The Portion of Vayeira (Genesis 18:1-22:24)

by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 4, 2023 | Happiness and Joy, Israel, Kindness and Compassion, Purity, Vayeira

The Torah portion of Vayeira continues the story of Abraham as he establishes the foundation for the Jewish nation. Having circumcised himself at God’s command, he now encounters three visitors as he recuperates. They bring him news. Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed...

Three Steps to Achieving Greatness

by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 10, 2023 | Fear of God, God, Humility, Justice, Kindness and Compassion, Leadership, Shemot

By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz “You’re a lot shorter in person than I expected.” That is the phrase that actors hear most often. It is the flip side of the “larger than life” perception of famous people. Science fiction stories about time machines always portray the...

The Secret of Joseph’s Coat of Many Colors

by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 11, 2022 | Education, Vayeishev

I was the chef at a Jerusalem steak house with a modest reputation for several years. A young man came to the restaurant one day looking for a job. He had just completed a relatively expensive one-year course at a local cooking school but other than that, he needed to...

The “Great Sabbath”

by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 3, 2022 | Bo, Nisan, Passover, Redemption, Shabbat

The Shabbat that precedes Pesach (Passover) is called ‘Shabbat HaGadol’ (the big/great Sabbath). There are several reasons for this. According to Jewish tradition, the first Shabbat HaGadol was the last Shabbat (Find out more about the laws of Shabbat) that the Jews...

Why Was the Laver Made From the Mirrors of the Women?

by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 20, 2022 | Marriage and Relationships, Purity, Temple, Vayakhel

At the beginning of the Torah portion of Vayakhel (Exodus 35:1-38:20), the Torah again described the materials that were collected for use in creating the Tabernacle (Exodus 35:4-9). In the case of the laver, the Torah even describes the source of the material,...