Category: Morality & Torah

  • Don’t Be A Frog

    The Jews were not enslaved all at once. It was a step-by-step process. First special taxes were levied on them. Slowly more and more of their freedom was taken away until they suddenly realized that they were enslaved.

  • Know Before Whom You Are Standing

    When Moses was at the burning bush he was told to remove his shoes. One of the reasons was that he should stand on rocky ground so that he would feel the pain that the enslaved Jews were feeling. A leader has to understand the pain and suffering of their followers.

  • True Repentance

    When Judah confronts Joseph concerning Banjamin Joseph realizes that Judah has repented for his earlier actions. It is not enough to say “sorry”, you have to show through your actions that you have repented.

  • Joseph’s Message to Jacob

    When Jacob was told that Joseph was alive, he did not believe it until he saw the wagons. Why did they make a difference?

  • Remember Why We Fight

    The fast of the 10th of comes a week after we finish celebrating Hanukah. This is to teach us that the Hasmoneans lost sight of the reason for the war against the Hellenists. Over the generations they became Hellenists. When we lose sight of the goal we lose all.

  • United We Stand

    In the end of this week’s portion the brothers are united in their love of one another just as the five Hasmonaean brothers were united in the story of Hanukah.

  • The Truth About Hanukah

    Hanukah is a celebration of the victory of a cultural war against the Greek culture. The Syrian Greeks were not interested in killing Jews, just Judaism.

  • Rely on God, Not Men

    Joseph relied on the butler to remember him to Pharoah. The butler promptly forgot about him. This was to teach that we have to rely on God and not humans to achieve our goals.

  • Morality Has To Have A Source

    When Joseph was confronted by Potifer’s wife he realized that Jacob would not approve of immorality. He based his morality on what he learned from his father.

  • Leaders Need a Moral Compass

    The reason that Judah became a great leader was that he had a moral compass. And when he was wrong he admitted it.