Torah: Ex 1:1-6:1 Haftarah: Isa 27:6-28:13, 29:22-23 Brit Chadashah: Acts 7:17-35, 1 Cor 14:18-25   Main Points: Israel’s prosperity in Egypt and Joseph’s death. Egyptian oppression and subjugation of Israel. The intervention of Shiphrah and Puah. The birth of Moses. Moses escapes to Midian. God hears the cries of Israel and calls Moses at the burning bush. Moses returns to Egypt and confronts Pharoah. Egyptians complicate Israel’s work and oppress them more. Moses turns to G

Torah: Gen 47:28-50:26 Haftarah: 1 Kings 2:1-2:12 Brit Chadashah: Heb 11:21-22, 1 Pet 1:3-9   Main Points: Jacob blesses Ephraim and Manasseh and his sons. Jacob dies at 147 years old and is buried. Joseph reinforces his forgiveness and goodwill towards his brothers. Joseph dies at 110 years old.   Jacob was at the end of his life. For one hundred and forty-seven years he had endured many problems, made his share of mistakes, and also witnessed great blessings. Now it was tim

From the Rabbi's desk. The will and purpose of HaShem does not always come without our active involvement. We can see the will of God working in many ways. Sometimes it works in isolation, but most of the time God works in partnership with his people. Yeshua conquered death, hell, and the grave but we still have to intercede and work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. He paid the price for our healing, but we still have to pray and believe. He conquered sin, but w

From the Rabbi's desk. Pray it through! Often trials and the promises of God run hand in hand. We will reap if we do not faint. There is a faith that God wants to cultivate among his people that is enduring and strong. Getting through the obstacles that hinder us is a primary function of faith. When we are afraid, our faith still tells us to advance. When we are spent, our faith tells us to hang on. When we are confused our faith directs us to God's word. Getting through, is

From the Rabbi's desk: Be a watchman. Pray faithfully. Intercede for worldwide revival. Prayer changes things and sets angels in motion. Through prayer the lie of enemy can be lifted and every wicked device stopped. Through prayer the hard heart can be watered and the seared one soothed. It is in prayer that we partner with Hashem. Push past the politics and the antics of a crazy world. See the people and pray for righteousness to be born in their hearts. Continually press in

From the Rabbi's desk. What does it mean to live a holy life? It is a life focused and committed on pleasing God and living his word as a first priority. It is a life dedicated to mirroring the character of God in all of our interactions with the world. It is a life devoted to prayer, worship, and recognizing God's sovereignty and kingship. If we want to leave the world a better place, live holy, be gracious, show compassion, practice forgiveness, be quick to repent, love

Gen 44:18-47:27 Ezek 37:15-28 Matt 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-21; Phil 2:5-11   Main Points: Judah’s intervention for Benjamin. Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. Joseph brings his father’s house to Egypt to provide for them in the famine. Jacob and his family settled in Goshen. Joseph deals grain in the famine and saves the people.   On the surface, Joseph’s life did not make sense. He was thirty years old before his prophetic dream was realized. Every trial, trouble, and trick

Hanukkah began on December 14 th  and continues to Dec 22 nd . Hanukkah means “dedication”. It is referred to as the Feast of Dedication or the Festival of Lights. It is a minor holiday, but a significant one. The occasion of this holiday occurred between times of the Tanach and the Brit Hadashah. The story is recorded in the Jewish apocryphal book of Maccabees. It occurred around 168 BCE in the reign of the King Antiochus IV. Antiochus was intent of eradicating the Jewish re

Torah: Gen 37:1-40:23 Haftarah: Amos 2:6-3:8 Matt 1:1-6,16-25; John 10:22-30   Main Points: Joseph has some dreams. Joseph thrown in a pit and sold. Judah‘s promise and Tamar’s conspiracy. Joseph in Potiphar’s house. Joseph put in jail and begins to interpret dreams of the cupbearer and baker.    Jacob left Laban's house and met a host of angels. Then a messenger was sent to Esau. This messenger may have been one of Jacob's chief servants. When Esau returned a threat in respo

Torah: Gen 32:3-36:43 Haftarah: Obadiah 1:1-21 Brit Chadashah: Heb 11:11-20, Matt 26:36-46   Main Points: Jacob sends messengers to Esau. Jacob wrestles with the Angel. Esau and Jacob meet and reconcile. Dinah is defiled. God appear to Jacob in Bethel. Issac and Rachel die. Generations of Esau.   What would have happened if Jacob and his mother had trusted God to vindicate his rightful place in all God had decreed? It is not recorded whether Rebekah communicated with Isaac an

Torah: Gen 28:10-32:3 Haftarah: Hos 12:13-14:10 Brit Chadashah: John 1:19-51   Main Points: Jacob’s Dream. Jacob works for Laban for Leah and Rachel. The war of the womb. Jacob, the master herdsman, becomes wealthy. Jacob leaves Laban’s house after God speaks to him. Mahanaim, this is God’s camp. Jacob sends messengers to Esau. Jacob ran for his life. After the incident with his brother Esau, where he disguised himself, he fled taking his blessing and little else. There is so

