Q. Where is the first source for the mitzvah of Bikur Cholim? God Visits Avraham The first encounter with Bikur Cholim in Jewish tradition is actually with God Himself! The […]
Weekly Torah Portion
Explore insights and lessons from the Book of Bereishit. Discover timeless messages from the weekly Torah portions, brought to you by Oorah’s TorahMates.
Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz Why was Avraham chosen to be the father of the Jewish nation and not Noach, who preceded him and is described by the […]
Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make me a Match… A Roman matron asked R’ Yosi ben Chalafta (Bereishit Rabbah 68:4), “Since He created the world what is God busy doing?” He answered that […]
Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz Before bringing the Great Flood (Mabul), God declared that man is so evil that He regrets having created him. Since God knows everything […]
Chesed Shel Emet – Kindness to the Dead In the beginning of this week’s Torah reading, Yaakov (Jacob) summoned his son Yosef (Joseph) and requested of him to do “kindness […]
A Dramatic Confrontation In the end of last week’s Torah reading, Parshat Mikeitz, Binyamin (Benjamin) was framed for having stolen the goblet of the ruler of Egypt, Yosef (Joseph). At […]
Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz I would have thought that the name of a child should be something inspiring, uplifting, or full of hope. Yet in the Torah, […]
The One Who Relies on God The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 89:3) says that Yosef (Joseph) is the example of one who relies on God. To support this statement, the Midrash […]
And Sit There The verse in this week’s Torah reading, Parshat Vayishlach, says (35:1), “And God said to Yaakov (Jacob), “Get up and go up to Beit-El and sit there, […]
In this week’s Torah reading, Yaakov (Jacob) flees from his brother Eisav (Esau) who wants to kill him, and goes to Charan, his mother’s land of origin, to find a […]