Torah Classes

Differences in culture and worship between ancient Egypt and Israelites.

We continue with the story of Joseph and his brothers.

We continue with the story of Joseph and his brothers.

We continue with the story of Joseph and his brothers.

We discussed the resumption of the Torah study, as well as reviewing the recent Los Angeles trip to Israel and the current situation in Israel.

In this class we examine Joseph’s entrance to Egypt. How did he succeed in Potiphar’s house, and how did he resist succumbing to Potiphar’s wife?

Here is a take of mirrors, seduction and piety, all through the lens of Torah.

Literary analysis of the Bible: in this class we understand how Robert Alter’s book explains why chapter 38 is dropped in the middle of the Joseph story. In the process we get a real insight into how the Torah teaches, not only through stories but choice of words that teach us new meanings.

Leon Wieseltier speaks on some general thoughts about how to think about dor HaMidbar – the Jews who were taken out of Egypt and given the Torah and experienced all the adventures and misadventures in the desert.

Today we discussed the strange story of Judah and Tamar. Why this story of dying husbands and dangerous wives? What did Onan do and how does the tradition understand it?

In this class we wrap up the confusing sale of Joseph and begin the story of Judah and Tamar – the deaths of Judah’s sons and the strange happenings that bring the Messiah.

In today’s class we examined the motivation and action of the brothers of Joseph: did they really sell him into slavery? Perhaps they did not.

In this morning’s Torah class we took a break from the Joseph story and I talked about my trip to Haiti. I told stories and showed slides which are posted at Sinaitemple.org.

In this class we talked about Jacob’s intentions in sending Joseph to his brothers, whom Jacob knew resented him. Was it deliberate? Negligence? How do we understand this pivot of history?