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As we begin the Book of Exodus, we meet an anti-Semite with power. He believes that the Jews are powerful and will take over Egypt. That there is no evidence of this doesn’t matter to him.

A Quick D’var Torah – Parashat Shemot

As we begin the Book of Shemot (Exodus), the Torah sets the stage for one of the most formative periods in Jewish history.

The Jews originally come to Egypt not as slaves, but as honored guests. They are invited because of Joseph, the viceroy of Egypt, who saved the country from famine. Under Pharaoh’s protection, the Jewish people prosper and multiply.

Then the Torah tells us: “A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph.” The commentators debate what this means. Was it literally a new Pharaoh? A new dynasty? Or was it the same Pharaoh who chose to forget Joseph and what the Jews had done for Egypt? The Torah leaves the question open.

But what is clear is that this Pharaoh develops a fear of the Jews. He sees them growing in number and imagines them as a potential “fifth column”—a hidden internal enemy. Importantly, there is no evidence for this fear. The Jews had shown loyalty, contributed to Egypt’s success, and posed no threat. But facts don’t matter to a conspiracist.

This is a pattern we see again and again in history. Many antisemites are conspiracists. They believe in secret Jewish power, hidden plots, and imagined threats that have no basis in reality. Pharaoh may be the first recorded example of this mindset.

Notice something else: Pharaoh does not expel the Jews. Instead, he enslaves them. This too is a recurring theme. Antisemites often claim to hate Jews—yet they refuse to let them leave. The Soviet Union is a modern example. It was openly antisemitic, yet it would not allow Jews to emigrate, fearing that Jews elsewhere would somehow unite and destroy it.

The irony, of course, is obvious. There are about 16–17 million Jews in a world of over 8 billion people. The idea that Jews could “take over the world” is absurd. We are simply not that numerous—and in any case, we have no such desire. What Jews want is to live as Jews, keep mitzvot, and try to make the world better by being better people.

But in the conspiracist’s mind, reason is irrelevant. They “know” the truth, and no evidence can change it. That is Pharaoh’s fear, and it becomes the basis of Jewish slavery in Egypt.

I’m reminded of someone I sit next to in shul, Glenn Richter, who for many years led the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry. Even after the Holocaust—when Jews had been utterly powerless—the Soviets still feared Jewish influence. Today we are no longer helpless; we have a state and the ability to defend ourselves. But the mindset of conspiracy hasn’t disappeared.

The Torah teaches us that this fear, born of imagination rather than fact, is what drives oppression. And our response, then and now, is not to abandon who we are—but to continue living proudly as Jews.

Something to think about.

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David stresses to his son, Solomon, that leadership is not a right, it is a duty. That a leader has to set a moral example for the nation.

A Quick D’var Torah – Leadership as Duty

Yosef is the first of the brothers to die. He dies at the age of 110, which—by the standards of the patriarchal period—is relatively young. The Rabbis comment that this may be connected to the tremendous burden Yosef carried. After all, he was not merely a family leader; he was the viceroy of Egypt, the dominant superpower of its time. Such responsibility brings enormous stress, and that strain can shorten a person’s life.

We see this even in modern times. If you look at photographs of world leaders—especially presidents—when they enter office and when they leave, the difference is striking. Leadership ages a person. The emotional and physical toll is real.

Yehuda, by contrast, lived longer. He too was a leader, but his leadership was of a different nature. Yosef governed a vast, active empire; Yehuda led a family—though, as the old Jewish joke reminds us, leading Jews often means leading “millions of prime ministers.” Still, the scale and intensity of Yosef’s role were far greater, and that difference matters.

This idea is echoed in the Haftarah of the week, where King David prepares to hand over the kingdom to his son, Shlomo. Just as Yaakov transfers leadership of the family to Yehuda, David transfers royal authority to Shlomo—but not without warning. David emphasizes that kingship is not about power alone. A leader must be personally moral. It is not enough to speak about values; one must live them, visibly and consistently.

Here, American history offers a powerful parallel. When George Washington became the first president, he was acutely aware that he was defining the nature of the office. Though he had every right to wear a military uniform at his inauguration, he chose instead civilian clothing—to show that he was a servant of the people, not a ruler above them. When elaborate titles were proposed for him, it was ultimately “Mr. President” that prevailed—a title that emphasized earned authority, not inherited status.

