The spiritual existence of the Jewish people demands effort from us, and we must not settle for a physical existence devoid of spiritual significance.
The feeling of ascending and descending energy resonates throughout the story of the descent into Egypt, the first of four preordained exiles.
Miketz opens with Joseph rising from the darkness of prison to great light, while Hanukkah celebrates the end of darkness with the Maccabean rise to power.
When we pray and seek salvation, we must remember the two foundational aspects of prayer: God’s mercies are the goal to which we aspire; and God can indeed deliver us from any trouble.
From this broken place, these dire straits, we call out to the Blessed One to show us the good and to perform miracles for us in this place, our homeland.
This most enigmatic encounter of Jacob wrestling with a mystery “man” arouses many questions. Who is this unnamed adversary with whom Jacob struggles all night until the break of dawn?