After last week's cliffhanger ending, we continue the story of Joseph and his brothers in this week's parsha. Judah begs Joseph to allow him to become a prisoner in place of Benjamin. The brothers are fearful for their father Jacob's life, since he is so close to Benjamin. Joseph, unable to conceal his identity any longer, reveals himself to his brothers. They are astounded. Pharaoh learns that Joseph's brothers are in Egypt. He directs Joseph to invite Jacob and his entire household to live in Egypt. Joseph extends the invitation, sending along gifts and provisions for his father's journey, but warning his brothers not to quarrel on the return to Canaan. Jacob is told that Joseph is alive and waits to see him in Egypt. One night during the journey, God calls out to Jacob and tells him that he will prosper in Egypt and that Joseph will be present at Jacob's deathbed.
Jacob and Joseph have a tearful reunion. The family continues to work as shepherds in Egypt in the region of Goshen. The famine continues in Egypt and Joseph sells grain to the people. Eventually, the people sell all they own to Pharaoh in order to purcahse grain. By the end of the famine, PHaraoh owns all of the land in Egypt save the land of the priests. At the end of the famine, Joseph gives seed to the people and directs them to repay Pharaoh with one-ffith of their harvest.
Questions for your Table:
Based on the text, Benjamin replaced Joseph in his father's affection and attention. Why didn't the brothers hate Benjamin as they once hated Joseph?
After all that has occurred, Joseph forgives his brothers, yet he did punish them. Why do you think this is? Have you ever felt vengeful? When? Why?
The text does not record what the brothers told their father about Joseph. We do not know from the story whether they confessed their role in Joseph's disappearance. Why do you think they didn't confess to their father?
Two years have passed since the events of Parashat Vayeishev and Joseph remains in prison. One night, Pharaoh has two dreams which no one in his court can interpret. The cupbearer recalls from his own time in prison that Joseph interpreted dreams correctly, and tells Pharaoh of this talented Hebrew prisoner. Pharaoh calls upon Joseph and tells him of his dream. Joseph tells Pharaoh that dreams and interpretation come from God as messages, and that both of his dreams - dreams of fat and skinny cows and dreams of full and shriveled ears of corn - carry the same message - there will be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh places Joseph in charge of food collection during the years of plenty and the subsequent food distribution during the years of famine. Joseph is given an Egyptian name, Tzaf'nat Panayach, and a wife, Asenat.
Meanwhile, back in Canaan, Jacob, who has since had two more sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, is forced to send his sons to Egypt to buy grain during the famine. Jacob keeps Benjamin at home. When they arrive, Joseph recognizes his brothers but the opposite is not true. Hiding his identity, Joseph accuses them of being spies and decides to test them. He tells them to return to Egypt with their youngest brother, Benjamin. They are given grain, and each is secretly given back his money. Joseph keeps Simeon as a hostage until the brothers come back with Benjamin.
When the brothers return to Canaan and tell Jacob of the demand, he initially refuses to send his beloved Benjamin, until he realizes that the severe famine and their need for food might call for undesirable actions. Benjamin accompanies his brothers on their return trip to Egypt, where Joseph continues the test. After placing grain in their sacks, he again secretly returns their money. However, this time, he also places a silver goblet in Benjamin's bag. When his brothers leave to return to Canaan, Joseph sends his men after them, accusing them of theft. The parsha closes with Joseph declaring that Benjamin must remain in Egypt as his slave, but the other brothers are free to go.
Questions for your Shabbat table:
The stories of Joseph often revolve around dreams - what makes dreams so interesting? They are often found to be important in many cultures around the world - why do you think this might be?
Pharaoh, who was impressed with Joseph's ability to interpret dreams, calls him "discerning" and "wise" - what do YOU think makes someone wise?
Joseph correctly interprets Pharaoh's dream as foretelling of years of plenty and years of famine. What causes famines? Is there anything you can do to help those who suffer from famine?
When his brothers arrive in Egypt, Joseph decides to test them. Do you think he was acting out of revenge or was he trying to find out if he could trust them?
Have you ever wanted to get even with someone who did something wrong to you? What did you choose to do? How did you feel afterwards?
For your viewing pleasure, the cartoon version of Miketz:
Vayeishev, the ninth parsha in Breishit, the book of Genesis, begins its final extended narrative: the story of Joseph.
