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Parasha Vayishlach (And He Sent): Being Overcomers in the Face of Life’s Struggles

Jacob Sees Esau Coming to Meet Him, by James Tissot

The last time Jacob had seen Esau, he was filled with murderous rage, vowing to kill him; therefore, it is no wonder that Jacob felt anxiety at the prospect of seeing his brother again, especially upon learning that Esau was headed his way with 400 men! Had Esau held a grudge against Jacob all these years? Or had time eased the pain of betrayal and brought forgiveness? Could the generous gifts of livestock sent ahead to Esau somehow appease his anger? Jacob was about to find out. Jacob was a man of strategy: he divided his family and the people with him, along with his flock, herds and camels, into two camps. That way, if Esau attacked one camp, the other would survive. (Genesis 32:8)

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Parasha Vayetze (And He Left): Jacob’s Journey of Faith

Jacob's Dream, by José de Ribera

Jacob was not a rough and tough adventurer like his brother, Esau. He had a quiet personality from birth, preferring to be at home with his mother rather than out in the woods hunting for game. So, the call to leave his home for another land (like his grandfather Abraham, and his father Isaac) may have given him much anxiety. Perhaps doubly so since this trip arose from his mother’s desire to protect his life from his brother’s rage. On the other hand, Jacob had just received an extraordinary blessing from his father Isaac of “heaven’s dew and earth’s richness, an abundance of grain and new wine” with a promise of nations serving and bowing down to him (Genesis 27:28–29).

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Parasha Toldot (Generations): The Battle for the Blessings

pregnant woman

Although part of the the blessing upon Isaac is the promise that those who curse him will be cursed, the focus of the Parasha is on blessings, and not curses. In fact, the Hebrew word for blessed (baruch) is so significant in this Parasha that out of 106 verses, baruch appears 34 times! This word, baruch, comes from brachah (blessing), but with a small change in vowel, it becomes breicha—a wellspring of water or even a pool.

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Parasha Chayei Sarah (Life of Sarah): The Legacy of Faith

Sarah-Sarai-Abraham-Egypt-James Tissot

Sarah demonstrated radical obedience to her husband—first by leaving her home and family and everything behind to follow Abraham to a new land without even knowing where they were going, living in a tent in the desert like a stranger. She endured multiple hardships without complaining. There is only one way that Sarah could have walked in such radical obedience—and that is through absolute faith and trust in God.

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Parasha Vayera (And He Appeared): A Covenant and an Inheritance

Jewish man prays Western Wailing Wall tefillin phylacteries tallit prayer shawl

This week’s Parasha contains more angelic activity than any of the other parashot. Angels appear to Abraham as men, bringing messages to him and Sarah of events to come. They also save Lot from a hostile mob, lead Hagar to water for her son, and comfort Hagar with the promise of Ishmael becoming a great nation. Later in the parasha, the angels also prevent Abraham from sacrificing his son, Isaac.

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Parasha Lech Lecha (Go Forth): Crossing Over Into Destiny

Jewish Boys Torah Scroll crown

Abram had an ability to cross over borders: He not only crossed from Mesopotamia to Canaan, he courageously crossed from a world of idol worship to a world in which the one true God was worshiped instead. The world stood on one side and he stood with truth on the other. He crossed over into his destiny, and his descendants inherited the reward or blessing as well as the characteristic of being those who crosses over.

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Noach: The Sign of the Covenant

This week, we continue our study from the first book of Moses with the Biblical character of Noah—the only righteous man of his generation. The Hebrew Scriptures describe Noah as tzadik (צַדִּיק righteous) and tamim (תָּמִים pure, innocent, complete and faultless). Noah stands in contrast to the time in which he lived. Only six chapters into the Bible, the world is already described as being filled with violence and corruption to the point that God regretted ever creating mankind.

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Parasha Ha’azinu (Listen): Finding Victory in the Song of Moses

A Jewish man wearing tefillin (phylacteries) recites selichot (prayer for forgiveness and mercy) at the Western (Wailing) Wall during the Days of Awe.

Parasha Ha’azinu is read on the Shabbat during the ten-day period of repentance (teshuvah) between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). Because the Hebrew word "shuva," which means "return!" is the first word of Hosea 14:2-10, this week's Haftarah (prophetic portion), this Shabbat is commonly known as Shabbat Shuvah (Sabbath of Turning). Ha’azinu, which may be translated as give ear, meaning listen attentively, consists primarily of the 70-line long Song of Moses, which is both a love song to God and a chastisement of the people. In this song filled with poetry, prose and metaphor, Moses recounts the blessings that God has bestowed upon the people and the wicked deeds they have committed, as well as God’s just response to those deeds.

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