by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Parashat Toldot sees the birth of the twins Jacob and Esau. From conception they fought; in the womb they made their presence known. God warned Rebecca that inside her...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Ironically the name of this week’s Torah reading, Chayyei Sarah, means the life of Sarah, yet it does not discuss Sarah’s life, but rather her death and the plans for her...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Parashat Lekh-Lekha begins Avram’s journey to being the father of the Jewish people, as God commands him to leave his home, his father’s home, and go to the place that...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields This week’s Torah Reading, Parashat Noach, has some of the most well known stories in the Torah: the story of Noach building the ark, and the flood; and also the story...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields This week we conclude our cycle of reading the Torah and begin again. Although we read the same words each year, they mean something very different each time we read them....
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields The fulfillment of the mitzvah of the four species of Sukkot requires us to hold together either fruit or branches from four different species of trees – the date...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields In the days leading up to Yom Kippur, we are supposed to be engaging in self reflection – cheshbon hanefesh – and analyzing how we want to change....
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Ozen (Alef, zayin, nun), which means ear, is the root of Ha’azinu, the name of the Torah reading which will be read this coming Shabbat, Shabbat Shuvah. We must truly use...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Parashat Nitzavim-Vayeilech includes some of my favorite verses in the Torah. “You stand this day, all of you, before the Lord your God… to enter into the covenant...
by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields Towards the conclusion of Parashat Ki Tavo, we read, “You have seen all that God did before your very eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his courtiers and...
