Author: Shlomo Bar-Ayal

  • The Reason They Enslaved Us

    The Torah states that a new Pharaoh came into power that did not know Joseph. This teaches that it did not matter what the Jews did for Egypt they simply were against the Jews.

  • Listen To Your Elders

    The reason that the tribe of Levi was not enslaved was that Levi was still alive when Pharaoh succeeded in fooling the Jews. Levi, though saw through Pharaoh’s plot and told his descendants not to be fooled.

  • Economics and the Military

    Gad and Asher were given their blessings one after the other. Gad helped with the liberation of the land. Asher would be the economic powerhouse of the nation. You need a good economy to have a good military.

  • We Need a Strong Economy

    The blessing that Jacob gave Zevulun was that he should be successful in business so that he could support Issachar who would learn. If the economy is weak so too the Torah learning will be weak.

  • There is Only One Home

    Jacob insists on being buries in the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron. The reason for this is that he wanted that the Jews not get too comfortable in Egypt. That they should remember that Egypt is not their country.

  • Diplomacy is the Key

    Joseph has to convince Pharaoh that he be allowed to bury Jacob in the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron. He finds a diplomatic way of doing this by appealing to Pharaoh’s conscience.

  • Character is King

    Jacob chooses Judah to be the leader of the future generations, not only due to his natural leadership skills but also due to his character traits.

  • Don’t Just Mean Well, Do Well

    Reuben loses the double portion allotted to the first born because of his mistakes. He was not a bad person but just failed in understanding what was the correct thing to do. He meant well but did not do well.

  • How To Rebuild the Temple

    Both the 1st & 2nd Temples were destroyed due to baseless hatred of Jews for their fellow Jews. The 3rd will be built due to baseless love of Jew for their fellow Jew.

  • Ritual Supports Action

    We learn that the reason that the 1st Temple was destroyed that the Jews did the ritual correctly but did not understand that the reason for the ritual was to teach us how to behave.