Family and Relationships
Parents and children, siblings, marriage, rivalry, belonging and reconciliation.
36 articles- âUnto Thee Is Its Desire, but Thou Mayest Rule over ItâThe LORDâs words to Cain concern his standing as the firstborn before Abel, rather than the evil inclinationFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- Abraham's Servant at the SpringFrom the book âIn Search of Lost Meaningâ
- âAnd the Elder Shall Serve the YoungerâFrom the book âIn Search of Lost Meaningâ
- Why Did Rachel Steal the Teraphim?From the book âIn Search of Lost MeaningâAbout 13 min readExtended studyPodcast (Hebrew)
- Of All That You Give Me, I Will Give You a TenthFrom the book âIn Search of Lost Meaningâ
- âAnd There Wrestled a Man with HimâFrom the book âIn Search of Lost Meaningâ
- âEleven Stars Bowed Down to MeâFrom the book âIn Search of Lost Meaningâ
- Joseph Meets His BrothersFrom the book âIn Search of Lost Meaningâ
- Jacobâs LegacyFrom the book âIn Search of Lost Meaningâ
- Why Were Sarahâs Years Counted?Sarah afflicted Hagar, so Ishmael lived ten years longer than she did â measure for measureFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)âAbout 2 min readPodcast (Hebrew)
- EliezerThe Torah avoids naming Eliezer to emphasize his submission of personal wishes to Abrahamâs willFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- Abrahamâs Servant at the SpringThe servant sought a sign to convince Rebekahâs family, rather than proof for himselfFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- Sarahâs TestamentSarah recognized that gradual selection and refinement were necessary before the family could fulfill its vocationFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- âIt Is My MasterâOut of respect for Rebekah, the servant called Isaac âmy master,â while meaning âyour masterâFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- âAbraham Begot IsaacâAbraham begot Isaac, whereas Hagar the Egyptian, Sarahâs handmaid, bore Ishmael to AbrahamFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- âThe Elder Shall Serve the YoungerâThe enigmatic prophecy described a struggle, rather than determining its outcomeFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- âThat My Soul May Bless TheeâIsaacâs soul blessed, expressing his true wish; Isaac therefore accepts its decisionFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)âAbout 5 min readPodcast (Hebrew)
- A Sleepless Night â Lailah LavanLeah thought she would marry Jacob; he failed to detect the deception because he returned to his tent drunkFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- Why Did the Matriarchs Give Their Handmaids?Giving a handmaid could awaken the mistressâs own fertility, beyond providing children through the servantFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- Why Did Rachel Steal the Teraphim?Rachel stole the teraphim to force Jacob into confrontationFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)âAbout 4 min readShort studyPodcast (Hebrew)
- Why Does the Torah Ignore Rebekah?The Torah hints that Jacob abandoned the deceptive course learned from his motherFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- âEsau Thy First-bornâThe Torah hints that Jacobâs actions were improper and Esau remained the firstbornFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- An Angelâs MissionGod prevents Jacob from fleeing again and compels him to meet his brotherFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- âEleven Stars Bowed Down to MeâJoseph dreamed of the stars in childhood, while the youngest son and while Rachel still livedFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- âThe KedeshahâThe story becomes clear when Tamar is understood as disguised as a cultic prostituteFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- Joseph Meets His BrothersJoseph treated his brothers as strangers despite remembering his dreamsFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- Why the Goblet?Joseph recreated Rachelâs theft of the teraphim to make her son Benjamin the immediate suspectFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- Life Falls into Three PartsThe patriarchsâ ages at significant milestones divide their lives symmetricallyFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- When Did Jacob Bless Ephraim and Manasseh?The Torah placed their blessing later to include it among Jacobâs final actsFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- Jacobâs Serpent and Israelâs LionJacob-Israelâs sons embody his personalityâs two extremes: cunning and direct confrontationFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- One FamilyJacob includes those who sin, founding one multifaceted peopleFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- Forbidden Sexual RelationsDid the nationâs ancestors violate the prohibitions on sexual relations?From the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- Revering Parents and Keeping the SabbathKedoshim begins with Sabbath and parents because they represent worshipâs two centers: relations with God and with other peopleFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- The Heroines of ManassehTheir names in Samaria inscriptions and Israelite cities testify to Zelophehadâs daughtersâ prominent and revolutionary standingFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- Annulment of VowsVows cannot be canceled â the question is who bears responsibility for themFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
- A Stubborn and Rebellious DaughterStoning in the slanderous-husband passage results from parents seeking to remove family disgrace, like the rebellious-son case, rather than an obligatory prosecutionFrom the book âPeshat in Brief (working title)â
Podcast (Hebrew)