Living through the Parshah

The story of Cain and Abel gives us incredible insight into human nature and a fatal flaw that many of us share called “overachievement.” Cain is the classic overachiever. He tries to reach for the best, but ends up with the worst.

G‑d created Adam and Eve unclothed, and they walked around the Garden of Eden . . . naked. If public nudity was fine with G‑d, why does the Torah tell us to be modest, to cover up, to subdue our natural allure? What changed?

Disagreements in marriage can be a real exercise in humility and maturity and force us to transcend our subjectivity. If we embrace the discomfort of the dispute we can come out with a lot more than a wounded ego...