יום ראשון, ט״ז תשרי תשפ״זSunday, September 27, 2026
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Pharaoh had no problem with emunah, but he sure didn’t trust in Hashem – he rebelled. He had emunah, but no bitachon.
Mr. Shapiro summoned Benny to a din Torah before Rabbi Dayan, demanding immediate payment of the bill.
Refraining from nursing from a non-Jewish woman is merely going beyond the letter of the law.
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
Jewish history isn't just Jews enduring catastrophes but renewing themselves after every disaster
By dvora
As he was leading the kehillah, he heard a voice in his ear instructing him “to take care of my daughter.”
If the husband cannot find an agent who agrees to travel with the Get to where the wife resides, the husband may appoint an agent who resides where the wife lives.
The challenge of finding one’s shidduch has reached crisis-like status in many Jewish communities
Tzipporah is largely invisible & almost entirely silent, we hear her only when she rebukes Moshe
What is the exact meaning of “amen” and where does the word come from? David H. (Via E-Mail)
"Well, in that case," said Itzik, "just tell Jake that I paid back the money and it was stolen.
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Last Will and Testament ‘A Deathbed Request Is Considered Sealed And Delivered’ (Gitin 14b)
For the next seventeen years, every time they spoke and every time they were together, there was a certain wedge keeping them apart.
It is evident from the Gemara and from the berachah that Yaakov Avinu gave to Asher that properly honoring Shabbos is not only a great mitzvah, but sound financial advice as well.
While so doing the husband says, “This is your Get, please accept it, you are divorced from me as of this moment and you are free to marry another man.”
Occasionally, Shimon would enquire after their children and grandchildren but for many this was too painful as they had little or no contact with them, so he had learnt over the years who he could ask and who he shouldn’t.
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
HaShem wanted the Israelites to become a living testimony to the power of freedom.
He had always thought of Rothschild as a French citizen first and foremost.
This week closes sefer Breishit; How did we come so far from the ideal nation set up by Abraham?
Even if we do not see Hashem’s Hand it is there; sometimes hashgachah pratis is undeniably obvious
It is a time of dark shadows but we can use these shadows to explore and discover our own light.
Did you ever wonder if Yosef and his brothers ever conclusively put their past friction to rest?
With short, metaphoric, speeches to his sons-wrongly called blessings-Yakov conveys his take on life
We cannot ask God to listen if we continue to shut our ears to Him.
When you accept Torah and mitzvos upon yourself as an obligation, you simultaneously invest yourself with the strength to carry out the obligation.
Yakov realized there was a Divine plan all along; God did not inflict suffering on him for no reason
"Jews" are the descendants of "Yehudah" whose comes from "Todah" meaning thanks. Jews give "THANKS"
Although the Torah requires the Get to be delivered in front of two witnesses, the Torah, according to the Rambam, does not require the witnesses to sign the Get.
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Repulsive And Disgraceful ‘The Holy One…Does Not Cause Mishaps To The Righteous’ (Gittin 7a)
The snake didn’t have an intrinsic craving for Chava. Only after he looked did he start desiring her.
Question: When a stranger approaches a congregant in shul asking for tzedakah, should the congregant verify that the person’s need is genuine? Furthermore, what constitutes tzedakah? Is a donation to a synagogue, yeshiva, or hospital considered tzedakah? Zvi Kirschner (Via E-Mail)
Ramban says the Patriarchs were considered to be Jews, meaning they kept the Torah and all its Commandments, while living in the Land of Canaan.
Obviously, this wasn’t the first time Yaakov read Shema. He had accepted Hashem’s dominion on a daily basis for decades. But this was a new level of understanding he was only able to obtain through these powerful emotions.
"What is the problem, then?" asked Mrs. Rhein. "We can pay $5,000; the payment from the summer and what we owe for now."
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
Joseph reframed his entire past, now understanding himself charged with a life-saving mission by God
Some have pointed out that the Gemara says that priyah was not an obligation until Maamad Har Sinai.
By Naama Klein
It was only later in the day, during afternoon carpool, that things abruptly spun out of control. Literally.
I have often taught that whatever pain or challenge assails us, the parshah of the week will always guide and comfort us
In Parshat Vayigash, we witness Judah's epic monologue to Joseph change the course of history --
Perhaps the greater miracle of Chanukah was the Chashmonaim's envisioning a miraculous Jewish future
Was it not obvious that these dreams foretold the wine-bearer’s reinstatement and the baker’s execution?
Utilizing the hidden light of Chanukah, we can defeat Islam and Yishmael.
No year will exceed the seminary year in influencing the development of these young women.
Both Yehudah & Yehudah HaMaccabee were aware of their missions challenges, yet, they went forward
Payment on the covenant began that fateful day Jacob sent Joseph from the valley of Hebron to search for his brothers.
Rabbi Margalit, wanting somehow to soothe the man’s pain, began to respond but the man wouldn’t let him.
"No, I trusted you," replied Mr. Isaacs. "I'm sure that I paid the first half, though."
