When describing the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire that accompanied the Israelites out of Egypt, the Torah tells us that the cloud did not leave during the day and the fire did not leave at … more

In 1925, the American Astronomer Edwin Hubble demonstrated (as an extension of Vesto Slipher’s discovery in 1918) that the universe was not static, it was expanding: every galaxy in the … more

The Torah uses two phrases several times to indicate a longer-range prediction or association of fact. One phrase is “ad hayom hazeh,” literally translated to mean “until this … more

Our parasha, Bo, tells the story of the Jewish people’s departure from Egypt: “It came to pass at the end of 430 years, and it came to pass in that very day, that all the legions of the … more

I recall an incredible series of coincidences that to me were nothing short of miraculous. A student had been desperate to speak with me, and we finally managed to connect in New York the day … more

The Pesach Haggadah lists the Ten Plagues (makkot) in order of their appearance in sefer Shemot: “These are the Ten Plagues that the Holy One, blessed be He, brought upon the Egyptians in … more

Bear with me as I make a case here. Shmot 4:14-16: After giving a number of excuses for why he should not be the Deliverer, including that he is uncomfortable with his own speech-abilities, G-d … more

It is reasonable to claim that the Torah is divided into two parts: narrative and law. Sometimes, law is intertwined in the presentation of the narrative; sometimes the narrative informs our … more

Sefer Shemot introduces us to the illustrious triumvirate of Moshe, Aharon, and Miriam — three of our people’s greatest prophets. Moshe and Aharon’s contributions are universally … more

The act of a kiss appears twice in our parsha, Vayechi. The first time is when Yosef presents his sons to Yaakov for a blessing. The second time is immediately after Yaakov dies, when Yosef … more