In this week’s Torah portion, Toldot, we read about Yakov and Esav, twins who are very different from each other.  Esav is a hunter- red, powerful, and hairy.  The Torah casts Yakov as the opposite-calm, tent-dwelling, and smooth.  Yitzchak their father loved Esav and wanted to bless him.  What was it about Esav which caused…

In this week’s Torah portion, Vayera Avrohom faces the most difficult of his ten tests, to sacrifice his child.  The Akedah is perhaps the most perplexing chapter in the Torah.  How could Avrohom agree to do what was forbidden?  When Cain killed Abel it can be argued that Cain did not know it was wrong.…

In this week’s parsha, Toldot, the Torah tells us Rivka gave birth to two twin brothers, Yaakov and Esav.  Esav was a hairy person, a hunter and a man of the field and forest.  Jacob was “ish tam,” “a simple man who dwelled in the tent.”  Rash”i says “ish tam” means, “Someone who says what…

The Voice of Women in Holy Song and Prayer In the beginning of this past week’s Torah portion,Toldot, the Torah writes, “These are the generations of Isaac…” Surprisingly, we are told in the next verse that there are no generations, that Rivka, like each of our ancestors, was  barren.  The Torah comes to describe the…

In this week’s parsha God tells Yitzchak He will bless him, “because Avrohom listened to My voice, and guarded my commandments and my Torah.”   According to Rash”i this verse tells us that Avrohom actually kept the entire Torah even though it was not yet commanded.   The Kabbalah says that this was possible since…

In this week’s torah portion, Toldot, Rebecca the wife of Isaac is pregnant with twins who are struggling and moving within her womb a great deal.  She was extremely disturbed by this and went “to seek out G-d” for an explanation.  She was told there are “two nations in your womb…and the elder shall serve…