Posts by Rabbi Steven Bernstein
Parasha Inspiration – Chayei Sara
וַיֹּ֧סֶף אַבְרָהָ֛ם וַיִּקַּ֥ח אִשָּׁ֖ה וּשְׁמָ֥הּ קְטוּרָֽה: And Abraham took another wife and her name was Keturah. Genesis 24:1 This week’s parsha introduces a very important concept within the historical narrative. Abraham takes a new wife. But who is this woman? Where did she come from? Both Genesis 24 and the Sages give us an explanation.…
Read MoreParasha Inspiration – Vayera
וַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְהָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים נִסָּ֖ה אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי: וַיֹּ֡אמֶר קַח־נָ֠א אֶת־בִּנְךָ֨ אֶת־יְחִֽידְךָ֤ אֲשֶׁר־אָהַ֨בְתָּ֙ אֶת־יִצְחָ֔ק וְלֶ֨ךְ־לְךָ֔ אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ הַמֹּֽרִיָּ֑ה וְהַֽעֲלֵ֤הוּ שָׁם֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה עַ֚ל אַחַ֣ד הֶֽהָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֹמַ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ: And it came to pass after these things, that God tested Abraham, and He said to him, “Abraham,” and he said, “Here I am.” And…
Read MoreParasha Inspiration – Noach
מִכֹּ֣ל | הַבְּהֵמָ֣ה הַטְּהוֹרָ֗ה תִּקַּח־לְךָ֛ שִׁבְעָ֥ה שִׁבְעָ֖ה אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וּמִן־הַבְּהֵמָ֡ה אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר לֹ֣א טְהֹרָ֥ה הִ֛וא שְׁנַ֖יִם אִ֥ישׁ וְאִשְׁתּֽוֹ: גַּ֣ם מֵע֧וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם שִׁבְעָ֥ה שִׁבְעָ֖ה זָכָ֣ר וּנְקֵבָ֑ה לְחַיּ֥וֹת זֶ֖רַע עַל־פְּנֵ֥י כָל־הָאָֽרֶץ: Of all the clean animals you shall take for yourself seven pairs, a male and its mate, and of the animals that are not clean, two, a male…
Read MoreParasha Inspiration – Bereshit
This week we renew the Torah cycle with parashat Bereshit. The Torah begins with the story of the creation of the heavens (shamayim) and the earth (haaretz). Contained within this narrative are 4 of the 5 different terms that are translated as spirit or soul. Genesis 1:2 mentions Ruach Elohim, translated spirit of G-d. 1:24…
Read MoreParasha Inspiration – Hoshana Rabbah
Now on the last day of the festival, Hoshana Rabbah, Yeshua stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him keep coming to me and drinking! Whoever puts his trust in me, as the Scripture says, rivers of living water will flow from his inmost being!” (Now he said this about the Spirit, whom those who trusted…
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