Vayetze(He Went Out)B’resheet(Genesis) 28:10-32:3 Haftorah Reading: Hosea 11:7-12:12 Today I want us to look at something that I feel will speak to each of us. Let’s begin with reading Genesis 29:1. In this verse we read where, “Jacob went on his way.” However, when we read this verse in Hebrew it reads differently. In Hebrew it […]

Torah Portion: Shoftim(Judges)D’Varim(Deut.) 16:18-21:9 Haftorah Reading: Isaiah 51:12-53:12 Our Torah portion today, Shoftim, is always read on the first Shabbat of the month of Elul. This month is the month leading up to the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot.  Therefore, it is considered to be the perfect time to reflect on our lives. It is an opportune time to consider those things that may have been overlooked and need to be set straight between us and the G-d of the universe. I pray each of us will use this time wisely to do exactly that.

Torah Portion: Re’eh (See)D’Varim(Deut.) 11:26-16:17 Haftorah Reading: Isaiah 54:11-55:5 Today we will look at several crucial topics. These topics should speak to all of us. I would like to start with the first verse of our Torah portion. Deut. 11:26 reads, “Behold (see) I set before you today a blessing and a curse.” Our portion then goes on to tell us the conditions for receiving the blessings and by contrast what the curses will be for not following G-d’s commandments.

Torah Portion: Ekev (Because)D’Varim(Deut.) 7:12-11:25 Haftorah Reading: Isaiah 49:14-51:3 Today I want us to look at Deut. 11:7. This verse reads, “Because your eyes are the ones seeing all the great works of the L-rd that He has done.” In the first nine verses of chapter 11 Moshe was speaking directly to the current generation of the children of Israel. They were the ones about to cross over the Jordan to enter the land of Israel. Earlier he had stressed to the people how important it was that they follow  G-d’s word, His commandments as they crossed the Jordan.