’s So Important About the Soup?

Rabbi Fox observes that the references to “red” in this parashah are prominent: the soup is “very red”. Esav later acquires Edom, which is “red”. He questions why the color is so important. The emphasis on the color “red” is not because the color itself is important, but because it is a tool for remembering the incident, wherein Esau so easily sold his birthright for food.

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Nov202025

Joy Ladin: Chayei Sarah Camels and consummation

Joy Ladin writes that Rebecca demonstrates profound independence, even to the point of overriding cultural norms, a quality that was unusual for women of that historic period, but also an essential quality for a matriarch. Yet, like many significant characters in the narrative, she is only mentioned a few times. Yet it is this terseness in the narrative that gives the individual a radical freedom for transformation.

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Nov192025

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: Chayei Sarah Hopes and Fears

Rabbi Sacks writes about God’s 2 promises to Abraham – the land of Canaan and a multitude of descendants. Yet in Abraham’s lifetime, he only acquires a field and a cave for a burial plot and 2 sons – 1 excluded from the Covenant. Furthermore, Abraham had to work very hard to achieve them. God’s promises do not mean that the gifts are simply handed down to us. We have to work for them.

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