Corporate Torah

  Shabbat Beshalach Dvar Torah After decades of slavery, what would you pack when leaving Egypt? The Exodus story offers surprising details. The Israelites carried Joseph’s remains to honor his final wish, weapons for self-defense, and matzah, since there was no time to let bread rise. The list goes on. One item, however, stands out: drums and tambourines. After the splitting of the sea, in a dramatic end to a dramatic scene, thousands of women suddenly take out these instruments as Miriam leads a song of gratitude. It is a powerful moment—but it raises a question. In a rushed escape where there was not even time to bake bread, who thought to bring musical instruments? The medieval commentator Rashi explains that the righteous women of the generation were confident they would witness miracles, and prepared in advance to celebrate them. This reflects not only deep faith, but also deep personal responsibility to fulfilling Hakarat Hatov (recognizing the good) a core Jewish value th...

Shabbat Bo Dvar Torah – A Night for Generations In this week’s portion, the Torah describes the night of the Exodus as leil shimurim —a “night of protection” - and adds a striking phrase: “for all generations” accentuating that this night carries meaning beyond its original historical context. In Jewish law, this idea is expressed in practical ways. For example, since Passover night is considered a “protected night,” certain prayers are shortened as the night has a different spiritual status marking it free from fear. But the idea runs deeper than Halachic practice. The Or HaChaim HaKadosh notes that the date of Passover was connected to other moments of deliverance in history and will be connected to future redemption as well. The Exodus itself was not a one-time rescue, but the fulfillment of a promise made generations earlier to our forefather Abraham and continuing to this day. We can suggest that the idea that there is a specific night set aside for protection and deliveran...

Shabbat Vaeirea Dvar Torah One of the famous questions in the Exodus story is about free will. The Torah says that G-d “hardened Pharaoh’s heart,” so even after terrible plagues, Pharaoh refused to let the Jewish people go. This seems to clash with the core Jewish idea that we all have free will and are responsible for our own actions. Many classic explanations are given, and I’d like to suggest an additional idea “Pharaoh” is not a personal name; it is a title. It represents power, pride, and even oppression. As long as Pharoh clung to being Pharaoh , ruler and oppressor of the Jewish people, his heart was “hardened.” Letting the Israelites go would have required more than changing his mind. It would have required a fundamental shift in his own perception of self. While free will is always present, the most radical choices can demand a shift in identity as well, not just an alternate decision. In this sense, Pharaoh’s free will was not taken away. He chose to retain his pride...

Shabbat Shemot Dvar Torah – Leadership in partnership Moses is chosen by G-d to lead the people out of Egypt, but he hesitates. He feels unprepared and unsure. G-d tells Moshe that his older brother Aharon will join him — and that Aharon is genuinely happy for Moshe’s success. There is no rivalry, no jealousy; rather, each brother values and respects the other. Moshe is the leader for moments of crisis and change. He confronts Pharaoh, leads the people through the splitting of the sea, receives the Torah at Sinai, and teaches the people how to live with purpose and values. He is the ultimate leader, who leads the people through the momentous experiences of the exodus and formation of the nation. Aharon leads in a different way. He is known as a peacemaker — someone who builds relationships, brings people together, and creates a sense of belonging. He becomes the steady presence in the Mishkan, literally at the center of the camp, helping make holiness part of everyday life. Th...

Shabbat Vayechi Dvar Torah — A Blessing for Generations At the end of his life, Jacob blesses his grandsons, Joseph’s children Ephraim and Menashe. The Torah adds an unusual phrase:  “ On that day , he blessed them.”  It’s a slightly redundant formulation which suggests added significance. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch explains that the Torah is accentuating a formational moment when the blessing Jewish parents would give their children for generations was coined —  “May God make you like Ephraim and Menashe.” Why do we bless our children for generations to be like Ephraim and Menashe? We can suggest that throughout the book of Genesis, sibling relationships are marked by rivalry: Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers. When Jacob gives precedence to the younger son, Ephraim, over Menashe, something different happens. The brothers accept it. There is no resentment, no struggle for position. Each child is secure in his own place within the nati...