That is precisely David’s message to Shlomo: you may be king, but every day you must earn the right to rule.

Yehuda earned the respect of his brothers. Yosef earned the trust of Egypt. Neither position came automatically. Leadership is not a license, and it is not a privilege—it is a duty. Leaders must be honest, morally upright, and accountable. They must say what they mean, mean what they say, and never treat power as permission to exploit others.

That is something worth remembering—by leaders, and by those who choose them.

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Ephriam and Menashe were the first Jews who grew up in the Exile and had to deal with the Egyptian culture. Joseph made sure that they had a solid Jewish education and for that reason they were considered special.

Ephraim and Menashe

In this week’s parashah, Yaakov blesses his grandchildren Ephraim and Menashe, and he draws them close to him because they are unique. They are, in a sense, the first Jews born in exile—in galut.

And that matters.

Living Jewishly in Eretz Yisrael is fundamentally different from living Jewishly in exile. In Israel, you’re surrounded by Jewish culture, Jewish time, Jewish language. Judaism is in the air. Even if you’re not religious, you live in a Jewish rhythm.

But Ephraim and Menashe grew up in Egypt, the center of pagan power and culture. And that makes Jewish continuity far more challenging.

I once experienced this difference very vividly. Years ago, while doing reserve duty in the Israeli army, a young soldier came up to me and said,

“I hear that in America you have something called Christmas week. What is that?”

So I explained: it’s the week between Christmas and New Year’s—Sylvester, as it’s called in Israel.

He said,

“I understand Christmas—Rachel is important there, right?”

I said,

“Wait… how did Rachel get into the story?”

He answered, completely sincerely:

“Everyone goes to Bethlehem.”

Of course, if you go to Bethlehem, you know there’s Kever Rachel. To him, growing up fully immersed in Jewish culture, the Christian story was completely foreign. He knew the places—but not the theology.

That’s the difference.

In America, or in Christian Europe, you can’t help but know what day it is. You absorb the surrounding culture whether you want to or not. Joseph understood this problem deeply. He was running Egypt, sitting at the center of power, and at the same time raising two Jewish children in a non-Jewish world.

That’s a much bigger challenge than what Yaakov faced with his other sons, who grew up within a Jewish family and environment.

And that’s why this blessing matters.

Ephraim and Menashe represent the necessity of Jewish education in exile—intentional, structured, and strong. That’s why we bless our children to be like them.

Back in 1962, Look magazine famously predicted that by the year 2000, American Jewry would disappear through assimilation.

Well—news flash—we’re still here.
Look magazine disappeared long before American Jews did.

What they failed to see were two critical developments:

1. The rise of Jewish day schools, giving children a solid Jewish foundation.
2. The expansion of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, bringing Jewish knowledge and identity to Jews everywhere—even those far from observance.

Ephraim and Menashe teach us that Jewish survival in exile is not accidental. It depends on education, identity, and transmission.

And that’s the message of their blessing:
If you want Judaism to last, you have to teach it.

Something to think about.

One of the interesting things to remember is that leadership in the Bible does not necessarily go to the first born. Yehuda is the 4th son, yet he is the leader of the brothers. This is a theme in the Bible; it is stressing that leadership has to be earned.

Leadership Is Earned, Not Inherited

Parashat Vayechi closes not only the Book of Bereishit but an entire era. The parashah ends with the death of Yosef, the last of the Avot-generation figures, and in doing so it highlights one of the Torah’s most consistent—and counter-cultural—themes: leadership does not automatically belong to the firstborn.

Throughout Bereishit, the Torah repeatedly overturns the expectation that the oldest son inherits authority. Yitzchak is chosen over Yishmael. Yaakov over Esav. Yosef rises above his older brothers. And most significantly, Yehuda—fourth-born, not first—emerges as the true leader of the family.

This is not accidental.

Yehuda earns leadership through action. He proposes selling Yosef rather than killing him; later, he takes responsibility for Binyamin and is willing to sacrifice himself for his brother. Even in the painful episode with Tamar—hardly a moral high point—Yehuda distinguishes himself by owning his failure and changing because of it. That capacity for moral growth is precisely what defines him as a leader.

Reuven, by contrast, is well-intentioned but ineffective. He means to save Yosef, but his plan fails. Later, when trying to convince Yaakov to send Binyamin to Egypt, his proposal is rejected outright. Yaakov understands that Reuven is sincere, but sincerity alone does not make a leader. Leadership requires reliability, judgment, and responsibility, not just good intentions.

