Messages from December 2024

Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: Mikeitz (Genesis 41:1-44:17) Chanukah 5785/2024

December 27, 2024
Genesis
Miketz

The Jewish Fighter Joseph was asked to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams but, instead, offered him advice. So now, let Pharaoh seek out an understanding and wise man and appoint him over the land of Egypt. (41:33) This is strange; Joseph was asked to interpret Pharaoh’s dream but no one for his opinion about what to do about […]

Rabbi O’s Weekly: Vayashev (Genesis 37-40) 5784-2023

December 20, 2024
Genesis
Vayeshev

How Do You Wrap Your Chanukah Gifts? Here’s a rarely discussed Chanukah topic: How should one give a Chanukah present? Sometimes it’s sufficient to simply ship it with an attached note but usually we have to wrap it and hand deliver it. A research team set out to find out what impact wrapping has on a recipient’s appreciation […]

Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: Vayishlach (Genesis 32:4–36:43)

December 13, 2024
Genesis
Vayishlach

Becoming a Five Percenter“Five percent of the people think; ten percent of the people think they think; and the other eighty-five percent would rather die than think.” – Thomas A. EdisonThinking must be a very hard thing if such a small percentage of people engage in it.Jacob vowed (Genesis 28:22) that he would build G-d’s house […]

Rabbi O’s Weekly Parsha: Vayetzei (Genesis 28:10-32:3)

December 6, 2024
Genesis
Vayetzei

You May Be A Hero But Don’t Realize It Around the same time that Jacob was fleeing from his brother (who sought to kill him), he was also looking for a wife. Suddenly he had a vision. He saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and angels of G-d were […]