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7 Ways the Torah Can Actually Sharpen Your Mind
Engaging with Torah is like yoga for the mind: It keeps our perspectives flexible and creativity strong.
Ask the Expert: Applauding During Services
The ancient rabbis forbade clapping on Shabbat — for one very specific reason.
What Were Shtetls?
Clearing up myths about these Eastern European villages where Jews lived.
In God’s Image: B’tselem Elohim
Jewish texts teach that all humans are created in the image of God.
The Jewish Way To Make a New Year’s Resolution
Jewish wisdom, anchored in the rhythms of the year, can help us set benchmarks that make sticking to our commitments more likely.
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Summary
In this Torah portion, Joseph’s brothers refuse to return to Canaan without Benjamin, whom Joseph has falsely accused of theft. Joseph reveals his true identity and invites his brothers to return for their father, Jacob, and bring him and their families to Egypt to live. When they return, Joseph introduces his father to Pharaoh, and, at Pharaoh’s suggestion, the family settles in Goshen, a particularly fertile region of Egypt.
Featured Commentary
Parshat Vayigash: A Tale of Two Brothers
This Torah portion opens with a passionate exchange between Joseph and Judah, two brothers with distinct personalities.
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Daf Yomi
STUDY RESOURCES
Recharge Now
Our weekly Shabbat newsletter, Recharge, features a thoughtful, timely essay to enrich your Shabbat. Here are a few of our recent pieces:
Uncertainty is a Feature, Not a Bug
Anxiety is an inevitable part of life, so how do we best live with it?
Why Hanukkah Became Such a Big Deal
Though it is ostensibly about the purification of the Temple, Hanukkah really marks the political achievement of the Hasmoneans.
The Light of Connection
Differences need not diminish us.
MORE from MY JEWISH LEARNING
Sefer Yetzirah: The Book of Creation
This ancient mystical text introduced many concepts that would be more fully developed by the tradition of Kabbalah.
The Jews of Greece
The oldest Jewish community in Europe traces its history back more than 2,300 years.
Shehechiyanu: A Meditation on this Moment
This blessing, traditionally recited for firsts, can be said anytime — since every moment is new and unprecedented.
How to Talk to God
The Hasidic prayer practice of hitbodedut — talking to God freely in one’s native tongue — helps to build intimacy over time.
Tikkun Olam: Repairing the World
This phrase with kabbalistic roots has come to connote social justice.