Torah Reflections
Each week, Rabbi Olivier prepares a written reflection on the weekly Torah portion. These provide yet another way to discover the texts sacred to Judaism and to prepare for Shabbat each week.
Torah Reflections – Dec. 27 – Jan. 2, 2015
Shemot Exodus 1:1 - 6:1 You Can Take Moses Out of Egypt, But... This week marks the beginning of the Exodus story with Moses as its central character. At its core, this story is one of liberation. And beneath its literal level, it is about the inner spiritual...
Torah Reflections – December 13 – 19, 2015
Vayigash Genesis 44:18 - 47:27 Four Jewish Noble Truths This week’s Torah portion marks the critical moment when Jacob and his clan descend into Egypt, setting up the stage for what will unfold next: enslavement, suffering, redemption and revelation. Jacob’s sons...
Torah Reflections – December 6 – 12, 2015
Mikeitz Genesis 41:1 - 44:17 Joseph: Interpreter of Dreams, Creator of Reality Our Torah portion begins with Pharaoh’s famous dreams. The first one: seven cows coming up from the Nile fat and sturdy, followed by seven cows sickly and gaunt. The latter eat the...
Torah Reflections – Nov. 29 – Dec. 5, 2015
Vayeishev Genesis 37:1 - 40:20 The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Joseph Meet Joseph. Joseph is Jacob’s favorite son, to whom he gave the famous coat of many colors. Though we meet him at seventeen as our Torah portion opens, Joseph is described as a lad, a youth....
Torah Reflections – November 15-21, 2015
Vayetzei Genesis 28:10 - 32:3 God Was In This Place There is one verse in this week’s Torah portion which encompasses the entirety of the Kabbalistic endeavor: “Waking from his sleep, Jacob said, ‘Truly, the Eternal is in this place, and I did not know it!’” [Gen....
Torah Reflections – November 8-14, 2015
Tol'dot Genesis 25:19 - 28:9 Inward Bound There is a popular ice-breaker I often use to start a workshop or a meeting. I ask the people present, as they introduce themselves to the group, to add before their name an adjective that reflects who they are in the moment;...
Torah Reflections November – 1-7, 2015
Chayei Sarah Genesis 23:1 - 25:18 When Isaac Met Rebekah This week’s Torah portion opens with Sarah’s death. After Abraham mourns her, he sets out to accomplish his last fatherly duty before he, too, makes his transition: finding a wife for his son Isaac. Abraham...
Torah Reflections – October 25-31, 2015
Vayeira Genesis 18:1 - 22:24 A Place of Great Evil In this week’s Torah portion we encounter a place of great evil: Sodom and Gomorrah. And God, in our story, has resolved to destroy both cities. It seems that, together with the Babel episode just a few chapters...
Torah Reflections October 11-17, 2015
Noah Genesis 6:9 - 11:32 Noah: A Righteous Man in His Generation? There is a thought-provoking Midrash about Noah from this week’s Torah portion that details a debate between two rabbis as to why the biblical author begins with introducing Noah as “a righteous man in...
Torah Reflections – August 30-September 5, 2015
Ki Tavo Deuteronomy 26:1 - 29:8 Let Your Heart Crack Open This week's Torah portion begins: When you enter the land that the Eternal your God is giving your as a heritage, and you possess it and settle in it, you shall take some of every fruit of the soil, which you...
Torah Reflections – August 16-22, 2015
Shof'tim Deuteronomy 16:18 - 21:9 The Healing Power of Self-Awareness This week marks the beginning of the month of Elul, the last month of the Jewish year. Less than 29 days separate us from Rosh HaShanah, New Year’s Day. Elul is a month of preparation ahead...
Torah Reflections – August 9 – 15, 2015
Re'eh Deuteronomy 11:26 - 16:17 Blessings -- OK, Bring Them On; But Why Curses? This week's Torah portion is close to my heart. It was the Torah portion of the week of my wedding, sixteen years ago, and is called Re'eh, which means "See!" It begins:...