That man sins is part and parcel of being human. It is the basis of the most special day of the year, that of Yom Kippur. Proper preparation for, and…
Vaera: Fighting Fate
One of the amazing features of man is his ability to adapt to practically any and all situations. When facing tragedy, we often feel that we can no…
Vaera: Let My Leader Lead
One often hears people bemoaning the dearth of leadership that seems to surround us. Whether it is in politics, religious life or in the sphere of…
Vaera: 137 and Counting
One hundred and thirty seven is not a number that would appear to have much significance, at least not from a Jewish perspective. Yet the Torah found…
Vaera: It Took A While
Moshe was frustrated. Having been coerced by G-d to redeem the Jewish people, things were not going as planned. As Moshe confronted Pharaoh,…
Vaera: The Sons of Korach
The initial meeting between Moshe and Pharaoh did not go well. The workload placed on the poor Jewish slaves was increased, and more importantly, the…
Vaera: When the Going Gets Tough
The story of the slavery and subsequent redemption of the Jewish people focuses almost entirely on Moshe, Aharon and Pharaoh. Strangely, the thoughts…
Vaera: Searching for G-d?
"G-d spoke to Moshe, and said to him, 'I am the Lord. I revealed myself to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as G-d Almighty, but My name YHVH…
Vaera: The Right Reason
Sometimes the reason why one does something can be even more important than what was actually done. While our Sages note that one should strive to…
Vaera: Status Quo
"And they did not listen to Moshe, from short spirit and hard work" (7:9). Moshe had a daunting dual task before him. Not only did he need to…