Joseph was the beloved son of his father Jacob - in fact, the Torah says that Jacob/Israel loved him best of all his son, and, accordingly, had made for him an ornamented tunic, the better with which to show his affection. When his brothers saw this preference, they hated the boy so much that they could not speak a kind word to him.
Joseph had a dream, which he told to his brothers, after which they hated him even more. In this dream, Joseph and his brothers worked in a field binding sheaves of wheat, when his sheaf stood up and remained upright. His brothers' sheaves gathered around and bowed low to his sheaf. His brothers, quite angered by this image of their younger brother ruling over them, confronted him, asking if Joseph thought he was better than them and that he would one day rule over them.
Unfortunately he dreamed another dream, this time consisting of celestial objects in the sky - the sun, the moon, and eleven stars, all bowing down to our friend, Joseph. He, of course, relayed his dream to his father and brothers, and Jacob berated him, saying "What is this dream you have dreamed? Are we to come, I, your mother, and your brothers, and bow low to you to the ground?" Again, his brothers' hatred grew even more, and this time, even Jacob was keeping an eye on the situation.
Joseph's brothers, by this point, had quite enough of their boastful youngest brother, and they found a way to sell him to a passing caravan heading for Egypt for twenty pieces of silver. They took Joseph's special garment, the evidence of Jacob's favoritism, and smeared it with the blood of a young goat, making it look as if the boy had been horribly mauled by a wild beast. They brought this tunic back to their father, who mourned the death of this favored child, unaffected by their attempts to comfort him. Meanwhile, Jacob was carried away to Egypt by the Midianites, who sold him to Potiphar, a courtier of Pharaoh and his chief steward.
Even though he was in a strange land, Joseph began to prosper. He became Potiphar's personal assistant, eventually putting him in charge of all his household. Unfortunately, Mrs. Potiphar also appreciated Joseph, trying to lure him into compromising situations. Joseph rebuffed her advances, causing her to accuse him of taking advantage of her. Potiphar, believing his wife, cast Joseph out and had him imprisoned.
While in prison, Joseph met up with two men who had served the Pharaoh - a cupbearer and a baker - but had unfortunately angered him to the point of being imprisoned themselves. Both of these former servants and dreams that confounded them; one morning, Joseph came upon them and asked what was the matter, for they seemed distressed. They shared these troubling dreams, and Joseph, quite a whiz with dreams and interpretation, helped the men find the meaning behind the dreams. Ultimately the dreams foretold of the reinstatement of the cupbearer to Pharaoh's palace and the unfortunate demise of the baker - both of these prophecies came true. And while the poor baker lost his life, the cupbearer was reinstated to his position, and the parasha concludes with the cliffhanger, "Yet the cupbearer did not think of Joseph; he forgot him." What happens to Joseph? Does he stay in prison forever? Does the cupbearer remember his helpful friend? Tune in next week for Parashat Mikeitz, the continuation of the Joseph story.
Questions for your Shabbat table:
This parsha, we are told, gives us the story of Joseph at the tender age of seventeen, and can be seen as a story of a young, immature teenager, especially in how he treats his brothers. Give an example from the past week/month when you felt or acted very maturely, and one in which you felt or acted immaturely. Describe what was different between these two experiences and why you acted in these ways.
Based on the events read in this parsha, do you think Joseph's brothers regretted their actions? Why or why not?
Do you remember your dreams? Do you ever tell them to other people? Do your dreams make sense to you, or are they difficult to understand?
"Jacob sent (vayishlach) messengers ahead to his brother Esau in the land of Seir..."
Our story continues 20 years after last week's parasha, Vayetze, where Jacob left Canaan for Haran, meeting Rachel and entering into a problematic betrothal agreement with her father, Laban, that ended with his marriage to both Rachel and her older sister, Leah. In ParashatVayishlach, Jacob decides to return to Canaan with his large family, and begins to nervously prepare for his reunion with his estranged brother Esau, whose land they must pass through during their travels. His messengers return with the report that Esau is bringing 400 men to his meeting with Jacob. Obviously threatened by this news, Jacob divides up his family and flocks into two camps, hoping that one will survive if the other faces what Jacob considers to be an inevitable attack. After sending Esau a lavish gift of animals, Jacob begins the process of moving along his entourage. Once he safely sees the last across a river, Jacob was left alone. That evening, he wrestles with a mysterious "man" who injures Jacob in the thigh, leaving him with a limp, and bestowing upon him a new name, Yisrael, meaning "one who has struggled/wrestled with God." Eventually, Jacob and Esau meet without incident and peacefully go their separate ways.
