Why are “supporting characters” so vital in Torah narratives? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy explore Parshat Chayei Sarah, focusing on the remarkable qualities of Rivka and Eliezer. Rivka’s extraordinary acts of chesed (kindness) and Eliezer’s…
Tanakh, Torah, Bereishit (Genesis), Chayei Sarah
What does the Torah teach us about encountering grief? As we mourn the tragedies of October 7, Ilana Gleicher-Bloom and Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield explore Avraham and Yitzchak’s response to the passing of Sarah. How does Avraham mourn for his wife,…
Tanakh, Torah, Bereishit (Genesis), Chayei Sarah
Parashat Chayei Sarah and Preparing for Thanksgiving. Credits: Tovah Leah Nachmani and Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield – Pardes Faculty
Tanakh, Torah, Bereishit (Genesis), Chayei Sarah
Parashat Chaye Sarah 5782 – Rivka: The Original Influencer Description: In Parashat Chaye Sarah, Avraham sends his servant Eliezer on a mission to find a spouse for his son Yitzchak. Avraham doesn’t offer much in the way of criteria, but…
Tanakh, Torah, Bereishit (Genesis), Chayei Sarah
At least half of the relationships in our modern times don’t last. When we are looking for love that will last, how do we know what to look for? And once we find love, how do we rekindle the sparks…
Tanakh, Torah, Bereishit (Genesis), Chayei Sarah
My teacher, Rabbi Yehudah Amital, suggested a different interpretation (for the Jewish home). These three features are in fact, characteristics of a Jewish home: A light from Shabbat to Shabbat Blessing in the dough A cloud tied to the Tent…
Tanakh, Torah, Bereishit (Genesis), Chayei Sarah, Educator resources, Meaning-making
In this podcast Avraham is old, of advanced age, and Hashem blessed Avraham with everything. Gen 24:1. What does it mean to be fully blessed? The perspectives of the Talmud, the Sefat Emet, and the simple reading of the text. Download…
Tanakh, Torah, Bereishit (Genesis), Chayei Sarah
At the beginning of Parshat Chaye Sarah – which, weirdly enough, actually means “The Life of Sarah” – Avraham’s wife Sarah dies at the very old age of 127. Avraham, also quite old at that time, feels that he has…
Tanakh, Torah, Bereishit (Genesis), Chayei Sarah, Educator resources, Meaning-making
Our parsha begins with the words: “And the life of Sarah was..” , but does not tell us anything about her life other than how long she lived. It then goes on to say that when she died, Abraham came…
Tanakh, Torah, Bereishit (Genesis), Chayei Sarah
The Pardes Parsha Discussion is a weekly series by faculty member Rabbi Alex Israel, designed to stimulate discussion around the Shabbat table, especially with teenagers. Click here to download and print this week’s Parsha Discussion on Chaye Sarah: Social Seclusion.
Tanakh, Torah, Bereishit (Genesis), Chayei Sarah, Educator resources, Meaning-making
Through a teaching of Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, Rabbi Dr. James Jacobson-Maisels in this week’s Parsha Podcast explores the place of desire in our lives and spiritual practice, the ways we get lost in it and the ways we can…
Tanakh, Torah, Bereishit (Genesis), Chayei Sarah
The Parsha Discussion is a new project that was set up by Pardes faculty member Rabbi Alex Israel. It is a weekly parsha sheet that is designed to stimulate a discussion around the Shabbat table, especially with teenagers, based around…
Tanakh, Torah, Bereishit (Genesis), Chayei Sarah, Educator resources, Meaning-making
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