Pharaoh
Who was the Pharaoh of the Exodus?
There are several Pharaohs mentioned in the Torah. The first contact with an Egyptian ruler described in the Bible takes place when Abraham goes to Egypt to escape a famine (Genesis 12). But the influence of the Egyptian monarchs in the...
Why did Pharaoh choose Joseph to be his second in command?
By interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams, Joseph essentially saves Egypt and his own family. There is no doubt the famine would have caught the Egyptians off guard. The Nile River allowed the Egyptians to live independently from the whims of...
Joseph: the master of dreams
Joseph has been called the biblical King of Dreams. Truly, Genesis relates three pairs of dreams that changed his life and guided his destiny while also affecting the fates of the Children of Israel and Egypt. The first two dreams came...
Weekly Torah Portion: The Wisdom of Miriam
The first portion of the Book of Exodus is one of transformation – the children of Israel, the family of Jacob, become the "Hebrews" and the Children of Israel, with a national focus. The family of Amram and Yocheved become the first...
Weekly Torah Portion: The Descent into Slavery
The following is a taste of our Israel Bible Reading Plan. Follow the weekly portion with summaries, insights and lively conversation. To register, click here. Our portion opens with the descent of Jacob’s family into Egypt. As mentioned...
Weekly Torah Portion: Man Plans and God Laughs
The following is a taste of our Israel Bible Reading Plan. Follow the weekly portion with summaries, insights and lively conversation. To register, click here. Last week’s portion ended with a cliff-hanger, as Joseph called for Benjamin’s...
The Portion of Vayigash
The portion of Vayigash sees Joseph revealing his true identity to his brothers, inviting his father and the rest of their family to join him in Egypt. Jacob brings his family to Joseph, and Joseph cares for them for the remainder of his...
Weekly Torah Portion: Joseph in Suspense
 In this week's Torah portion, we continue the story of Joseph in Egypt. The portion begins with Joseph's rise to power, thanks to his successful interpretation of Pharaoh's dream. He is given full responsibility for feeding the nation...
The Portion of Mikeitz
The portion of Mikeitz continues the story of Joseph in Egypt. Joseph successfully interprets Pharaoh's dream and is made viceroy over all of Egypt. Â He successfully steers the country through both abundance and famine, so that it becomes...