Parsha- SoulWords

Tetzaveh: Mystery of the Menorah

According to a sketch made by the Rambam, the decorative goblets on the Menorah were upside down. How can we understand this when the halacha is that all items in the San

Terumah: The Effects of Giving

Why is this name of this portion "Terumah" (lit. "donation") when the main point of the portion is what the donations were used for—namely the construction of the Sanctua

Mishpatim: Torah and Healing

This week's portion is the source for the idea that we should seek medical treatment when in need of healing. But if Torah says we should go to doctors, why does the Talm

Yisro: Wash Your Own Clothes

Why does it say that the Jewish people were doing their laundry before the revelation at Sinai? And what does this teach us about the proper relationship between the shep

Beshalach: Making Bitter Waters Sweet

How do you deal with people and situations that leave a bitter taste in your mouth? Find out by analyzing a strange story that takes place in this week's Torah reading ab

Bo: Group or Individual?

Which takes precedence in Torah—the person or the group? Does Judaism promote an individualist society or a collectivist society? For an understanding of the true nature

Va'eira: How to Talk to Pharaoh

Hashem told Moshe to deliver his messages to Pharaoh in Hebrew, a language that Pharaoh did not even understand. Why was this? And what surprising lesson can we learn fro

Shmos: Do You Know Your Name?

What is the most important idea to know in Judaism? The name of the second book of the Five Books of Moses is known as Shmos in Hebrew, meaning "names." How is "names" a

Vayechi: Does Torah Disturb You?

Before his passing, Yaakov asks his son, Yosef, to bury him in Chevron although he did not do the same for Yosef's mother, Rachel. Yaakov then proceeds to explain his rea

Vayigash: Can You Be Nostalgic for the Future?

"And to his father [Yosef] sent... from the best of Egypt." Says Rashi: "This is old wine." Why did Yosef specifically send his father old wine after twenty-two years of

Miketz: Dreams, Materialism, and Gelt

Why did Yosef have the same dream twice? And how is this different than Pharaoh who also had the same dream twice? The answer lies in understanding how each of us simulta

Vayeshev: Kindness at the Speed of Light

"And [Yosef] asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in prison... 'Why are your faces sad today?'" (B'reishis 40:7.) How did this seemingly small act of asking two fel

Vayishlach: Appointment with Moshiach

Following their dramatic showdown, Yaakov tells Eisav that he will meet him at Mt. Seir, but never shows up there. Based on this story, the Gemara says that if a non-Jew

Vayetze: Unconventionally Beautiful

The Torah tell us that Rachel was beautiful but that Leah had "bleary eyes"? On a deeper level, this describes two personality types—the conventional spiritual beauty of

Toldos: See No Evil

Rashi says that Yitzchak became blind from the smoke of the idolatrous incense of Eisav's wives. Why did the smoke not blind anyone else? We can begin to understand this

Chayei Sarah: Are You a Thermometer or a Thermostat?

Rashi tells us of the years of the life of Sarah: "They were all equally good." Knowing what we know about all of the ups and downs of Sarah's life, is it really possible

Vayeira: Akeida & Marriage

Undoubtedly, one of the most dramatic events in all of the Bible is the Akeida (binding of Yitzchak as a sacrifice.) Yet after this climactic event, this week's portion c

Lech-Lecha: Two Lessons from Avraham on Dealing with People

1. How do you become popular without selling out? How do you appeal to the masses without diluting your message? We learn a powerful lesson in reaching out to others whil

Noach: Storytelling

A piece of essential advice for Jewish parents is hidden in the first Rashi of the Torah portion of Noach. We need to tell our children stories, especially stories of the

Bereshis: Teach Your Child to Go Wild

We often think of raising children in terms of disciplining them and reining them in. But what about teaching them to be a little bit wild once in a while? Is there a pla