Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Vayeishev 5781 – Can a Parent Have a Favorite Child?
This week’s lesson is with Rabbi Reuven Spolter In a recent episode of the Crown, Margaret Thatcher mentions that he son is her favorite child. This raises the challenging question of whether parents can or should have favorites. In Parashat Vayeishev, the Torah tells us that Yaakov preferred Yosef, leading to disastrous results. Does this […]
Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Vayishlach 5781 – Yaakov and Eisav: Jews in a Non-Jewish World
This week’s lesson is with Rabbi Reuven Spolter The Sages viewed the fateful reunion between Yaakov and Eisav as a symbol of the future relationship between Yaakov’s descendants – the Jewish people, and Eisav’s progeny, the nation of Edom. In the verse that describes their meeting in the Torah, we find some strange dots. What […]
Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Vayetze 5781
This week’s lesson is with Rabbi Johnny Solomon In our parashah, Yaakov reaches “the place” where he stops for the night and dreams his famous dream with the ladder that reaches the heavens. In the text, we find an unusual number of mentions of this “place”. Rav Johnny Solomon describes one explanation for this phenomenon. […]
Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Toldot 5781
This week’s lesson is with Rabbi Reuven Spolter In our parashah, Yaakov is faced with the challenge that if he follows his mother’s instructions, he has to lie to his father. What do you do when you cannot tell the truth? In this Kitah lesson, we see how Rashi explains what Yaakov tried to do […]
Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Chayei Sarah 5781
Kitah’s Parshah Lesson for Chayei Sarah 5781 – with Rabbi Johnny Solomon In our parashah, we find Avraham taking an active role in purchasing a burial plot for his wife, as well as in finding a wife for his son. Based on this narrative, Rabbi Johnny Solomon shares a powerful idea from Rabbi Dr. Jonathan […]
Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Vayera 5781
Kitah’s Parshah Lesson for Vayera 5781 – with Rabbi Reuven Spolter Benjamin Franklin wrote in his “Poor Richard’s Almanac” that one should “Speak little, do much.” Who did he learn this lesson from in our Parshah? You can find the source sheets here if you’d like to print them out for the Shabbat table. Know […]
Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Lech Lecha 5781
Kitah’s Parshah Lesson for Lech Lecha 5781 – with Rabbi Reuven Spolter This week we read about Avram’s different adventures and trials. We also meet a person who we learn has incredible strenght and power – an ancient Iron Man. Do you know who he is? You can find the source sheets here if you’d […]
Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Noach 5781
Kitah’s Parshah Lesson for Noach 5781 – with Rabbi Johnny Solomon After the flood, Noach sends out a raven and a dove. But why does he use these two birds for this purpose? Who gave him permission to do so? And what can we learn from here about the connection between Noach and Moshe? You […]
Parshat Hashavua for Parshat Bereishit 5781
Kitah’s Parshah Lesson for Bereishit 5781 What was Noach’s original job, before he became an “ark builder”? By studying a Rashi near the end of the Parshah, we can learn about Noach, what his name means, and how Rashi uses Midrash to explain the pesukim. You can find the source sheets here if you’d like […]