After a brief detour through Shechem, God tells Jacob to travel on to Bethel and to build an altar there. Once they arrive in the appointed place, God appears to Jacob and confirms upon him this new name of Yisrael and reaffirms with him the covenant made between God and the family of Abraham. Rachel dies in childbirth (with Benjamin) and is buried along the road to Ephrat. Isaac dies at the ripe old age of 180, and both Esau and Jacob do their duty by their father and bury him. The parshaconcludes with the recitation of the genealogy of Esau's descendants.
A few questions for your Shabbat table:
Jacob's new name was Yisrael, or Israel, which means to struggle with God. What does it mean to struggle with God? Have you ever struggled with God?
A person's name is very important, sometimes telling what the person is like. In the Torah, when someone's name is changed, it means that the person has changed too. How do you think Jacob changed when he became Yisrael?
Part of ParashatVayishlach shows us the tension Jacob anticipated in his meeting with Esau. Have you ever had a fight with anyone in your family? How did you feel? What feelings did you have to wrestle with in order to make peace with each other?
Jacob received his new name after he wrestled with a man (eesh in Hebrew), but his new name says that he wrestled with God (el in Hebrew), not a man. Why do you think this is? Was the mysterious wrestler a man, or perhaps something else?
Many synagogues are called "Beth El," like the site in this parasha where God tells Jacob to build an altar. Beth El literally means "a house of God" - what do you think makes a synagogue like a house of God?
Parshat Vayeitzei, the seventh portion in the book of Genesis (Bereisheet), tells of Jacob leaving (va'yeitzei - and he left) Beer Sheva and headed for Haran. Along the way, he stops for the evening, and goes to sleep, using a stone for a pillow. That night he had dreamt of a ladder than stretched up to the heavens with angels ascending and descending the structure. God stands beside Jacob and tells him that the land on which he stands will one day belong to Jacob and his descendants and they will be blessed. Additionally, God promises that Jacob will return safely to his home.
In Haran, Jacob comes to his Uncle Laban's house, and falls in love with Laban's daughter, Rachel. In exchange for Rachel's hand, Jacob agrees to work for seven years. At the end of the seven years, the wedding feast Jacob prepares to marry Rachel, but finds Leah as his bride instead. Understandably upset by this outcome, Jacob confronts Laban, only to be told that it is not Laban's practice to marry off the younger daughter before the older. The agree that Jacob will be allowed to marry Rachel as well, but must work another seven years.
After his many years of servitude and the arrival of many children, Jacob decides it is time to leave his uncle's home and return to the land of his birth. Jacob and Laban work out an agreement over the payment of Jacob's wages, but Laban's sons are unhappy with the arrangement. With Laban suddenly expressing some doubts as well and the situation becoming increasingly tense, Jacob, Rachel, and Leah decide to leave quickly, not even stopping to say goodbye. On the way, Rachel steals her father's set of idols. When Laban discovers that these important items are missing, he pursues his daughters and son-in-law. Laban catches up with the groups, and he and Jacob discuss the matter, eventually resolving a number of issues that had built up between the two of them over Jacob's twenty years with Laban's household. The two reconcile, and Jacob and his family resume their journey.
Questions for your Shabbat table:
When Jacob awoke from his dream, he sensed God's presence and was changed. Have you ever had a dream experience that had such an effect on you?
During his time in Haran, Jacob is the victim of tricks and lies. What do you do when you think someone is not being honest with you? How does it make you feel?
Have you ever lied to anyone? How does it make you feel? How do you think the other person feels if they discover the truth?
Is it ever acceptable to lie? Why or why not?
At the end of the portion, Jacob and Laban discuss their disagreements and are able to resolve some of their differences. Can you think of someone with whom you disagree with whom you could make peace?
And now your weekly Torah cartoons based on this week's parsha.
"These are the generations of Isaac the son of Abraham..."
Toldot, the title of this week's parsha, means "generations," and this portion of Torah begins by recounting the family background of Isaac in preparation for its description of his adult life. The story of Isaac and his beloved Rebecca is very similar to that of his parents, Abraham and Sarah. Both couples share great difficulty in getting pregnant, and Parshat Toldot begins with Isaac praying to God on Rebecca's behalf, for she is barren. Lo and behold, God responds to Isaac's plea and Rebecca conceives twins. The first twinges of sibling rivalry are felt within her womb, as it says that they struggle within her. The first twin to emerge is red and hairy and is named Esau; the other, born holding Esau's heel, is called Jacob. The twins are quite different from each other with different interests and temperaments - Esau is a hunter, Jacob is a quite individual who chooses to stay in camp. Isaac favors Esau, but Rebecca loves Jacob.
