Thoughts on the Parashah

The Scepter Parted from Judah

THOUGHTS ON THE PARASHAH Rabbi Evan Hoffman – Congregation Anshe Sholom evanhoffman@gmail.com Parshat Vayechi – פרשת ויחי January 11, 2020 – יד טבת תשפ The Scepter Parted from Judah Jacob blessed his fourth son, Judah, with the promise of future leadership in Israel: “The scepter shall not pass from Judah, nor the mace from between...

by January 10, 2020 – 13 Tevet 5780

Life Interrupting Prayer

THOUGHTS ON THE PARASHAH Rabbi Evan Hoffman – Congregation Anshe Sholom evanhoffman@gmail.com Parshat Vayigash – פרשת ויגש January 4, 2020 – ז טבת תשפ Life Interrupting Prayer The reunion of father and son after a lengthy period apart will, inevitably, be an emotional moment for each. The commentators are, accordingly, baffled by the...

by January 4, 2020 – 7 Tevet 5780

Parshat Miketz – פרשת מקץ

THOUGHTS ON THE PARASHAH Rabbi Evan Hoffman – Congregation Anshe Sholom evanhoffman@gmail.com Parshat Miketz – פרשת מקץ December 28, 2019 – ל כסלו תשפ Leadership Change The sons of Jacob found themselves in an impossible situation. Having traveled to Egypt to buy food to sustain their families through the ongoing famine, they encountered...

by December 28, 2019 – 1 Tevet 5780

Parshat Vayeshev – פרשת וישב

THOUGHTS ON THE PARASHAH Rabbi Evan Hoffman – Congregation Anshe Sholom evanhoffman@gmail.com Parshat Vayeshev – פרשת וישב December 21, 2019 – כג כסלו תשפ Let her be burnt Twice widowed, Tamar patiently waited for the opportunity to enter into levirate marriage – her clear right as a matter of then-prevailing custom...

by December 20, 2019 – 23 Kislev 5780

Too Much Charity?

THOUGHTS ON THE PARASHAH Rabbi Evan Hoffman – Congregation Anshe Sholom evanhoffman@gmail.com Parshat Vayetze – פרשת ויצא December 7, 2019 – ט כסלו תשפ Too Much Charity? The Babylonian Talmud records an enactment of the rabbinic conclave at Usha (Galilee, mid-second century CE), which forbade a Jew from dispensing more than one fifth of...

by December 6, 2019 – 9 Kislev 5780

Who Owns the Land?

THOUGHTS ON THE PARASHAH Rabbi Evan Hoffman – Congregation Anshe Sholom evanhoffman@gmail.com Parshat Chayei Sarah – פרשת חיי שרה November 23, 2019 – כה חשון תשפ This essay is sponsored by Marlene & Armand Lerner in memory of Isidor & Bertha Ader and Jacques & Mia Lerner. Who Owns the Land? Following Sarah’s death, Abraham

by November 24, 2019 – 27 Heshvan 5780