by RabbiOlivier | Jan 26, 2012 | Adult Learning, Torah Reflections
Parashah (portion) Bo – God Acts in Wondrous Ways Exodus 10:1 – 13:16 Our Torah portion opens, this week, with the last four plagues to befall Egypt. “Then the Eternal One said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh. For I have hardened his heart… so that I...
by RabbiOlivier | Jan 19, 2012 | Adult Learning, Torah Reflections
Parashah (portion) VaEira – Know Thyself To Be Enslaved Exodus 6:2 – 9:35 Every year, as I meet the text narrating the plagues of Egypt, I am confronted with the same paradox. God commends Moses to ask Pharaoh to free the Hebrews. Pharaoh refuses. God brings...
by RabbiOlivier | Jan 13, 2012 | Adult Learning, Torah Reflections
Parashah (portion) Shemot – You Can Take Moses Out of Egypt, But… Exodus 1:1 – 6:1 This week marks the beginning of the Exodus story with Moses as its central character. At its core, this story is one of liberation. And beneath its literal level, it...
by RabbiOlivier | Jan 7, 2012 | Adult Learning, Torah Reflections
Parashah (portion) Vayechi – Conditioned Happiness Genesis 47:28 – 50:26 Last week as I studied the Torah portion, after reading numerous rabbinic commentaries, an image emerged of Jacob’s soul-to soul connection to his son, Benjamin. Upon...