In the coming days, we will celebrate Purim, a holiday built on the theme of v’nahapoch hu—how everything can instantly be turned upside down. In
We must build a better world. This ideal seems quaint and hopelessly out of reach. The world around us raises constant reminders of the distance
Powerful people exercise control over others that obscures their view of God. Good people employ kindness and respect, and marshal their resources to highlight God’s
How do we relate to what happens around us? Do we notice the subtle or even the obvious? Do we allow our observations to make
This Shabbos, we celebrate Shabbat Shira—recalling the song Klal Yisrael sang after miraculously crossing the sea to freedom. Song erupts spontaneously, “ala beleebo sheyashir” (Rashi,
We easily see in others, and with difficulty see in ourselves, how mistakes are repeated and obvious lessons ignored. We know it is critical for
When Moshe first approached Pharaoh to free Klal Yisrael, Pharaoh moved to intensify our oppression. While our situation was bad enough to prompt us to
At the beginning of the parsha (1:8), our slavery in Egypt is described as beginning with the rise of a new king over Egypt, “who
When Yosef revealed his identity to his brothers, he joined with Pharaoh in sending wagons to carry Yaakov and his family back to Egypt. The
An environment in which people speak negatively of one another becomes rife with tension, distrust and toxicity. Indeed, the original exile of the Jewish people
Our environment poses a constant challenge to our morality, specifically with regard to the core Jewish values of modesty and sanctity in the intimate realm.
Genuineness in our relationships is critical. At the beginning of our parsha (32:5), Yaakov instructs his messengers, “This you shall say to my master to
