The story of Dinah in Parashat Vayishlach is more than a tragic incident—it is a mirror into the fractures inside Jacob’s family long before Shechem ever appeared. To understand why Jacob responded one wayand why his sons responded another, we must go back to the beginning.

Night settled slowly over the camp, pulling its long shadow across the tents of Jacob and his children. The torches burned low, and the sound of livestock quieted. A heavy stillness lay over the camp—a stillness Jacob felt inside his chest.

Vayishlach (“And he sent”) opens with Ya’akov Avinu (Jacob our Father) preparing to meet Esav after twenty years of separation—twenty years filled with fear, guilt, and unanswered questions.

This week we enter one of the most mysterious moments in all of Scripture — Ya‘akov’s dream of a ladder spiraling into the heavens. But what if that ladder wasn’t straight at all? What if Ya‘akov saw the very blueprint of life — a living, spiral staircase like DNA, with angels ascending and descending on the divine code that would shape Israel and bring forth the Messiah? Discover how ancient rabbinical commentary, Hebrew text, and the teachings of Yeshua illuminate this mome

1. The Torah Narrative in Context 1.1 The Birth of Two Nations (Gen. 25:19–34) Rebekah conceives twins after years of barrenness. The struggle in her womb leads her to inquire of Adonai, and God reveals: “Two nations are in your womb… the older will serve the younger.” (Gen. 25:23) From the beginning, this is not merely a story about two brothers — it is prophetic history. Esau represents a man of the field, impulsive and led by his appetites. Jacob represents a quiet man, dw

Bereshit / Genesis 23:1 – 25:18 Introduction Parashat Chayei Sarah begins not with Sarah’s life — but with her death . “The life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years — these were the years of Sarah.” (Genesis 23:1) The sages have long noted that the name of this portion is paradoxical. Why is the portion called "Chayei Sarah" — the Life of Sarah — when the very first thing recorded is her death? Rashi teaches that the Torah lists Sarah’s years in t

Fire did not fall on Sodom as a random punishment. It was the climax of a culture that hardened itself against compassion, humility, hospitality, and justice. Sodom was not just immoral — it was apathetic. Self-centered. Comfort-addicted.Spiritually numb. Ezekiel gives the divine diagnosis: “Behold, this was the guilt of Sodom — she had pride, fullness of bread, abundance of idleness — but she did not strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.”— Ezekiel 16:49 This is crucial.

Before fire ever fell…before judgment ever came…Abraham stood in the gap. He didn’t say: “They deserve it.” “They’re wicked.” “Let God take care of them.” Instead — he pleads. He negotiates. He uses covenant status not for his own benefit…but to lift the burden of others. This is the true heart of priesthood. The righteous do not delight in judgment — they seek mercy. This is exactly what the apostolic writers understood. Paul writes: “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer t

This week’s portion opens with a simple yet overwhelming sentence: “And HaShem appeared to him…” (Genesis 18:1) Avraham is sitting outside his tent — still sore from circumcision — in the heat of the day. It’s quiet, it’s dry, the desert is still. And suddenly… God shows up. But God doesn’t appear alone. Three mysterious visitors approach Avraham’s tent. And even in pain, Avraham runs to serve them. He doesn’t hesitate. He doesn’t wait for them to ask. He offers his best — fr

The portion Lech Lecha opens with a simple yet life-altering command. God tells Avram to leave everything — his land, culture, and family and journey toward a promise unseen.

1. Introduction — More Than a Tower For centuries, the story of the Migdal Bavel (מִגְדַּל בָּבֶל) — the Tower of Babel — has been told as a cautionary tale about human arrogance. But what if the tower was never just about rebellion or architecture? What if it represented humanity’s first attempt to build a religious center of revelation, a place where heaven and earth could meet — a temple for divine inquiry? In Genesis 11:1-9, the people of Shinar united under one speech (L

Few verses in the Torah have generated more confusion than Genesis 6. Some claim it tells of angels who descended to earth, married women, and produced hybrid offspring — giant half-gods. But this interpretation does not come from the Torah, nor from traditional Jewish thought. It arose centuries later under Greek influence and apocryphal imagination. The Torah’s account is far more profound — and far more human.

Parashat Noach • Genesis 6:1 – 11:32 “But God remembered Noach…” — Genesis 8:1 Before the Flood: When the Sons of God Lost Their Way Genesis 6:1–8 Before the ark, before the floodwaters, Scripture opens with a world that had lost its spiritual identity.It reveals why God chose to reset creation — not out of chaos, but out of righteous restoration. “When men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of

The Hidden Mystery of the Garments “And their eyes were opened, and they knew they were naked.”— Bereshit 3:7 This simple phrase conceals one of the deepest mysteries of creation.What did Adam and Chavah truly lose when their eyes were opened? Was it innocence, moral clarity, or something far greater — a literal glory that once clothed humanity in light? The sages of Israel have long understood that “nakedness” in this passage does not merely refer to physical exposure, but

Introduction Something I used to do with our congregants back in Beth Yeshua, and later with the students at Yeshiva Bet Navi, was to challenge what they thought they knew.It became almost a tradition in our classes and seminars — not to simply read the text, but to wrestle with it. The goal was never to impress with knowledge, but to awaken understanding. Yet this was not always easy. Every class had people on different spiritual and intellectual levels, which often force

Parashat Bereshit (בְּרֵאשִׁית — “In the Beginning”)

FROM MOSES TO YESHUA

Torah: Deuteronomy 32:1–52 Haftarah: 2 Samuel 22:1–51 Apostolic: Romans 10:14–21 This week’s Torah portion, Ha’Azinu (הַאֲזִינוּ —...

Discover the weekly Torah portion Vayelech (Deuteronomy 31:1–30), where Moses prepares Israel for his departure and commissions Joshua with courage. The portion highlights God’s enduring presence, the importance of His Word, and the call to faithfulness. We explore these timeless lessons alongside the writings of the first century (New Testament) where Yeshua and His disciples echo the same covenant truths.