5 Minute Torah

Parashat Vayeishev (Genesis 37:1-40:23)

Everyone enjoys a good magician. They appear to do what seems completely impossible. Although they can entertain people for hours on end, the craft of a magician is based on illusion and misdirection. They draw our attention to one thing in order to distract us from another. If they want us to watch what one hand is doing, then the other hand is doing the real “magic.” If they point at an object, it’s generally misdirection. But we don’t mind this. In fact, we pay money to be misguided and have our point of view misled.

Parashat Vayishlach (Genesis 32:4[3]-36:43)

Parashat Vayeitze (Genesis 28:10-32:3[2])

This week’s Torah portion begins with one of the most mysterious and little-understood events recorded in the Torah. When Jacob spent the night in what he later calls Beit-El, he had a curious dream charged with spiritual import:

Parashat Toldot (Genesis 25:19-28:9)

Parashat Toldot gives us the backstory of the conflict between Jacob and Esau. It tells of their birth in the account of Jacob coming out with one hand holding onto Esau’s heel, Esau selling his birthright, and Jacob receiving the blessing of the firstborn from Isaac (albeit in an underhanded manner). It also gives us some interesting information about Isaac and his life. When he settled in Gerar, he needed a source of water. Rather than digging new wells, he unearthed the wells his father had dug:

Parashat Chayei Sarah (Genesis 23:1-25:18)

Parashat Vayeira | Genesis 18:1-22:24

Breisheet (Genesis 1:1-6:8)

Vezot HaBrachah (Deuteronomy 33:1-34:12)

Parashat Ha'zinu (Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52)

Deuteronomy 31:1-31:30