Weekly Torah Commentary

Jacob's response to his dream provides us with two models of discovering God's presence.

Amalek's personal history may have fueled his descendants' anger towards the descendants of Abraham.

Rather than dividing the spiritual and physical blessings between Jacob and Esau, Rebecca saw the need for Jacob to receive both.

The greatest tributes to Sarah's life were the achievements and character of her son Isaac.

Reflected in the names of her children, Leah grows to recognize her own worth, independent of Jacob's feelings for her.

Jacob's response to his dream teaches us to turn our dreams into visions and our visions into reality.

Jacob's covenant with God teaches us that our relationships with God must not be conditional, but rather should be built on trust.

Recognizing that Creation and many natural phenomena are clouded in mystery can actually enrich our lives with meaning.

Through his experiences with his nephew Lot, Abraham learns valuable parenting skills.

Abraham's relationship to the Land of Israel teaches us to use it as a means of building a just and compassionate society.