by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 4, 2022 | Blog, The Portion of Vayishlach, DI
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz The Biblical account of Jacob’s first encounter with God is an amazing story. He dreams of a ladder connecting heaven and earth, with angels ascending and descending the ladder. Understandably shaken, Jacob declares that the site where the...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 1, 2022 | The Portion of Vayeitzei, DI
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz I once went to a distant town and needed to stay at a hotel. I found one possible location and entered. I approached the front desk and asked the clerk, “How much does it cost to stay here for the night.” He smiled and answered, “Oh, we have...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 30, 2022 | The Portion of Vayeitzei, DI
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz Israel just held its fifth election in three years. For a while now, Israel has been struggling to find a leader who can form and maintain a coalition made up of different parties, each with their own interests and priorities. These parties...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 10, 2021 | Blog, The Portion of Vayeitzei, DI
Once, at the time of the wheat harvest, Reuben came upon some mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” Genesis 30:14 The conflict between the sister-brides Rachel and Leah takes a...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 8, 2021 | Blog, The Portion of Vayeitzei, DI
Beersheba was the Biblical capital of the southern Negev region. Its name is a bit ambiguous, being made up of the two Hebrew words: Be’er (באר) meaning ‘well’, and the root sheva (שבע), which means both ‘seven’ and ‘oath.’ Thus, Beersheba, or Be’er Sheva in Hebrew,...
by Tuly | f 7, 2021 | News, The Portion of Vayeitzei, DI
Let me pass through your whole flock today, removing from there every speckled and spotted animal—every dark-colored sheep and every spotted and speckled goat. Such shall be my wages. אֶעֱבֹר בְּכָל־צֹאנְךָ הַיּוֹם הָסֵר מִשָּׁם כָּל־שֶׂה נָקֹד וְטָלוּא...
