Vayeḥi: Chariot of the Divine Presence
While it’s true that Yosef didn’t become a ‘fourth patriarch’ of the nation of Israel, it’s also true that he gained some patriarchal traits in that both of his two sons became full fledged Israelite tribes.
Vayigash: Returning Home
Yosef’s efforts to build Egypt didn’t advance the Hebrew mission. The world can only be fixed through a powerful Israeli nation in our land.
Mikeitz: Dreams
An understanding of ancient Egyptian society can help us appreciate why Pharaoh’s wise men & sorcerers couldn’t see the meaning of his dreams.
Vayeishev: The Individual & the Collective
Excessive involvement with personal repentance & growth, without any concern for the broader collective & its needs, can often lead to confusion.
Vayishlaḥ: The Danger of Gathering Sparks
While gathering the holy sparks hidden within other cultures is one of Israel’s hidden missions in exile, we must be careful not to delay our return home.
Vayetzei: The Secret Order of Hebrew Maidservants
The Hebrew maidservants that tended to Israel’s matriarchs may have been part of a secret order meant to guard & educate them in serving HaShem.
Toldot: ‘This’ Versus ‘I’
Rivka wasn’t aware that she was carrying twins. Assuming there to only be one child in her womb, she had trouble understanding her experience.
Ḥayei Sarah: Efron’s Allyship to Avraham
Efron understood Avraham’s potential to elevate humanity & therefore helped him to overcome all objections to his purchase of the Makhpela cave.
Vayeira: Did Avraham Encounter Angels?
When our masters sharply disagree on the meaning of Scripture, could they simultaneously be correct?
Lekh Lekha: They Will Give Me Gifts
On a deep level, the ‘hunger’ that brought Avraham down to Egypt was the desire to liberate & uplift the spark of holiness trapped in the Egyptian kingdom.
Noaḥ: From Families to Nations
Once the families of humanity evolved into nations, two experiments were attempted to limit conflict: the cosmopolitan Tower of Babel that sought to erase differences & a Hebrew nation called Israel.
B’reishit: Obstacles to Learning Torah
The Torah was lowered into our world at a time when prophecy was a lived experience. Attempting to understand it in a post-prophetic era comes with many challenges we need to take into consideration.