Parashat VaYigash: Goshen as Part of Yosef’s Master Plan by Yaakov Bieler

Yosef shows himself to be a brilliant strategist, even when it comes to planning a place for his family to live when they come to Egypt. Yosef, the brilliant administrator who possesses a gift for management that is glaringly apparent to all with whom he comes into contact, first manifesting itself in his being placed [...]

The Unknown Miracle of Chanukah by Jeffrey R. Woolf

A quick survey of the types of lectures, shiurim, articles, and various other discussions of Hanukkah that flood the internet reveals that they focus on two, eminently predictable, motifs: the victory of the Hasmoneans over the Seleucid Greeks and and the miracle of the little cruse of oil, bearing the seal of the High Priest, that lasted eight days [...]

Halakha and Kabbalah: Rabbi Joseph Karo’s Shulchan Aruch and Magid Mesharim by Shlomo Brody

Amongst the great kabbalists and legalists produced in 16th century Safed, R. Yosef Karo clearly stands out as one of, if not the, most influential figure.  Though his legal compendium Bet Yosef and code Shulchan Aruch, Karo helped shape the course of halakha for the next five centuries.  Karo produced these works while the Zohar’s [...]

Parashat Miketz: Yosef’s Egyptian Makeover by Yaakov Bieler

The problem entailed in Pharoah’s making Yosef a ruler over the Egyptians Taking an individual who comes from humble beginnings as well as from a despised national group and transforming him into someone who others will perceive as capable of leading and ruling, is the challenge confronting Pharoah vis-à-vis Yosef in Parashat Miketz.[2] 5) and [...]

Parashat VaYeishev: A Powerful Adolescent Commitment to Righteousness by Yaakov Bieler

The institution of reading the Haftara Traditionally, the Haftora for Parshat VaYeshev is taken from chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Amos.[1] While the historical origin for reading the Haftarot as part of the Shabbat, Yom Tov and fast day services is not certain, the Avudharam speculates that this practice was begun during [...]

Who Can Serve as Kashrut Supervisors? The Model of Kuthim by Aryeh Klapper

Whom can one trust to tell you that meat was slaughtered properly, and under what circumstances can you trust them?  For consumers nowadays, this question is generally far removed from the actual locations and personnel of slaughtering – we discuss which hechsher to trust, not which shochet.  The industrialization of kosher food production has further [...]

Parashat Va-Yishlach: Devora – A Messenger Ignored in Life, but Mourned in Death?

The wrenching events of Parashat VaYishlach Each of the Parshiot of Beraishit focuses upon specific individuals and the fateful choices that they make which have ultimately contributed to the evolution of the Jewish people. Parashat VaYishlach is no different in this regard, and over the course of the Parasha (Beraishit 32:3-36:43), we empathize with Yaakov’s [...]