One day, Esau returns from a day of hunting to find Jacob preparing a delicious fragrant stew. Esau comes in starving and demands food. As payment, Jacob, always the wily one, manipulates Esau into selling him his birthright in return for the hot meal, which Esau does with no hesitation.
The parsha continues with the tale of a famine in the land, but God commands Isaac to remain in Canaan and not travel to Egypt so that Isaac might receive the blessings God bestowed upon his father, Abraham (i.e., a great nation and land). There are interactions with local neighbors, some cases of mistaken identity and/or relations (Isaac pretends Rebecca is his sister - much as Abraham did with Sarah when they traveled to Egypt), Isaac becomes wealthy and is asked to leave the area, and a series of wanderings ensue, with Isaac eventually settling in Beersheva and making a peace treaty with the Philistines.
The end of the parsha brings us the end of Isaac's life - he grows old and the time of blessing his offspring is at hand. This is the famous story of Rebecca's intervention that causes Jacob to steal his older brother's blessing. She convinces Jacob to deceive his father by impersonating him - he dons animal skins and pretends to be Esau, in turn receiving the blessing rightfully due his older brother. Jacob, encouraged by his mother's fear of Esau's reaction to this theft, flees to Haran to his uncle Laban's home.
A few questions for your Shabbat table:
The Torah tells us that Jacob and Esau were not identical twins - they looked very different from each other. In what ways - your appearance, your hobbies, the way you view the world - are you similar to other members of your family? In what ways are you different?
Think of a time that you were jealous of a family member of friend. What made you jealous? How did you feel inside? How did you act?
For parents: Describe a time when you acted like Rebecca. For children: describe a time when you acted like Jacob.
In order to get his father's blessing, Jacob had to trick Isaac. Was this the right thing to do? Why or why not?
What could this family have done differently? What advice would you give them to handle this situation better?
Think of a choice you made on impulse. What were the consequences? Would you have acted differently if you had considered the repercussions of your actions?
If Jacob already received his brother's birthright when they agreed on the deal over a bowl of soup, why did he also need his father's blessing?
This week's Torah cartoons...
And new this week - a "partoon" from The Bible Players - the parsha in 60 seconds:
This week's parsha, Chayei Sarah, or "The Life of Sarah," begins with Sarah's death at the age of 127. By this point, Sarah and Abraham were living in Canaan, and at the time of her death, they had reached KiryatArba, a city now located in the West Bank's Judean Hills near Hebron. It was here that Abraham bargains with Ephron, a Hittite, for a burial place and purchases the Cave of Machpelah (sometimes called the Cave of the Patriarchs) and its surrounding field.
Following Sarah's death, the parsha focuses on the next generation with Abraham's decision that Isaac must wed. He sends his servant Eliezer back to, Aram-Naharaim, Abraham's homeland, in order to find a suitable prospect. Upon arriving in the city of Nahor, the servant prays to God to direct him to the woman chosen for Isaac. He approaches a well, the communal gathering area for the city, and decides for himself what he is looking for: if a young woman approaches him and offers some help, she would surely be the one God intends. Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, comes to the well, and through her kindness to the stranger and her haste to ensure his comfort, it is clear to Eliezer that she is the right wife for Isaac.
Eliezer and Rebekah return to Canaan, where she and Isaac fall in love. The parsha closes with Abraham's death at the age of 137, and Isaac and his brother Ishmael bury him in the Cave of Machpelah beside Sarah.
A few questions for your Shabbat table:
When Eliezer arrives in the city of Nahor, he is alone and knows no one. What does it feel like to be a stranger? What kinds of things can you do to make someone who is new to your school, class, or community feel welcome?
Eliezer decided that the right wife for Isaac would have to pass a kind of test. Why did Rebekah pass Eliezer's test? How can we be more like Rebekah?
When Sarah dies in the beginning of the parsha, it says that Abraham mourned her passing, but the portion says nothing of Isaac's grief until the very end of the parsha. When Rebekah arrives in Canaan, she and Isaac fall in love. It is at this point that he is finally able to mourn the loss of his mother. Why might it have taken the discovery of Rebekah for Isaac to be comforted?
