I used to say, only half in jest, that the proof that Moses was the greatest of the prophets was that when G-d asked him to lead the Jewish people, he refused four times: Who am I to lead? They will … more

The concluding pasukim of our parasha, Vayechi, present Yosef’s final words to his brothers. They contain both a reminder of Hashem’s promise to ultimately redeem the Jewish people from … more

I was embarrassed by her sharp rebuke. But looking back, I realize the lesson I learned from her brief criticism was more valuable than most of my other training experiences. It happened about … more

O ur parsha, Vayechi, opens by telling us an important story with universal implications. When Jacob was on his deathbed all his children wanted to know how the future was likely to turn out, … more

Every Friday night we re-enact one of the most moving scenes in the book of Bereishit. Jacob, reunited with Joseph, is ill. Joseph comes to visit him, bring bringing with him his two sons, Manasseh … more

O ur Sages, in Tosefta Berachot 4:17-18, ask a fundamental question: “Why did Yehudah merit kingship?” After all, each of the brothers was great in his own way; why, then, was Yehudah and … more

Many of us are familiar with families in which brothers and sisters have not spoken to each other in years, sometimes even having forgotten the original reason for the destruction of their … more

S chopenhauer asked, “What do porcupines do in winter? How can they stay warm?” If they come too close to one another, they will injure each other. If they stay too far apart, they … more

Parashat Vayeshev concludes with the story of Yosef’s imprisonment in an Egyptian dungeon as a result of Potiphar’s wife’s false accusations. While incarcerated, Yosef rises to the … more

Listen to these words that are among the most fateful and reverberating in all of Jewish history: Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. Gen. 42:8 The Torah is a … more