Author Archive
Parashat Vayigash, 5778
Jacob’s Ultimate Encounter with God A D’var Torah for Vayigash by Cantor Sandy Horowitz ’14 “And God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and God said, ‘Jacob, Jacob’. And he said, hineni, ‘Here am I’. And God … Continue reading »
Parashat Miketz, 5778
Joseph: The First Diaspora Jew? A D’var Torah for Miketz by Rabbi Len Levin “Pharaoh then gave…Joseph for a wife Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On… Joseph named his first-born son Manasseh, meaning ‘God has made me forget my … Continue reading »
Parashat Vayeshev, 5778
The Dreams of Joseph and Solomon A D’var Torah for Vayeshev Rabbi Jill Hammer Many have suggested that events in the Book of Genesis are intertextual with events in the Book of Samuel. For example, the ketonet pasim, the colorful … Continue reading »
Parashat Vayishlah, 5778
Not as Bad as We Expected A D’var Torah for Vayishlah by Rabbi Heidi Hoover In this week’s Torah portion, Vayishlah, Jacob and his family return to his homeland, and Jacob anticipates his reunion with his brother Esau. It’s … Continue reading »
Parashat Vayetzei, 5778
Jacob and Laban: The Struggle between Past and Future A D’var Torah for Vayetzei by Rabbi Bruce Alpert People who join my Shabbat morning Torah study – particularly those who have never engaged in such study before – are often … Continue reading »
Parashat Toldot, 5778
We’ll Always Have Parents: 2017 A D’var Torah for Toldot by Rabbi Rena H. Kieval In the classic movie Casablanca, the ill-fated lovers played by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman share these words of comfort: “We’ll always have Paris.” A playful … Continue reading »
Parshat Hayei Sara, 5778
Hospitality: Judaism’s Family Business by Rabbi Irwin Huberman It was twenty years ago that my wife and I learned from two young children one of the most important values within all of Judaism. It’s a lesson embodied in this … Continue reading »
Parshat VaYera, 5778
by Rabbi Isaac Mann I would like to share with you a very insightful ethical interpretation of a midrashic comment that I heard in the name of Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Pam, who was the Rosh ha-Yeshiva of Mesivta Torah Vodaath … Continue reading »
Parshat Lekh Lekha
On Being a Blessing A Dvar Torah for Lekh Lekha By Cantor Sandy Horowitz “I’m on the 5th floor and my window is open and someone outside sneezed so i shouted ‘BLESS U’ out the window and he said “THANK YOU … Continue reading »
Parshat Noah
A D’var Torah for Noah By Rabbi Jill Hammer Recently in one of my classes at AJR, my students and I noticed an interesting biblical paradox. In Parashat Noah, once the flood has subsided, Noah makes a thanksgiving offering to YHWH. YHWH … Continue reading »
