by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 26, 2021 | Vayeitzei
After the ten brothers put Joseph in a pit, a group of Midianite traders happened along and took Joseph to Egypt where he was sold to Potiphar. That ill-intentioned act was the first link in a series of events that saved all of Egypt from famine as well as the...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 12, 2021 | Community, Covenant, Israel, Vayeitzei
The story of Jacob and his wives is far more than a biographical account. It is, in fact, the beginnings of the nation that takes its name from Jacob’s second name: Israel. From four wives he fathered twelve sons from which the twelve tribes of Israel were born. The...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 11, 2021 | God, Holiness, Israel, Vayeitzei
Bethel, or Beit El in Hebrew, literally means ‘the house of God.’ It was first mentioned in the Bible as being near Ai and the place where Abram first pitched his tent upon entering the Land of Israel (Genesis 12:8). He built an altar there as he traveled to Egypt,...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 10, 2021 | Vayeitzei
Once, at the time of the wheat harvest, Reuben came upon some mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” Genesis 30:14 The conflict between the sister-brides Rachel and Leah takes a...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 8, 2021 | Vayeitzei
Beersheba was the Biblical capital of the southern Negev region. Its name is a bit ambiguous, being made up of the two Hebrew words: Be’er (באר) meaning ‘well’, and the root sheva (שבע), which means both ‘seven’ and ‘oath.’ Thus, Beersheba, or Be’er Sheva in Hebrew,...
by Rabbi Tuly Weisz | f 7, 2021 | Vayeitzei
Let me pass through your whole flock today, removing from there every speckled and spotted animal—every dark-colored sheep and every spotted and speckled goat. Such shall be my wages. אֶעֱבֹר בְּכָל־צֹאנְךָ הַיּוֹם הָסֵר מִשָּׁם כָּל־שֶׂה נָקֹד וְטָלוּא...
