“Your right hand, Adonai, glorious in power; your right hand, Adonai, dashes the enemy to pieces.”  (Exodus 15:6) Parashat B’shalach describes a moment of exultation.  Finally freed from slavery, yet pursued by Pharoah’s army , the Israelites witness the miracle of the splitting of the sea.  In response Moses leads the people in celebratory song.  (Some [...]

“…Let the men go to worship their God.  Are you not yet aware that Egypt is lost?” (Exodus 10:7) This week’s Torah perspective comes from Carol Folkerth, Executive Director of the JCC of Greater Columbus. Parashat Bo introduces the ninth plague, darkness, with an odd statement:  “Then God said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward the [...]

“I have now heard the moaning of the Israelites, because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered my covenant.” (Exodus 6:5) Many people wonder if the Torah is true.  The answer, of course, is…it depends.  It is hard to prove the Torah is historically accurate. That’s different than determining the truth [...]

“Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people: Behold, the people of the children of Israel are too many and too mighty for us.” (Exodus 1:8-9) Parashat Sh’mot, which opens the second book of the Torah, describes the change in status of the Children of Israel [...]

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph.  Is my father still alive?”  (Genesis 45:3) Parashat Vayigash sees Joseph reveal himself to his brothers and reconciles with them.  Jacob comes down to Egypt and is reunited with his long-lost son as the entire family settles in Egypt.  The parasha (portion) describes the means by which [...]

“Pharoah further said to Joseph, “See, I put you in charge of all the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 41:40) Parashat Miketz describes Joseph’s ascent to power and authority.  He correctly interprets Pharoah’s dreams and as a result, is elevated from the dungeon to the palace to manage Egypt’s economy.  The famine he predicts comes to [...]

“Now Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age; and he had made him an ornamented tunic.” (Genesis 37:3) JCC Association staff meetings begin with a D’var Torah prepared by one of its departments. This week’s perspective on the weekly parasha (portion) is condensed from the lesson [...]

“Jacob was left alone.  And a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn.” (Genesis 32:25) Some people read the Torah as the word of God. Nahum Sarna (1923–2005; a modern Biblical scholar), among others, reads it as literature, and examines the influence of the surrounding literary cultures.  Parashat Vayishlach, which describes Jacob’s night-time struggle [...]

“Isaac loved Esau, for game was in his mouth, but Rebecca loved Jacob.”  (Genesis 25:28) Parashat Toldot repeats a familiar motif in Genesis:  brothers in conflict (think Cain and Abel; Ishmael and Isaac, and, later; Joseph and his brothers).  Esau and Jacob, twins, battle each other for primacy, even in the womb.  The rivalry climaxes [...]

“Abraham was now old, advanced in years, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.” (Genesis 24:1) Parashat Chayei Sarah presents us with history’s first crisis of Jewish continuity.  God’s promise to make him, “a great nation” notwithstanding, Abraham realizes his son Isaac is still single and something needs to be done about it [...]