The Great Flood Happened… One of the biggest catastrophes the world ever experienced is recorded in this week’s Torah reading. The sins of the inhabitants of earth reached such a […]
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.
The Evil Generation The generation of Noach was filled with wickedness and idol worship. Their behavior was so corrupt that the entire world had to be destroyed. Only the righteous […]
“And the earth had become corrupt before Hashem, and the earth had become filled with lawlessness. And Hashem saw the earth and behold it was corrupted, for all flesh had […]
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, […]
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 […]