In Chayei Sarah, Isaac's wife is determined for him by his father. As a family, discuss whether there are things children should be able to do without their parents' consent. How does the age of a child affect the answers to this question? At what age should children be able to act completely independently of their parents?
In this week's Torah cartoon, take a closer look at the interaction between Eliezer and Rebekah.
Like many parashot in B'reishit (Genesis), ParshatVayera is jam packed with stories and lessons. The parsha opens with a visit to Abraham from messenger, who bring predictions of the birth of Isaac. This greatly amuses Sarah, who, understandably, can hardly believe she is to become a mother at the ripe old age of 90.
God later appears to Abraham and foretells the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. A discussion ensues in which Abraham bargains for the citizens of these cities. The story continues with Lot having to flee Sodom, and his wife is turned into a pillar of salt after ignoring the warning to not look upon the annihilation of the city as they escape.
The parsha ends (after a brief sojourn in the land of Gerar) with the birth of Isaac, the banishment of Hagar and Ishmael, and the near-sacrifice of Isaac.
A few questions for your Shabbat dinner table:
During this parsha, Sarah gives birth to her son who is named "Isaac," which is derived from the Hebrew word for laughter. Why might this be the name chosen for Isaac? What is so funny about his birth?
Take this time to discuss names and the meaning behind them. How did everyone in your family get their name? Are they named for someone? What characteristics of that person might you want to emulate?
When God tells Abraham about the wickedness of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham tries to bargain for the citizens of those two cities. How do you think Abraham felt trying to argue with God? Have you ever had an occasion to argue for something you thought was very important?
At the end of the parsha, we see the story of AkedatYitzchak, the binding and near-sacrifice of Isaac, which we read during RoshHashanah. Some people read this as God testing Abraham's commitment and devotion, and it seems that Abraham has passed the test. Ask every family member to think of a very strong belief he or she holds or a value to which he or she is committed. Would any of you put the belief or value above the lives of those you love?
And as always, here is a fun quick look at ParshatVayera - this video takes a deeper look at the story of Hagar and Ishmael.
Last week's Torah portion, Noah, introduced Terach, the father of Abram, Abram, and his brothers, Nahor, and Haran. Terach and his family, including Abram's wife Sarai (whom we are told is barren) and Haran's son Lot, leave their home in Ur of the Chaldeans for the land of Canaan. However, they never complete the journey, settling in a place called Haran instead.
As this week's parasha begins, God says to Abram: "Lech lecha" meaning "Go forth" from your home and father's house "to a land that I will show you (Genesis 12:1)." God promises to bless Abram and make of him a great nation. So Abram sets out with Sarai, Lot, their material possessions, and "the souls that they had acquired in Haran (Genesis 12:5)." When they arrive in Canaan, God again appears to Abram to tell him that God will assign this land (Canaan) to Abram's descendants.
Abram first settles in Shechem, but then moves southward. A severe famine induces him to go to Egypt. Worried that the Egyptians will kill him and take his beautiful wife, Sarai, Abram instructs her to say she is his sister. The ploy apparently works, with Sarai being taken into Pharaoh's palace for the pleasure of the Pharaoh, and Abram acquiring many animals and slaves. God, however, afflicts the palace with a plague and Pharaoh discovers the lie and sends Abram and Sarai away.
Returning to the land of Canaan, conflict between Abram's and Lot's herdsmen develop, and Abram suggests that they go their separate ways. Lot chose to settle in the well-watered plain of the Jordan, near the city of Sodom, while Abram remained in Canaan. Again God appears to Abram, telling him to look in all directions at the land God will give to his descendants.
As the portion continues, an intertribal war breaks out during which Lot and his family are taken captive. When Abram learns of this, he gathers soldiers, pursues the captors, and frees Lot and his family.
Once again, God appears to Abram, promising him a great reward. Abram asks God how this can be, since he is going to die childless. But God promises him that his offspring will be as numerous as the stars of heaven. God directs Abram to offer sacrifices, which Abram does.
Sarai gives Abram her handmaid Hagar to bear a child. But when Hagar becomes pregnant, tensions develops between the two women. When Sarai complains to Abram, he tells her to do what she wants to do. She treats Hagar harshly, and Hagar runs away. An angel of God appears to her and tells her to return, promising her a son, Ishmael.
God again appears to Abram -- now 99 years of age -- repeating promises of the covenant. God changes his name to Abraham, which the Torah ascribes with the meaning "the father of a multitude of nations. God also changes Sarai's name to Sarah. God introduces a sign of the covenant: every male shall be circumcised at eight days old. God also promises that Abraham and Sarah will bear a son, Isaac, who will carry on the covenant. As the portion ends, Abraham, Ishmael, and all the males in Abraham's household are circumcised.
