Weekly Torah Commentary

The descent into Egypt and Jacob's death left his family in an alien culture, forced to find a context for their traditions within themselves.

Jacob's decision to bless each of his sons individually highlights the need to balance unity with diversity.

Jacob blessed his sons, not only according to each of their characters, but also with a unique piece of himself.

Fear paralyzes us, rendering us incapable of addressing our most pressing problems.

Living after the Civil Rights Movement, we, like the children of Jacob, have the opportunity to carry the ideals of previous generations into the future.

In naming his sons, Joseph communicates his thoughts on living in Egypt, alone and distant from his family.

Both Jacob and Joseph understood the importance of imbuing their descendants with a commitment to the Land of Israel.

Joseph's actions in dealing with the famine challenge us to strive for a delicate balance of power and compassion.

God's presence at Jacob's deathbed teaches us that our reactions to the situations in which we find ourselves determine our spiritual perceptions.

We should strive to emulate Abraham and Isaac rather than emulating Laban, who compartmentalized his values.