Torah Commentaries
Parashat Tetzaveh: Pinterest for Priests
The Torah’s elaborate description of the priestly vestments reminds us that clothing has the power to change how we feel.
Parashat Terumah: Hidden Gifts
In building a sanctuary in the wilderness, God calls on the Israelites to contribute the gifts they don’t even know they have.
Parashat Mishpatim: Overcoming Victimhood
This Torah portion offers a vital ethical message for a people who have suffered centuries of oppression.
Parashat Yitro: On Leadership and Family
In a Torah portion long understood to be a lesson in leadership, we are led to believe Moses all but ignored those closest to him.
Parashat Beshalach: Sustaining Creation Through Song
Why the creation of the Jewish nation in Parashat Beshalach was marked by singing praises to God.
Parashat Bo: The Miracle of Mixed Multitudes
Parashat Bo reminds us of the beautiful world that can be built in an instant, even after destruction and heartache.
Parshat Vaera: What the Torah Leaves Out
This Torah portion features a passage recounting the genealogy of Moses and Aaron -- with some glaring omissions.
Parashat Shemot: The Essential Name of God
Moses’ inquiry about God’s name reveals the essential quality of how God manifests in the world.
Parashat Vayechi: The Legend of You and Me
Jacob’s blessing to his son Joseph offers a potent metaphor about maintaining steadfastness in a world defined by rapid change.
Parshat Vayigash: A Tale of Two Brothers
This Torah portion opens with a passionate exchange between Joseph and Judah, two brothers with distinct personalities.
Parashat Miketz: Coercion vs. Love
This Torah portion begs the question of whether it’s acceptable to use coercive power to have people to do something that’s good for them.
Parashat Vayishlach: Honoring the Best of Jacob
This Torah portion interperses multiple momentous encounters with the divine realm with a series of fraught incidents between humans.
Parashat Vayetzei: Leah’s Hidden Blessing
Why does the Torah specifically mention the "weak eyes" of the matriarch Leah?
Parashat Toldot: Opening the Conversation
This portion records the first instance in the Torah of someone initiating a dialogue with God.
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.