Five Books of Moses

The three periods in Jacob’s life—Hebron, Haran and Egypt—as guideposts through three modes of living: how to exploit transcendent “moments of truth,” how to exhilarate in struggle, and how to exist under subjugation.

Is it a self-improvement thing, like a woodworking class or a therapy session? Is it a duty, like obeying the law of the land and going to work in the morning?

“Is it not enough for the righteous what is prepared for them in the World to Come,” the Midrash declares, “that they also ask for a tranquil life in this world?” But why not? Does G‑d have a limited quantity of tranquility to mete out?

Maimonides calls him "the most perfect human being", and the sages of the Talmud said that "the Divine Presence spoke from his throat." Yet the Torah also attests that the man who took the Children of Israel out of Egypt and received the Torah from G-d ...

Shimon, the second son of Jacob and Leah, was born on Tevet 21 (according to another opinion, on Tevet 28), of the year 2194 from creation (1567 BCE), nine years after Jacob's arrival in Charan. Jacob was 86 at the time (by another calculation, Shimon ...

Tzipporah, Yithro's daughter, was famous for her fine character and beauty. In Midyan, where she lived with her father and six sisters, people often talked of Tzipporah's kindness and wisdom. Many were the princes who came to Yithro, seeking the hand of ...

Jochebed, the mother of Moses and Aaron and Miriam, surely was one of the greatest Jewish women that ever lived. Think of it: Moses, who brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and who received the Torah on Mount Sinai. Aaron, who was the High Priest ...

Avrohom Ovinu (Abraham Our Father) was born at a time when idolatry ruled everywhere. Even his own father Terah was an idolater, who, in fact, made a thriving business of selling idols of various sizes and various materials. (Under Abraham's influence ...

Isaac (Yitzchok) resembled his father Abraham in many ways. In fact, he looked so much like his father that there could be no mistake in anybody's mind about their being father and son. Our Sages say that G-d fashioned Isaac's face to be exactly like his ...

Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah, are the four Matriarchs (Mothers) who built up our Jewish nation. Sarah was the first Matriarch, and Abraham was the first Patriarch (Father) of our Jewish people. The Torah gives us many more details about our Father ...