The concluding verses of  parashat 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

This week’s Torah portion, Vayechi, includes Yaakov’s last words to his sons. He described his fourth son, Yehuda, as a lion, and stated that the scepter of kingship would never depart … more

After 22 years of separation, Yaakov was finally to be reunited with his beloved son Yosef. Yaakov and family came to Egypt where Yosef had risen to a position second only to Pharaoh. The Torah … more

Our Sages, in Tosefta Berachot 4:17-18, ask a fundamental question: “Why did Yehuda merit kingship?” After all, each of the brothers was great in his own way. Why, then, was … more

I have known more than my share of families torn by discord. Most of us know a family in which brothers and sisters have not spoken to each other in years, sometimes having forgotten the original … more

After a cliffhanger at the end of last week’s Torah portion, our parsha, Vayigash, opens with arguably the most impassioned plea in all of the Bible — Yehuda pouring out his heart to … more

Last week’s parasha concludes with Yosef’s undeserved imprisonment in an Egyptian jail at the false accusation of Potiphar’s wife. While incarcerated, he rose to the top of dungeon … more

Pharaoh was a powerful ruler, assumed by his people to have divine qualities. He was surrounded by a group of wise advisers, the greatest sages of Egypt. But an amazing thing happened. Pharaoh had … more

For the better part of the 40 years we have been trying to come to terms with Palestinians, but somehow our dream seems no closer to reality than it did when Begin agreed to an autonomous Palestinian … more

Reading through Chapter 42 from a panoramic perspective of history, one sees a premonition of many things in store for the descendants of Yaakov. The best way to read it is in the original Hebrew, … more