This distinction becomes explicit in Yaakov’s blessings. Reuven is acknowledged as the firstborn, but stripped of leadership. Yehuda receives the crown: “The scepter shall not depart from Yehuda.” Authority is not inherited; it is conferred based on merit.

Jewish history reinforces this lesson. David and Shlomo—Israel’s greatest kings—were not firstborns. David, in particular, is remembered not because he was flawless, but because he confronted his failures honestly and grew from them. There is a Midrash in which David asks God to downplay his sin with Bat-Sheva—and God refuses. The Torah insists on telling that story precisely because true leadership is measured by repentance and transformation, not by perfection.

Even Yosef himself does not become a leader overnight. He begins as a favored, immature youth. Only after slavery, false accusation, and prison does he mature into a leader capable of governing Egypt and sustaining his family. Leadership must be learned, tested, and earned.

And that is the enduring message of Parashat Vayechi:

You do not inherit leadership.
You earn it—through responsibility, moral growth, and the respect of others.

The Torah is not interested in titles or birth order. It is interested in character.

Today is the anniversary of when the Babylonians laid siege on Jerusalem, meaning the beginning of the end of the First Temple. We are reminded that this happened because we did not treat each other morally or ethically.

A Reflection on Asarah b’Tevet (the 10th of Tevet)

Today is Asarah b’Tevet, one of the fast days mentioned in Tanakh. It commemorates the day when the Babylonians laid siege to Jerusalem, marking the beginning of the end of the First Temple (Beit HaMikdash).

If we look at the Jewish calendar, there are six fast days that we observe.

• Yom Kippur is biblical, explicitly commanded in the Torah.
• The Fast of Esther relates to the events in Persia during the Purim story.

The other four fast days—

• the 10th of Tevet,
• the 17th of Tammuz,
• Tisha B’Av, and
• the Fast of Gedaliah—

are all connected to the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash and the loss of Jewish sovereignty during the First Temple period.

What is striking is that the reason for these calamities is always described in the same way by our sages. It was not simply that the Babylonians had a larger or stronger army. If Hashem had not allowed it, no empire—no matter how powerful—could have conquered Israel.

The Rabbis explain that the true cause was moral and ethical failure: Jews were not treating one another with respect. There was corruption, injustice, and ethical decline. Hashem tells us, in effect:

If you bring offerings incorrectly, I can deal with that. But if you mistreat one another—if you behave immorally and unethically toward your fellow human beings—that is something that cannot be ignored.

There is a powerful story about the Chafetz Chaim. In 1933, on a Friday night, he was sitting with students who were discussing how horrific World War I had been. Many had called it “the war to end all wars,” especially given how devastating it was for Eastern European Jewry.

The Chafetz Chaim interrupted them and said:

If you think the last war was terrible, people will laugh at it compared to what will come after the next war.

They were shocked and asked what he meant. He answered that such devastation would come because Jews were not treating each other properly—because of lashon hara, unethical behavior, and a lack of respect between people. And, tragically, his words proved prophetic.

The message is clear. Hashem wants our prayers, our mitzvot, and our devotion in matters between man and God. But what brings punishment most swiftly—and what sustains redemption—is how we behave between one person and another.

If we mistreat each other, act unethically, or lack basic human decency, those failures come back to haunt us. That, perhaps, is the most important lesson of these fast days.

Something to think about.

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George Washington was inaugurated in New York on a opened to Genesis 49. When Jacob blessed his sons. His idea was, just as Jacob had 12 sons, each with his unique attribute, so too, there were 13 states. each with its own unique attributes.

Parashat Vayechi, the final parashah of Book of Genesis, brings us to Yaakov’s final moments. As he prepares to leave this world, he gathers his sons and blesses them—each one individually—describing their character, their destiny, and their unique role in the future of the Jewish people.

What is striking is that although the brothers have endured years of jealousy, rivalry, and near-irreparable division—especially surrounding Yosef—in the end they stand together. Yaakov’s blessings are not about uniformity; they are about unity. Each son is different, each tribe distinct, yet all are indispensable to the whole.

A fascinating historical echo of this idea appears at the very founding of the United States.

In 1789, when George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States—right here in New York City—he faced a unique challenge. The new republic had deliberately rejected the idea of a state religion. Washington wanted to make that principle unmistakably clear from the very first moment of his presidency.