Table talk
In what ways do you think it is important to break with the past, and in what ways must we maintain ties?
The last two words of verse 2 can be translated as it (your name) shall be a blessing, or as you shall be a blessing. What is the difference? Think of one of your ancestors. How was he or she a blessing to you? How has his or her name been a blessing to you?
Abram might have found it difficult to leave family and friends behind, as Ramban suggests, but he packed up and settled in Canaan. When is the draw of a new place strong enough to outweigh ties to a place you’ve lived? Would you ever consider moving to Israel, as Abram did?
Why do you think God insisted that Abram leave his homeland, and his family and travel to a new land? What are some of the qualities that Abram had that enabled him to make his journey? In what ways do you think this journey was both physical and spiritual?
Imagine how hard it was for Abram to obey God and leave everything behind and go to a new place! What kind of person do you think Abram was? Make a list of all the words that you can think of that describe someone like Abram. How many of those words describe you?
Many of our grandparents or great grandparents had to leave the place of their birth and travel a great distance in order to start a new life in America. Do some research into your family history and find out why your ancestors left their homeland.
Think of something new that you would like to introduce to your family's Shabbat observance. This might be something as simple as singing Shabbat songs after dinner or it could be a decision not to do any work or shopping on Shabbat. What can you learn from this week's Torah portion that might help you start on this new journey?
Throughout the first stories of the Torah, people begin to learn about the responsibilities and boundaries of their relationship with God. In last week'sparsha,ParshatB'reishit, we see Adam and Eve punished for disobeying God's rules and learn the lessons involving familial responsibilities taken from the experiences of Cain and Abel.
In this week'sparsha,Parshat Noach, we skip forward ten generations. The world has gotten so bad that God decides to start anew. Luckily, there was a man named Noah, atzaddik, someone whom the Torah calls "righteous," which apparently goes a long way in a world filled with murder, meanness, and people generally not treating each other appropriately. It was such a good thing that God tasks Noah with building an ark and saving his family and a whole bunch of animals - seven pairs of "clean" (kosher) animals and one pair of "unclean" animals (B'reishit7:2). Once the flood watersrecede, it is up to Noah's family and passengers to repopulate the world.
Unfortunately, while Noah's righteousness saved his family from the devastation of the great flood, it did not seem to pass through the subsequent generations. By the time we get to the story of Babel, located towards the end of Parshat Noach, humans have grown proud and try to build a tower that will reach the sky. God disapproves, the tower comes crashing down, and humans are left with a number of different languages, unable to communicate effectively.
Some questions to ponder (perhaps at your Shabbat dinner table):
How does the Torah describe Noah? What types of character traits do you think Noah had? How was he different from the other people around him?
In several of the stories in the first part of B'reishit, people are punished for trying to be like God - give some examples of how it can be good to try to be like God. What are some things God can do that you are unable to do?
How many of each animal does God instruct Noah to bring on the ark? Why are there different numbers? Are there animals you think should have been left off? Why?
Noah's family was stuck on the ark together for a very long time - how do you think they felt at the end of their boat ride? Has your family ever taken a long trip together? What was that experience like?
The last story in this parsha has a lot to say about communication - what are some ways your family can communicate better?
Just for fun, here is a quick animated look at Parshat Noach, courtesy of BimBam.
One of the most beautiful things about Torah is that every year, we get to rediscover each story, lesson, and law. After Simchat Torah, once we have gone through the arduous task of rolling and rolling the scrolls and parchment from the end of D'varim all the way back to the beginning of Bereishit, we start anew. After all of the experiences of the year that has ended, we begin to read the parashot, the weekly Torah portions, with eyes that have changed just a bit since the year before.
This Shabbat we start again with ParshatBereishit, the first parsha in the first book of Torah. Like many of the parashot in the first two books of Torah, Bereishit contains a number of pretty seminal Biblical stories. We have the story of Creation, human beings are created and given the task of protecting the Garden of Eden, the expulsion from the Garden of Eden, the story of Cain and Abel (are we our siblings' keepers?), and the birth of Adam & Eve's third son, Seth. Torah lists the ten generations between Adam and Noah, and the parasha concludes with God's sorrow over human wickedness.
Some discussion questions:
Each time God creates something, Torah says that it was "good" - what do you think this means?
