Skip to main content

Vaeira (2026)

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 even when the cost was enormous. But it need not have been that way. Each and every one of us has the ability to do good and are given the individual agency to achieve great things. Nothing is deterministic, except the barriers we place before ourselves.

Shabbat in/out times
Yerushalayim 16:19/17:38
Tel-Aviv 16:38/17:40
London 16:04/17:20
Madrid 17:56/18:59
NYC 16:36
Santiago 20:37/21:37
More Shabbat times

Shabbat Shalom!

This Dvar Torah is dedicated to the full and speedy recovery of my sister Leora Channa bat Shulamit Nechama



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Chayei Sarah (2025)

Shabbat Chayei-Sarah Dvar Torah – The Legacy of Lech-L’cha Abraham — like any Jewish father — is worried. Sarah has passed away, Isaac has come of age, and he needs to find his son a wife. What follows is the legendary narrative of Eliezer, Abraham’s trusted servant, journeying to Aram-Naharayim — Abraham’s homeland — where he miraculously encounters Rebecca. Her kindness and generosity shine through immediately, and she unhesitatingly says “yes.” But why did Isaac need a wife from abroad? The same question arises with Jacob — why were the women of Canaan unsuitable for the patriarchs? I once heard a beautiful insight from my sister (whose given name, incidentally, is Rebecca). The defining trait of our patriarchs was their willingness to venture into the unknown in response to God’s call. Abraham heard the command of “Lech Lecha” — to leave behind everything familiar — and he went on to the Promised Land. To join this family and become the mothers of the Jewish people, the mat...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ki-Tavoh (2025)

Shabbat Parshat Ki-Tavoh Dvar Torah – Judaism’s Day 1 Culture As Moshe concludes his review of the commandments on the banks of the Jordan, he tells the people:  “On this day Hashem your G-d commands you to observe these laws.”  The wording is striking— why “on this day”?  Wasn’t this already commanded at Sinai? The classic commentator Rashi explains that the Torah is reminding us to approach it as if every day were “Day 1” —fresh, new, and full of energy. That’s not easy. But the way we can keep Torah alive is by making it personal. When we learn, reflect, and discover new insights, we’re not just repeating old lessons—we’re expanding them, renewing them, and incorporating them in our own lives today. At this point when Moshe concludes his own masterclass (see Ramban), he hands us the baton to keep learning, discovering, and letting that continual renewal be the source of ongoing excitement and purpose in Jewish life. Trivia Following Shabbat, Ashkenazim will ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Vayeira (2025)

  Shabbat Vayeira Dvar Torah The portion of Vayeira opens with the famous scene of the ninety-nine-year-old Abraham standing at the crossroads on a sweltering summer day. Though still recovering from his circumcision just three days earlier, he eagerly awaits passing travelers so that he might invite them into his home. Soon, three angels appear on the horizon, disguised as men, and Abraham and Sarah rush to host them with enthusiasm, grace, and kindness. As they sit down to eat, the angels deliver the astonishing news that Sarah, in her old age, will bear a son — Isaac. The Ramban notes that although Abraham had many servants at his disposal, he nonetheless chose to personally attend to the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim rather than delegate it to others. More than that, he performed it with zeal and wholehearted devotion. We may extend the Ramban’s insight to a broader principle: when it comes to chesed — acts of kindness — personal involvement is paramount. Organization, ...
Post a Comment
Read more