Rather than being sworn in on the Bible of any particular church or denomination, Washington used a Bible from St. John’s Lodge No. 1, a Masonic lodge. In Freemasonry, all faiths are regarded as equal, and members are encouraged to remain faithful to their own religious traditions. By choosing that Bible, Washington ensured that no single religious group could claim symbolic ownership over the new government.

But there is another remarkable detail: Washington reportedly had the Bible opened to this very parashah—the section in which Yaakov blesses his sons.

Why this parashah?

Yaakov had twelve sons. The United States began with thirteen states—but if you count Ephraim and Menashe separately, the symbolism works beautifully. Washington was making a quiet but powerful statement: just as the sons of Yaakov formed one nation made up of distinct tribes, so too the United States would be one nation composed of distinct states.

Each son, Yaakov teaches, has a different mission. Each tribe contributes something essential. No single one can stand alone, and no single one can replace the others. Washington was pointing to the same truth: every state has its own character, strengths, and responsibilities—but only together do they form a complete union.

The message of Parashat Vayechi is therefore timeless. Disagreement is inevitable. Diversity is necessary. But unity is non-negotiable. Whether among Yaakov’s sons or among the states of a republic, the whole depends on every part.

Something very worth thinking about.

Before the Jews travel to Egypt Judah has to set up the infrastructure of a Jewish society. This will allow the Jews to live according to their ways while in Egypt.

Jacob learns that Joseph is alive through a special message Joseph sends him. According to the Midrash, the news is broken to Jacob very gently, because Jacob has been in deep mourning for years, believing Joseph to be dead. Now, not only does Jacob discover that Joseph is alive, but that he is the viceroy of Egypt. Joseph asks the family to come down to Egypt to survive the remaining five years of famine.

Joseph plans to settle the family in Goshen, and Judah is sent ahead to prepare the area. The Midrash explains that Judah’s role is not merely logistical, but spiritual and societal: to establish yeshivot and create the infrastructure necessary for Jewish life. Joseph understands Egyptian society from the inside. He knows that close assimilation would be harmful, so he deliberately places the family in Goshen, separated and protected.

This model has repeated itself throughout Jewish history, especially in the Diaspora. Jews naturally gravitate toward their own neighborhoods where they can build schools, communal institutions, and systems of mutual responsibility. By maintaining this internal infrastructure, Jewish society preserves its moral and ethical character—ideally becoming a model that others can observe.

We see echoes of this today. Despite accusations and hostility directed at Israel, when examined honestly, what emerges is a society that strives to act justly and care for its vulnerable—values deeply rooted in Torah. Jewish continuity depends on this commitment to moral responsibility, justice, and self-built communal structure.

As David Ben-Gurion famously said: It doesn’t matter what the non-Jewish world says; it matters what Jews do. That is something worth thinking about.

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When Judah approaches Joseph he does so as a proud Jew. This teaches us that we should be proud of who we are.

Judah Approaches Joseph: Self-Respect in Exile

In today’s Torah portion, Judah approaches Joseph—without knowing that he is Joseph. All Judah knows is that this man is the viceroy of Egypt, the most powerful figure in the land. He also knows that his brother Benjamin is about to be sent to prison on false charges.

Judah steps forward and says that he himself should take Benjamin’s place. He is willing to go to prison instead of his brother. But Judah does more than offer self-sacrifice. He makes it clear that he will not allow his family—his people—to be abused. He approaches power with dignity and self-respect.

This is the moment when Joseph breaks down.

And this becomes an eternal lesson for us.

Throughout history, Jews have lived as a small minority within dominant cultures. We are always faced with the same question: How do we approach power when we are in exile? How do we relate to a dominant culture when we are few and vulnerable?

The Torah’s answer is clear: without self-respect, no one else will respect us.

A powerful historical example comes from 1787, during the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. A religious Jew named Jonas Phillips, who had fought in the American Revolution as a member of the Continental Army, wrote a letter of protest. Despite his service, he was barred from holding public office in Pennsylvania because he was not a Christian.

Phillips did not demand that America become Jewish—he knew how small the Jewish population was. But he did demand equality. He insisted that Jews deserve the same civil rights as other Americans.

His argument was heard.

As a result, the United States Constitution included a revolutionary principle: no religious test shall ever be required for federal office. Anyone of any faith could serve. While the states took longer to follow, this protection was enshrined at the national level because a proud Jew had the courage to speak with dignity.

