Jewish posterity

“The Mystical Aspects of the Sale of Joseph”

The sale of Joseph by his brothers certainly impacted on the course of Jewish history. The story behind the sale is especially fascinating in its consequences.

According to tradition, Moses offered up no fewer than 515 prayers to be allowed to enter the Promised Land–-all to no avail. Yet, his continuing petition, even after his fate was definitively sealed, teaches that mortals must never give up hope and never despair. The mercy of the L-rd endures forever.

“Rebuilding the World Through the Children of Noah”

Parashat Noah is not only about the Flood in Noah’s time, but also about the history and development of humanity following the Flood.

"The Wind and the Sun"

The Passover Haggadah cites the verse from Deuteronomy 26:7, "Va'yah'ray'oo," which states that the Egyptians treated the Hebrews badly. Rather than translate "va'yah'ray'oo," to mean that they treated us "badly," the Abarbanel indicates that its root stems from the word "ray'ah," or friend. Rabbi Piron concludes that Jews need to be on guard more from our so-called friends who embrace us and draw us away from our moral and ethical moorings, than from our enemies who try to physically destroy us.