Parshat Vayishlach

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Jacob wrestles with the angel, his reunion with Esau, the incident at Shechem, Rachel's death, and the genealogy of Esau. Genesis 32:4-36:43.

Manasseh's Sins Outnumber the Sands of the Sea

Other Texts Prayer of Manasseh 1:10

The Prayer of Manasseh, though considered apocryphal by some, gives voice to that very human feeling. It's a raw, honest cry from the heart of someone who knows they've messed up –...

PatriarchsSoulRepentanceDivine Names

Psalm 154 and the Longing to Be Near God

Apocrypha Psalm 154 1:13

Psalm 154, a beautiful text found amongst the Dead Sea Scrolls, speaks to exactly that feeling. It's about being close to, or far from, the divine presence. And it paints such a vi...

PatriarchsTempleSacrificeShekhinah

Jerusalem Lies Empty and the Pipe Has Ceased

Apocrypha The Book of Maccabees I 3:45

"Jerusalem lay void as a wilderness, there was none of her children that went in or out." It's a stark, desolate image. The mikdash, the sanctuary, is "trodden down." The joy of Ja...

PatriarchsTempleHoly Land

Judas Maccabeus Among the Fathers

Apocrypha The Book of Maccabees I 5:62

We often hear about the heroic moment, the pivotal battle, the seemingly impossible triumph. But what about the days, weeks, and months that follow? What about the messy reality of...

PatriarchsHoly Land

Judas Maccabeus Among the Heavenly Host

Apocrypha The Book of Maccabees I 7:40

He's got a whole Syrian army backing him up. Now, contrast that with Judas. He’s not exactly bringing a battalion to this battle. He's in Adasa with just three thousand men. Three....

AngelsTempleHoly LandShabbat

Philo on Abraham's Vision of Four Hundred Years

Philo The Midrash of Philo 13:2

The ancient sages certainly did. And they found profound meaning in that feeling. to a fascinating interpretation of a well-known biblical passage, explored in the Midrash of Philo...

CreationHeavenPatriarchsJob

Why God Drew the Promised Land From River to River

Philo The Midrash of Philo 18:1

Take the covenant God makes with Abraham in Genesis 15. It's a big moment. God promises Abraham this whole huge swathe of land for his descendants. But then it gets…well, geographi...

CreationNoah & FloodPatriarchsJoseph

Why Hagar Fled From the Face of Sarah Her Mistress

Philo The Midrash of Philo 8:7

We're diving into a very specific verse: Genesis 16:8. It's where Hagar, the maidservant of Sarah, answers the angel's question about where she's going. Her reply? "I am fleeing fr...

CreationPatriarchsMatriarchsPrayer

Sarah Among the Fathers

Philo The Midrash of Philo 15:2

But stick with me. We find a fascinating idea tucked away in the Midrash of Philo, a collection of interpretations attributed to the Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria. It's al...

PatriarchsSoulWisdom