Parashat Shabbat BO Video Commentary...

© Lencer, Wiki CommonsExodus 10:1 – 13:16; Jeremiah 46:13–26   Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman, The Temple Institute, Jerusalem: “Time: Where does it come from? Where does it begin? Who determines time and what gift does time contain? “This month shall be to you the head of the months; to you it shall be the first of the months of the year.” Exodus 12:2 marks the beginning of time,...

Parashat Va’era Readings and Video Commentar...

© Lencer, Wiki CommonsExodus 6:2 – 9:35; Ezekiel 28:25 – 29:21   Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman, The Temple Institute, Jerusalem: “The ten plagues that made G-d’s name known in all the world happened many years ago in the land of Egypt. The process they began of bringing the knowledge of G-d’s presence and power to all humankind for all generations continues till today. They resound...

Parashat Shemot Readings and Video Commentary...

© Lencer, Wiki CommonsExodus 1:1-6:1 Iesaiah 27:6 – 28:13; 29:22-23; Jeremiah 1:1 – 2:3   Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman, The Temple Institute, Jerusalem: “From the moment of his birth until he came of age, Moshe was nurtured, kept alive and cared for by women of undaunted courage and unshakable fear of G-d. Of these righteous women, none was more striking in her compassion and desire to do good than...

VAYECHI – Prophecy is only given to the Broken H...

© Lencer, Wiki CommonsGenesis 47:28 – 50:26; 1 Kings 2:1-12   Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman, The Temple Institute, Jerusalem: “Yaakov avinu promises his children a revelation of the end of days, and then proceeds to bless each of them. Was there a prophecy or not? It is said that prophecy is given to the broken-hearted and that Yaakov’s prophecy to his children was as on as high a level as...

Parashat Vayigash Readings and Video Commentary...

© Lencer, Wiki CommonsGenesis 44:18-47:27; Ezekiel 37,15:28   Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman, The Temple Institute, Jerusalem: “Recognition and reconciliation. These two words are the key to parashat Vayigash and the key to the unity of Israel. We are all individuals and each one of us marches to a different drum, but it is the recognition of one another’s worth that is the glue that binds Israel...

Parashat Miketz Readings and Hanukkah Video Commen...

Hallel; Genesis 41:1 – 44:17, Numbers 7:30-41; Zecharia 2:14 – 4:7 Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman, The Temple Institute, Jerusalem, Israel “One Dream, One G-d, One Truth: How a young Hebrew, sold into slavery by his brothers, thought to be dead by his father, and thrown into prison a thousand miles from home, alone and unknown, was able to rise to the top of the Pharaonic ladder in Egypt, liberate the powerful...

Parashat Shabbat Vayeshev Readings and Video Comme...

© Lencer, Wiki CommonsGenesis 37:1 – 40:23; Amos 2:6 – 3:8   Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman, The Temple Institute, Jerusalem: “Have you ever felt utterly and completely alone? Yosef must have. He was separated from his loving father and his brothers wanted to kill him. Ultimately he was thrown in a pit filled with scorpions and snakes and then sold to some passing Ishmaelites, who in turn sold...

Parashat VAYISHLACH Readings and Video Commentary...

© Lencer, Wiki CommonsGenesis 32:4 – 36:43; Hosea 12:13 – 10:10; Obadiah   Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman, The Temple Institute, Jerusalem: “Yaakov avinu’s (our forefather Jacob’s) midnight encounter with a mysterious angel: Who was this angel, what was his purpose, and by what name was he known? Yaakov overcomes the angel, and by doing so gains insight into all these questions. He...

Parashat VAYEITZEI Readings and Video Commentary...

© Lencer, Wiki CommonsGenesis 28:10–32:3; Hosea 11:7 – 12:12   Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman, The Temple Institute, Jerusalem: “Avraham saw his appointed meeting place with G-d as a distant and foreboding mountain, (Mount Moriah), and Yitzchak envisioned the Holy Temple to be a field, accessible and alive. But it was Yaakov who understood the Holy Temple to be a home, a nurturing, loving center...

Parashat TOLDOT Readings and Video Commentary...

© Lencer, Wiki CommonsGenesis 25:19–28:9; 1 Samuel 20:18-42   Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman, The Temple Institute, Jerusalem: “Yitzchak avinu (Isaac our patriarch) was a man of vision blinded by the light of G-d’s brilliant and hidden presence. He lived, he died, and he lived again to bless his son Yaakov, ‘ish tam,’ the perfectible man, with the task of bringing G-d’s light...