Parashat Vayigash 5781 by Meir Sendor We got our first of two vaccinations against the virus this week. It was the first day of the vaccination program here in Tzfat, and it had a kind of giddy, festive atmosphere. All…
Identity Politics
Parashat Miketz 5781 by Meir Sendor One of the underlying themes of this week’s parashah is identity. Yosef, a prisoner at the very bottom of the social pyramid of Egypt, jumps suddenly to the top, gets a nickname, adopts Egyptian…
Dealer’s Choice
Parashat Vayeshev 5781 by Meir Sendor We subscribe to Ulpan La-Inyan, an organization that, along with its online Hebrew instruction programs, sends a daily email with a word or phrase in Hebrew that’s used idiomatically in colloquial speech. This week…
Our Better Angels
Parashat Vayishlach 5781 by Meir Sendor Angels play significant roles in this week’s parashah, though their exact nature remains vague. Yaakov, returning to the Land of Israel after twenty years and anxious about meeting his estranged and dangerous brother Esav,…
Don’t Say Water, Water
Parashat VaYetze 5781 by Meir Sendor בראשית פרק לב פסוק ב פסוק ג וְיַעֲקֹ֖ב הָלַ֣ךְ לְדַרְכּ֑וֹ וַיִּפְגְּעוּ־ב֖וֹ מַלְאֲכֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים: וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַעֲקֹב֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר רָאָ֔ם מַחֲנֵ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים זֶ֑ה וַיִּקְרָ֛א שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא מַֽחֲנָֽיִם: Yaakov went on his way, and angels of…
Truth to Power
Parashat Toldot 5781 by Meir Sendor Yitzhak Avinu, in Kabbalah, is associated with the Sefirah Din, divine Judgment, the quality that discerns reality and accords to every person and every creature what they really deserve. Yet in this week’s parashah,…
Wider than the Sky
Parashat Hayye Sarah 5781 by Meir Sendor This week’s parashah features the spiritual apotheosis of Avraham Avinu. He reached this level after navigating ten essential trials in his life, as it says in the Mishnah Avot: משנה מסכת אבות פרק…
Facing Forward
בראשית פרק יז פסוק א וַיְהִ֣י אַבְרָ֔ם בֶּן־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְתֵ֣שַׁע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיֵּרָ֨א יְקֹוָ֜ק אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אֲנִי־אֵ֣ל שַׁדַּ֔י הִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ לְפָנַ֖י וֶהְיֵ֥ה תָמִֽים: Avram was ninety-nine years old and HaShem appeared to Avram and said to him “I am God…
Ripped from the headlines
Parashat Noach 5781 by Meir Sendor It’s a rabbinic artform to connect the weekly parashah to the issues of the day, and sometimes you have to stretch. Not this week. Global catastrophes, defiantly misbehaving societies, salvation through isolation and individuation…