Parashat Toldot Torah: Gen 25:19-28:9 Haftarah: Mal 1:2-2:7 Brit Chadashah: Rom 9:1-31   Main Points: Two nations in Rebekah’s womb. Esau sells his birthright. Jacob obtains the blessing. Isaac settles in Gerar and lies about Rebekah being his sister. Isaac’s crops blessed 100-fold, and a quarrel develops over water wells. The Lord appears to Isaac in Beersheba. Abimelech makes a nonaggression pact with Isaac. Isaac blesses Jacob instead of Esau.   It is hard enough to do the

Torah: Gen 23:1 – 25:18 Haftarah: 1 Kings 1:1-31 Brit Chadashah: Matt 1:1-17, 1 Cor 15:50-57   Main Points: Sarah dies and is buried in the Cave of Machpelah. Abraham sends his chief servant Eliezer to find a wife for Isaac. Abraham dies at 175 years old and was buried beside his wife Sarah.   In last week’s parashah, Abraham struggled with the possibility of losing his promise when he sacrificed Isaac, but through God’s miraculous intervention, a ram was provided. Our parash

Torah: Gen 18:1-22:24 Haftarah: 2 Kings 4:1-37 Brit Chadashah: Luke 1:26-38, Luke 24:36-53, 2 Pet 2:4-11   Main Points: The Lord appears to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre. It was foretold that Sarah would have a child. The destruction of Sodom is discussed. Abraham intercedes. The Lord delivers Lot and his home. Lot’s daughters conspire against their father. Abraham and Abimelech’s dispute over Sarah. The birth of Isaac. Hagar and Ishmael cast out of Abraham’s home. The treaty

Torah: Gen 12:1-17:27 Haftarah: 40:27-41:16 Brit Chadashah: Rom 4:1-25, Gal 4:21-5:1, Heb 11:8-10   Main Points God calls Abram A famine forces Abram and Sarai into Egypt. Contentions between Abram and Lot force them to separate. Abram rescues Lot after Sodom is taken. Abram meets with Melchizedek who blesses him. God establishes his covenant with Abram. Sara gives Hagar to Abram to conceive children. Abram’s name changed to Abraham. God gives him the covenant of circumcision

Torah: Gen 6:9-11:32 Haftarah: Is 66:1-24 Brit Chadashah: Matt 24:36-46, 1 Pet 3:18-22, Heb 11:7   Main Points: Noach was blameless in a corrupt world. God calls Noach to build the Ark. First mention of clean and unclean animals Animals called into the Ark, Flood occurs when Noah was 600 yrs old. Noach sends a raven and doves out to see if the land was dry. God makes a covenant with Noach. Generations of Ham, Shem, and Japheth. Tower of Babel Abraham, son of Terah introduced

Torah: Gen 1:1-6:8 Haftarah: Is 42:5-43:11 Brit Chadashah: Jn 1:1-14, Col 1:15-17, Heb 1:1-3   Main Points: Creation of the world. On the seventh day, God blesses Shabbat and rests. Creation of Adam and Eve. Eden, the fall, and the expulsion. Cain kills Able. Evil and violence increases, and God prepares for judgment.   Look at creation and the wonderful, majestic photos published by our largest telescopes. We are awed by the sheer size, majesty, and beauty of the cosmos. Fro

While reviewing the Sukkot daily portion, I paused to reflect on Ezek 38:18-39:16 for this Shabbat. I am not a prophecy teacher, though I have studied it for years and I can’t help but consider how steadfast the word of God is. Ezekiel was written long ago and God foretold of an invasion by Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and tubal. This country would invade Israel and God would save his people with a mighty hand. Scripture declares in chapter 39:10, “…they will seize the sp

Torah: Deut 32:1-52 Haftarah: 2 Sam 22:1-51 Brit Chadashah: Rom 10:12-11:12   Main Points: The Song of Moses. The LORD speaks about Moses’ death.   In Parashat Ha’azinu, Moses gives his final address to the nation of Israel and one of the last things he does is he teaches the Israelites a song. In the song, he mentions the “rock” six times. God also speaks to him about the waters of meribah-kadesh where Moses struck the rock instead of speaking to it. The core issue was that

Torah: Deut 31:1-30 Haftarah: Is 55:6-8 Brit Hadashah: Rom 10:14-18 Main Points Joshua replaces Moses and leads Israel. The Law of God is to be read to the people. The Song of Moses. We are in the High Holy days and are preparing for Yom Kippur. I was recently reading an article where the writer used an old Yiddish term, "ah gut kvitel", which means a good note or little note. More loosely translated, it can mean have a good one! It is used around the time of the High Holy da