D'var Torahs

Getting Up After Loss When Sarah Imeinu dies, the Torah describes Avraham’s response in a very moving sequence: “וַיִּסְפֹּד לְשָׂרָה וְלִבְכֹּתָהּ” “He eulogized Sarah and cried for her.” (Bereishit 23:2) Avraham mourns. He gives voice to his grief. He cries. And then the Torah tells us: “וַיָּקָם אַבְרָהָם מֵעַל פְּנֵי מֵתוֹ” “Avraham rose from before his dead.” (Bereishit 23:3) That word, vayakam, he arose, teaches us a profoundly important lesson. Avraham does not get u

The Seeds of Kindness Avraham Avinu had just undergone his bris milah/ circumcision. He was recovering, sitting at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. On the most painful day post-op he saw three visitors approaching, he did not remain seated and wait for them to come to him. He got up and ran to greet them. He gave them water to drink and to wash their feet. He sat them under a tree so they would be protected by its shade. He hurried to Sarah’s tent, asked her t

Becoming a Channel for Kindness Parashat Lech Lecha introduces us to Avraham and Sarah, through whom G-d begins to build a nation with a unique mission. G-d tells Avraham, “Lech lecha,” go forth and promises him, “Ve’heyeh berachah” “You shall be a blessing.” Avraham is not simply promised a life of blessing. He is being asked to become a blessing to others. Through him and Sarah, a legacy of kindness will enter the world and be carried forward by the Jewish people. In the m

In In Parshat Noach, the Torah describes a world that has become deeply corrupted. “Vatishachet ha’aretz lifnei ha’Elokim, vatimalei ha’aretz chamas.” “The earth was corrupt before G-d, and the earth was filled with violence. The Torah does not only describe the corruption of humanity. It says that the earth itself was corrupted. Our Sages teach that the corruption extended even to the animal kingdom. The world that G-d had created to sustain life had become a world of chama

What Does it Mean to be Human? The Torah at the very beginning of Sefer Genesis tells the story of the creation of humankind twice. And the two stories seem to describe two very different kinds of human beings. In the first account, G-d creates man and woman together: “And G-d created man in His image… male and female He created them.” G-d then tells them to: “Fill the earth and subdue it.” Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik names this man, Adam 1 or, “Majestic Man.” Human beings ar