Why do you think God names things? What is the importance of a name?
In Jewish tradition, Shabbat and holidays begin at sundown - what clue in these first verses explains why this is?
What does it mean to be your "brother's keeper"? What are your responsibilities to other people in your family?
Check out this quick cartoon of Parashat Bereishit:
I will leave you this week with something a little fun - Torah in Haiku. This comes from The Torah in Haiku and was written by Ed Nickow of Temple Chai in Long Grove, IL.
Cain's question to G-d: "Am I my brother's keeper?" The right answer? "Yes"
On the first day of the thirteenth month following the Exodus from Egypt, God commands Moses to take a census of all the Israelite males over 20 years of age who are able to bear arms. Moses and Aaron and the heads of each tribe record the census. The total counted is 603,550.
The Levites, however, are counted in a separate census, since they are not to bear arms. Moses assigns to them specific duties for the care of the Tabernacle. They are to camp around the Tabernacle to guard it. The rest of the Israelites are told to camp in four groups of three tribes under their ancestral banners around the Tabernacle.
Originally, firstborn Israelites were consecrated to God, since they escape the plague of the death of all firstborn in Egypt. Now, God tells Moses to appoint the Levites as priests in place of the firstborn. Twenty-two thousand male Levites over one month old are counted by Moses and Aaron. They are assigned to help Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar with the work of the Tabernacle.
Moses also counts all the firstborn males over one month old among the rest of the Israelite population - a total of 22,273. A redemption price of five shekels per head is collected and paid to Aaron and his sons for the 273 firstborn Israelites in excess of the male Levites.
A separate census is taken of the Kohathite clan of the Levites which is given the task of carrying the sacred objects and their furnishings on the journeys of the people. The Kohathites are cautioned not to touch any of the sacred objects or furnishings of the Tabernacle. Aaron and his sons are charged with the job of covering and inserting poles into all the objects in the Tabernacle in preparation for the Kohathite porterage.
Finally, Eleazar, the son of Aaron, is made responsible for the Tabernacle and all its furnishings.
Synopsis courtesy of Teaching Torah, by Sorel Goldberg Loeb and Barbara Binder Kadden
For your Shabbat table:
This portion is the first in the book of Numbers (Hebrew: Bamidbar) - one of the reasons it is called "numbers," is because it starts off with the counting of all of the Israelites - a census. Why might it have been important to take count of everyone, especially those males over the age of 20 who are able to fight?
What makes you special as an individual? What special qualities do you add to your family?
While this portion counts individuals, it also talks of larger groups of people - the families and clans within the Israelites. Even today our last names can give us information about our background - while some names have biblical tribal connections - Cohen, Kahn, Katz are often associated with Kohanim and Levy, Levine, and Leventhal are often Levites - others tell us of more recent connections in history, like where are families came from (city or place names) or the jobs they used to do. What do you know of your family history? Where do your names - first and last - come from?
Parashat Behar-Bechukotai Leviticus 25:1 - 26:2 and Leviticus 26:3-27:34
Parashat Behar
Synopsis:
Moses speaks to the Israelites about some laws that are to take effect in the land that God will give them.
For six years, the people will be permitted to plant and harvest from their fields and vineyards. But the seventh year is to be a year of complete rest for the land. In the seventh year, the Israelites will not be permitted to work their fields, but they will be allowed to gather and to share whatever the land produces. God assures the people that in the year before the Sabbatical year, there will be a bountiful harvest so that there will be sufficient food to tide them over until the harvest of the eighth year.
The Israelites are told to count seven times seven years - a total of forty-nine - and to mark the arrival of the fiftieth year with a blast of the horn on the Day of Atonement. The fiftieth year is to be a Jubilee, a year of release for the land and all its inhabitants.
In the fiftieth year, the land is to lie fallow, property is to revert to its original owner, and all Hebrew slaves are to be freed. Houses in walled cities are exempt from this regulation - they can be redeemed for only one year after their sale. The houses of the Levites are to be redeemable forever.
The Israelites are to make special effort to redeem land or persons who have been forced to sell their holdings or bind themselves into slavery. Israelite slaves are to be treated as hired laborers and are to be freed in the Jubilee year, whereas non-Israelite slaves are seen as property - they are not subject to the laws of the Jubilee year.
The portion concludes with a reminder to the people not to set up or worship idols, but to keep God's Sabbaths.
