Abraham’s concern
There is a puzzling sequence of verses in this week’s Torah portion: In Genesis 15:5, the Almighty promises a very old and barren Abraham that he will have a huge progeny – as many as the countless stars in the heavens. Abraham fully trusts in this promise and God accounted this faith as righteousness (15:6). […]
Spreading the light
“He took him outside and said: Look toward the heavens and count the stars…And He said to him – so will your descendants be.” (Genesis 15:5) Abraham’s descendants are compared to the stars of the heavens whose light is able to bring illumination to the darkness of night. God appointed Israel to be a light […]
Transforming negativity
“I will bless those who bless you, and those who curse you I will curse… (Genesis 12:3). The Hebrew terms here break symmetry in an interesting way. The root for ‘bless’ (BRCH) is used twice in the verse. But there are two different Hebrew roots for cursing (KLL and ARR). God says: Those who curse […]
Hacking the Haftorah: BEREISHIS
This series explores the connection between the weekly Torah portion (Parashat HaShavuah) and its Haftorah. The Five Books of Moses are read publicly in synagogues each Shabbat morning and completed over the course of a year. There is an ancient custom to follow this with a portion from the writings of the Prophets. The most […]
Noah and the Paradox of Bad Press
“These are the generations of Noah – Noah was a righteous man, perfect in his generation…” (Genesis 6:9). The text could have just told us Noah was righteous. What is added by telling us he was righteous “in his generation”? In his commentary to this verse, Rashi (11th century, France) says that some of our […]
First read the instructions!
Adam and Eve were allowed to eat from all the trees in the Garden. Except for the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. They were told that death would ensue if they ate from that tree. Of course, they go right ahead and eat from the forbidden tree. But if that is what they […]