by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields When Moses told God that he would not be a good leader, one of Moses’s excuses was that he was not a man of words. That excuse was dismissed as not an issue, because Aaron...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields In Parashat Shemot, a new Pharaoh came to power in Egypt, who did not know Joseph. The new Egyptian leader was scared that the children of Israel would...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields This Shabbat, with the reading of Parashat Vayechi, we conclude the book of Genesis, Sefer Bereshit. When we conclude a book of the Torah, it is customary...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Our Torah Reading, Parashat Vayigash, shows Joseph face to face with his brothers. No matter how many times one reads this story, we may still hold our breath...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Joseph is the classic rags to riches story – although he did not start with rags. Joseph was the favorite son of his father Jacob; he was wrapped in the coat of many colors,...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields In Parashat Vayeshev, we read about Joseph’s dreams. It is a wonderful Torah reading – which even has its own Broadway show and soundtrack. One might wonder – was...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields In this week’s Torah reading, Parashat Vayishlach, Jacob prepares to meet his brother Esau, who he ran away from, fearing that Esau would kill him because Jacob...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields In this week’s Torah reading, Parashat Vayetzei, Jacob has a dream, where angels are ascending and descending on a ladder towards heaven. God promises him that...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Parents playing favorites is something that many try to avoid, but sometimes does happen. Sometimes one child is more similar to a parent, and that can either cause a greater...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields It always seems surprising that the name of this week’s Torah reading is Parashat Chayyei Sarah, the life of Sarah, and our matriarch Sarah is actually deceased. The...