TweetShare via emailThis quotation, from this week’s Torah reading, is surely one of the most well-known phrases in the Bible. And I have often pointed out that it’s really a half-quote, distorted, read as a cry for freedom. In actuality, G-d is telling Pharaoh to give the Jews a new, Divine Master: “Send out My …
Monthly Archive: January 2010
Jan
15
Jan
08
A Jew is Immediate Family
TweetShare via emailIn this week’s reading, Moshe sees an Egyptian beating another Jew, and comes to his rescue — killing the Egyptian taskmaster, and putting his own life in danger. Why did Moshe take such a terrible risk? The Jewish man is never identified by name. We never hear from him again — we don’t …
Jan
01
Donate Your Smile
TweetShare via emailIn our reading this week, Yaakov blesses Yehudah by saying, “His eyes will be read from wine, and his teeth white from milk.” Rabbi Yochanon (Kesuvos 111b) changes one vowel and reads, “and to whiten his teeth from [more than] milk.” To give a warm smile is better than giving him milk. One …