Parashat Bechukotai
Bechukotai begins with a promise and a curse. If the Israelites follow God's laws and commandments, God will bless them. Their land will be fertile and peaceful and their enemies will flee before them. But if the people do not obey, God will spurn and punish them. Their enemies will dominate them, their land will not produce, and they will live in fear. At last, those who survive the punishment will repent, and God will remember the covenant with Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham.
The Book of Leviticus concludes with a section detailing three types of gifts which might be promised to the sanctuary. The first type of gift consists of a promise to contribute a certain sum of money (specified in the text) equal to the valuation assigned to persons based on gender and age. For example, the amount to be given for a male of 60 years is 15 shekels and, for a female over this age, 10 shekels.
The second type of gift involve the giving of animals or property. Both were sold, and the proceeds went towards the maintenance of the sanctuary. Animals without blemish could be specified by the donor for use as a sacrifice. Gifts of this type are redeemable at their value as assessed by a priest, plus one-fifth.
The third type of contribution, which a person dedicated to God (be it man, beast, or land) cannot be redeemed; everything thus given is totally consecrated to God.
The Book of Leviticus concludes with several versus on tithes and the redemption of tithes, and with the statement: "These are the commandments that Adonai gave to Moses for the Israelite people on Mount Sinai."
Synopsis courtesy of Teaching Torah, by Sorel Goldberg Loeb and Barbara Binder Kadden
For your Shabbat table:
Behar details two different ways of marking significant amounts of time, both of which serve to be a "reset" - for the land and also for the people. Why do you think it is important to designate time to let the land rest?
Behar talks about the Jubilee year, which occurs every fifty years as a way for the land and for its inhabitants to be "released" and to rest. What are ways you create a fresh restart for yourself? Are there other times of the year that are set aside as a Jewish way to give yourself a reset or a new beginning?
Many commentators note that the blessings that follow observing the commandments are described briefly only in ten versus of Bechukotai, whereas the curses resulting from rejecting God's laws are 28 verses long. Do you think someone choose to follow rules because of the rewards they might gain or the punishment they might get from breaking the rules? What motivates your choices?
Synopsis: Moses is to inform the priests of the special rules which they must obey. The priests are to refrain from coming into contact with a corpse, they are not to shave smooth any parts of their heads, and they are forbidden to marry a divorced woman. The priests are to be scrupulous as they carry out their duties. Any priest who has a physical defect or is ritually unclean is forbidden to offer sacrifices to God. So, too, the Israelites are to take care to bring blemish free offerings to God. No animal less than eight days old is acceptable as a sacrifice and no animal shall be slaughtered on the same day as its young. Then Moses speaks to all the people about the holy days in the year. Apart from the Sabbath, which occurs every seven days, the Israelites are to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread and, seven weeks later, a celebration of the harvest. The first day of the seventh month, the people are to mark as a sacred occasion with loud blasts and the tenth day of the same month shall e a Day of Atonement.
The fifteenth day of the seventh month is the Feast of Booths. This holiday is to be observed for seven days, and the people are to mark the eighth day with a special sacrifice. On all of these holidays, the Israelites are told not to work at their occupations, and special observances are prescribed.
Moses further reminds the Israelites to bring clear olive oil for the regular lighting of the lamps in the Tent of Meeting. He then instructs them in the baking and displaying of the twelve loaves of display bread for the altar.
The portion concludes by describing an incident wherein a man born of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man fights with another man born of two Israelite parents. The half-Israelite blasphemes God's name in the course of a fight. God tells Moses that the man is to be stoned to death as punishment. So Moses tells the Israelites of the penalty for blaspheming God or pronouncing God's name, and also of the rules by which restitution is to be made for crimes.
Synopsis courtesy of Teaching Torah, by Sorel Goldberg Loeb and Barbara Binder Kadden
For your Shabbat table:
The beginning of this week's portion describes the special rules for those people who are the priests. Why might they need to act different than the rest of the people? Do you think it would be difficult to be treated so differently in order to have such a special position among the Israelites?
Part of this parasha explains the observance of Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot and includes a reminder to leave corners of the fields untouched for the poor. What does this kind of action have to do with these holidays?
How do you think your holiday celebrations are the same as in biblical times? How do you think they are different?
It’s difficult to imagine that Jews have been observing and celebrating holidays such as Shabbat, Pesach, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot for thousands of years. Why do you think these holiday celebrations have survived for so long?
What is your favorite Jewish holiday? What is it about that holiday that makes it so special for you?
