Corporate Torah

Shabbat Vayigash Dvar Torah Before the family of Jacob descends to Egypt to reunite with Joseph, Judah is sent ahead “lehorot lefanav.” - roughly translated to guide before the rest of the family. The classic commentator Rashi explains this in two ways: to prepare the practical details of settling in a new land, and to establish houses of learning. We can suggest that these are not competing ideas but the two crucial  and symbiotic  elements of Jewish communities to this day. A community needs logistics and livelihood together  with  values and vision. Judah’s role teaches that the foundations of strong communities are built when we create environments of material and spiritual growth. Shabbat Shalom! This Dvar Torah is dedicated to the full and speedy recovery of my sister Leora Channah bat Shulamit Nechama

Eighth Day of Channuka Dvar Torah - The Light That Continues After seven nights of increasing light, last night we reached the peak of Chanukah by lighting all eight candles of the menorah. We recalled the well-known miracle of the small flask of oil — meant to last just one day, yet burning for eight. It’s natural, at that moment, to feel a hint of sadness or even anxiety as the final candles begin to dim. What happens when the lights go out? What becomes of the warmth of gathering with family and friends, of the joy and meaning we felt during these eight nights?The Torah reading for the eighth day of Chanukah offers a powerful response. Rather than focusing on endings, it describes completion. It tells the story of the dedication of the Tabernacle — the moment when it was finished and ready to begin its purpose. The menorah was lit, and sacred life began within it. This moment mirrors the Chanukah story itself. After years of desecration, the Temple in Jerusalem was rededicate...

Shabbat Mikeitz, Channuka, and Rosh Chodesh Dvar Torah - Strength by virtue of spirit On Shabbat Chanukah, the weekly reading from the Prophets comes from the book of Zechariah. In it, the prophet describes a powerful vision: a golden menorah, flanked by olive trees that provide it with a constant supply of oil. When Zechariah asks what this image means, he is given a timeless answer: “Not by might, and not by power, but by My spirit, says G-d.” This vision was given at a moment of national vulnerability. The Jewish people had returned from exile in Babylonia, the Second Temple was under construction, and the political and military realities were daunting. Zechariah’s message was clear: the strength of the Jewish people does not ultimately radiate from the battlefield or political dominance. Our deepest strength has always come from living with purpose, values, and faith — from walking in the ways of G-d. Chanukah is the lived expression of this idea. We certainly remember the ...

Dvar Torah - Timeless Resilience Rabbi Dr. Akiva Posner served as the last Rabbi of Kiel before the Holocaust. This famous image (see below) of mind-boggling juxtaposition was taken from the window of the Posner family home in Kiel, Germany in 1931. Hannukah, in its essence, is a celebration Jewish resilience. In the face of spiritual and cultural decimation at the hands of the Seleucid Greeks, the Maccabees raised the banner of Jewish pride and led by divine miracles, succeeded in restoring Jewish rule to the land for over 200 years. That hope and resilience has been handed down generation to generation, each lighting the Channuka candles in changing circumstances, some in calmer times others in more tumultuous ones. On the back of the picture of the Posner family Menorah, Rachel Posner (Rabbi Akiva’s wife) inscribed: "Death to Judah" So the flag says "Judah will live forever" So the light answers The Posner family went on to make Aliyah to Israel, where...

Shabbat Vayeshev Dvar Torah Joseph is sold by his brothers into slavery and brought to Egypt, where, despite the bleakness of his circumstances, he refuses despair and adapts with grace to his new master’s household. Soon after, he is falsely accused by his master’s wife and cast into Pharaoh’s prison, once again stripped of all freedom. At this stage, we would readily forgive Joseph had he surrendered to hopelessness. Yet he musters remarkable resilience, rebuilding himself even in confinement and rising to a position of responsibility, extending compassion to his fellow prisoners.It is here that Joseph encounters two new inmates: Pharaoh’s dismissed Chief Baker and Chief Sommelier. The ensuing narrative—among the great biblical epics—unfolds from his interpretation of their dreams, which ultimately brings Joseph before Pharaoh, elevates him to viceroy of Egypt, and enables him to orchestrate the salvation of the entire region from famine, including his own family in Canaan.My father ...

Parshat Vayishlach Dvar Torah Parshat Vayishlach opens with th dramatic and long-awaited confrontation between Yaakov and his brother Esav. Decades earlier, Esav had sworn to kill Jacob, and now he approaches with an army of four hundred men. In response, Jacob sends “melachim”—messengers—to Esav along with lavish gifts to placate his anger. Rashi notes something striking: melachim here should be interpreted literally—angels, not human messengers. Even as Esav advances with troops, Yaakov is preceded by a heavenly vanguard. Divine protection is real and present. Yet despite this spiritual backing, Yaakov refuses to rely solely on miracles. Our sages emphasize that he prepares himself in three ways: T efillah – turning to Hashem in prayer Doron – engaging in diplomacy with gifts Milchamah – preparing tactically for the possibility of war. Yaakov teaches a profound lesson: the physical and the spiritual must work hand in hand. Divine help does not exempt us from human effort. Ou...