Chanoch’s Greatness “And Chanoch walked with Hashem, but he ceased to exist, because Hashem had taken him”. Bereishit 5:24 Yalkut Reuveni quotes a Midrash that Chanoch (Enoch) would stitch shoes, […]
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.
In The Beginning The Torah begins, “Bereishit barah elokim – in the beginning Hashem created” (Bereishit 1:1). Targum Yerushalmi renders, “with wisdom Hashem created”. Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch shlit”a explains that […]
Shabbat On The Seventh Day This week’s Torah reading details the creation of the universe. God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. The conclusion of […]
Hachnasat Orchim The Right Way (Avot 1:5) “יוֹסֵי בֶּן יוֹחָנָן אִיש יְרּוׁשָלַיִם אוֹמֵר, יְהִי בֵיתך פָתּוח לִרְוָחָהֶָּך, וְיִהְיו עֲנִיִים בְנֵי בֵית” “Yose Ben Yochanan says: Your house should be open […]
Twistable Words Most of us remember that when Yaakov (Jacob) spoke to Yitzchak (Isaac) to get the brachot (Blessings), and Yitzchak asked his identity, he replied, “Anochi Esav Bechorecha, I […]
Food for the Trip In the past, I wrote a column about being prepared (I’m a prepper!) Well, recently I was heading to Israel to see my daughter (single and […]
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 […]
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 […]
