God

Did God Write the Torah — and Does it Matter?

For many Jews, the Torah’s authority does not derive from being a divine document.

The Do’s and Dont’s of Talking to Converts

Tips from a Jew by choice who’s heard it all.

How Hasidic Wisdom Can Elevate Mealtime

Hasidic philosophy on how to eat “for the sake of heaven.”

Sephardic Cuisine: How It Emerged, Evolved, and Persisted

For centuries, Sephardic food was shaped not only by flavors and ingredients, but also by the need for Jews to conceal their identity.

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Next Torah Portion

Summary

In this Torah portion, Sara dies at the age of 127. Abraham searches for a place to bury her and settles on Machpelah. Abraham searches for a wife for his son, Isaac. Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for Isaac. The servant meets Rebecca at a well, where she provides water for him and his camels. Abraham marries Keturah and has six more sons. He then dies at the age of 175.

FULL SUMMARY
HAFTARAH SUMMARY

Parashat Chayei Sarah

Genesis 23:1-25:18

I Kings 1:1-31

Chayei Sarah: The Reverberations of Familial Violence

The lingering trauma of Isaac’s near-sacrifice is felt in his relationship with his wife Rebecca and in the generations that follow.

Daf Yomi

A global project of Talmud study, Daf Yomi covers the entire 2,711 pages of the Talmud in 7.5 years of daily study. Click below to join by signing up for our Daily Dose of Talmud newsletter and to see our most recent Daf Yomi essays.


Recharge Now

Our weekly Shabbat newsletter, Recharge, features a thoughtful, timely essay to enrich your Shabbat. Here are a few of our recent pieces:

‘Bad Jews’

Self-judgment gets a bad rap. But is it such a terrible thing to appraise the life we’re living?

Abraham, the First Talmudist

In a patriarch, God seeks a moral partner.

Was Noah Just God’s Favorite?

With humanity all but destroyed, depictions of Noah emerge and diverge.


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The notion that souls can be reborn after death figures prominently in Jewish mysticism.

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