George Washington later expressed this idea clearly when he affirmed that Jews had the same right to be in America as anyone else—that citizenship and equality did not depend on religion.

All of this traces back to one essential truth: self-respect creates respect.

That is the message Judah teaches us. He does not beg. He does not apologize for who he is. He stands firm, with humility and dignity, and because of that, he is heard.

Something to think about.

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Judah & Joseph represent two different types of leaders. Each has positive abilities. The Torah shows how they need to work together.

Two Models of Leadership: Yosef and Yehuda

In this week’s parashah, we are presented with two very different models of leadership: Yosef and Yehuda.

Yosef represents a leader who plans carefully and executes those plans with precision. When he foresees the seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine, he prepares Egypt methodically and sticks to his strategy. Similarly, when he anticipates his brothers’ arrival in Egypt, he devises a plan to test them—and follows it through. Yosef’s leadership is structured, strategic, and consistent.

This type of leadership is characteristic of what we might call national leadership among the nations. Yosef is not the leader of a particular people; rather, he is the viceroy of Egypt. His authority comes directly from Pharaoh. His power is institutional, and his leadership is accepted because it works.

Yehuda, on the other hand, represents a very different kind of leader. He is a natural-born leader, one who inspires others to follow him. Even before the episode with Tamar, Yehuda clearly emerges as the leader among the brothers. When he suggests selling Yosef rather than killing him, the brothers listen.

Yehuda’s greatness is not that he is flawless—but that he is morally courageous. Unlike Yosef, who withstands the advances of Potiphar’s wife, Yehuda fails in the episode with Tamar. Yet his true greatness is revealed when he publicly admits, “She is more righteous than I.” He takes responsibility for his actions and does not hide from the truth.

Later, when Binyamin is threatened in Egypt, it is Yehuda who steps forward. He offers himself in Binyamin’s place, willing to bear the consequences himself. He does not rely on power or position; he leads through accountability and self-sacrifice. This moment is when Yosef realizes how much Yehuda has grown—and how great he has become.

Both Yosef and Yehuda are great leaders. Yosef embodies effective national leadership. Yehuda embodies Jewish leadership, leadership rooted in responsibility for others. That is why the Messiah comes from Yehuda and not from Yosef—because Yehuda stands up for his brothers and takes responsibility for his people.

Something to think about.

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Judah shows trued leadership when he takes upon himself to save Benjamin by being willing to be taken prisoner in Benjamin’s place. True leadership is based on taking action and taking responsibility for that action.

Leadership Through Responsibility: Yehuda vs. Reuven

In this week’s parashah, we see one of the Torah’s clearest lessons about leadership. Yehuda steps forward to protect Binyamin, placing himself in personal danger and offering to become a slave so that his brother can go free. This moment defines the Torah’s understanding of true leadership.

At first glance, Reuven should have been the leader of the brothers. He was the firstborn, a fundamentally good person with good intentions. But Reuven consistently falls short. He sees problems and makes plans, but his plans don’t succeed. As the saying goes, he is often “a dollar short.” He means well, but he hesitates, overthinks, and ultimately fails to act decisively.

Yehuda is different. When Yehuda sees a problem, he acts. He doesn’t wait for the perfect plan. He takes responsibility and steps forward.

We see this not only with Binyamin, but earlier with Tamar. When Yehuda realizes that he was wrong, he publicly admits it and says, “She is more righteous than I am.” He owns his failure, accepts responsibility, and moves forward. That willingness to admit mistakes is a defining trait of leadership in the Torah.

Yosef, too, is a leader. He makes mistakes early in life, recognizes them, and grows from them. When he reveals himself to his brothers, he tells them not to be distressed, explaining that what seemed like human wrongdoing was ultimately part of God’s plan. Yosef understands that leadership means taking responsibility while also recognizing God’s guiding hand in history.

Together, Yehuda and Yosef teach us two essential principles of leadership:

1. Take decisive action when action is needed.
2. Take personal responsibility, especially when things go wrong.

As John F. Kennedy once said, “Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan.” The Torah rejects that idea. In the Torah’s view, failure should never be an orphan. A true leader claims responsibility even when it is painful or costly.

This is why leadership in Judaism is not about titles or privilege, but about accountability. With leadership comes responsibility—and that is the most important lesson the parashah teaches us.