A Wonder Worm ‘When The Temple Was Destroyed…’ (Sotah 48a-b)
Question: When a stranger approaches a congregant in shul asking for tzedakah, should the congregant verify that the person’s need is genuine? Furthermore, what constitutes tzedakah? Is a donation to a synagogue, yeshiva, or hospital considered tzedakah? Zvi Kirschner (Via E-Mail)
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
t was not Joseph but Judah who conferred his identity on the people; Judah who became the ancestor of Israel’s greatest king, David; Judah from whom the messiah will be born. Why Judah and not Joseph? The answer undoubtedly lies in the beginning of Parshat Vayigash,
The Talmud tells us that a lamp is lit over the head of each unborn child in its mother’s womb, enabling it to perceive all the ways of God throughout the world.
Tackling the story of Sale of Joseph & learning how to reconcile relationships with those we love
Mixed with the signals sent & received, some are ignored, most blatantly, Dinah's "Going Out."
Earlier in history, the Beis HaMikdash had been the center of life, the pride of every Jew.
Before the Holocaust our family in Hungary had nearly 90 rabbis; after, my father alone survived
As is evident from the Rambam, when one lights Chanukah candles higher than 20 amos it is not considered a ner Chanukah at all.
Yosef’s tale illustrates that "clothes don't make the man"
By dvora
The 10 year reign of Shlomtzion, one of only 2 women to rule over Judea, was peaceful & prosperous
The great Jewish mistake was thinking the more we became like others, the more accepted we'd become
Fun Fact: The organizers of the Boston Tea Party were referred to as “the modern day Maccabees.”
By Rachel Weiss
How apropos that the letter Ayin, with a numerical value of seventy, is associated with the month of Teves.
Yehuda, in an act of moral courage, readily admits his sin.
Although the word melacha is translated as work, in reference to Shabbos it connotes something entirely different.
We traced her family history and discovered that she is actually Jewish. She was so excited.
By thanking G-d for His kindnesses & by saying “thank you” we can acquire the attribute of gratitude
Jacob's response to his sons' feud reversed the actions of his youth-he sends Joseph to reconcile
Question: When a stranger approaches a congregant in shul asking for tzedakah, should the congregant verify that the person’s need is genuine? Furthermore, what constitutes tzedakah? Is a donation to a synagogue, yeshiva, or hospital considered tzedakah? Zvi Kirschner (Via E-Mail)
Perhaps this fulfilled the first dream, regarding Joseph’s economic domination of his brothers. However, it did not fulfill the second dream.
By Y. Alterman
“Don’t say a word,” Mrs. P warned us with a wag of her finger. “Let the kallah think for herself.”
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
The Impropriety Of Flattery ‘They Flattered King Agrippas’ (Sotah 41b)
“These are the chronicles of Yaakov: Yosef was seventeen years old, and he watched his brothers.” – Bereishis 37:2 At the age of seventeen, Yosef was wise in the ways of the Torah and the ways of the world. He was called a “ben zikunim” because even at such a young age he showed […]
"This doesn't seem right," Chaim's mother said. "I'm going to have to check with the bakery." She put that doughnut aside and took a different flavor.
There is a glaring difference between the Beis Yosef’s answers.
Hanukah reminds us of the challenges in Galus. How we understand & react to Galus defines us as Jews
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
Tamar realizes Judah has no intention of giving her his last son. Now trapped-an agunah-she acts
Chanukah celebrates those willing to provoke the Greeks & prod the Jewish people from their slumber.
Is Vayeishev,this weeks parsha, a chapter in Genesis or an episode of Game of Throne?!
Tamar initiates the process, opening Yehudah’s eyes to her essence; “clothes don’t make the (wo)man"
We face bitter adversaries who find glory in the act of randomly, mercilessly killing good people
The Mesilas Yesharim (Chapter 1) explains that our purpose in this world is to gain entry into the World to Come. The medium for that is Torah and mitzvos, for which one can only achieve reward in this world.
People have 1 name because it supposedly reflects identity. What if a person has a double identity?
We must re-focus our priorities & our communal resources from Jewish defense to Jewish spirituality
We’re the westernmost Jewish community on the planet (!) thus always “wrapping it up” for Klal Yisroel by making the last kiddush or havdalla, lighting the last Menorah, etc.
The answer to this question can best be understood with a perspective on capitalism.
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
The Burning Of Kever Yosef ‘Alongside Shechem’ (Sotah 32a)
Question: When a stranger approaches a congregant in shul asking for tzedakah, should the congregant verify that the person’s need is genuine? Furthermore, what constitutes tzedakah? Is a donation to a synagogue, yeshiva, or hospital considered tzedakah? Zvi Kirschner (Via E-Mail)
Jewish history is the story of exile. Jacob blazed the trail for the Jews in exile.
When a person who has given in to his or her animal instincts wishes to bring a sacrifice to atone for such conduct, the sacrifice should be as basic and unadorned as the instincts to which he or she gave in.
Of course Hashem still cares for His people and can still perform miracles.
Although I did not know it yet, missing my stop was predestined.
In any event, how do we explain the fact that Hashem changed Avraham’s name entirely but merely added another name to Yaakov’s?
September 25, 2026 
