Rabbi Michael Dolgin
Parashat Vayechi is a Reminder to Keep Hope Alive
I find it hard to believe that we have already arrived at the last portion in the book of Genesis! By now, the matriarchs and patriarchs are like old friends: We’ve seen them celebrate and mourn, laugh and cry, hug, kiss, and wrestle. This book reminds us that we are
Counting Our Blessings and Sharing the Light
The story of Joseph is familiar to many who have never opened the Tanach. It has been written and rewritten; set to music and presented on screens. However, a very moving scene found in this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Vayigash, is rarely included in these adaptations. When Joseph finally is
Everyone Owns the Words of Torah
Learning, commenting, and reacting to our Torah’s teachings are a personal experience, or at least they should be. Like all books of the Torah, our relationship with Genesis grows deeper each year when we encounter it anew. For, me one part of Genesis that especially stands out is Parashat Mikeitz
The Most Painful Parts of Joseph’s Story Can Teach Us about Ourselves
The Story of Joseph is the longest single story in the Torah and one of the most famous narratives found in the entire Hebrew Bible. This text has inspired many traditional and modern commentaries and additional interpretations though contemporary culture.
When Do We Know We’ve Completed the Struggle?
In Parashat Vayishlach, Jacob receives a new name that becomes the name of the Jewish people: Israel. This moment in Genesis 32 is essential to every generation, especially in the fraught times in which we live. Jacob faces what he believes is an existential threat: confronting his brother Esau. This
