5+ hour, 32+ min ago (897+ words) by Rabbi Noah Weinberg Thirty-six years after fleeing from the murderous Esau, Jacob returns to the Land of Israel. While travelling, he gets word that Esau is coming to meet him with an army of 400 men. "Jacob became very frightened, and it distressed him" (Bereishis 32:8). Why was Jacob afraid? When he fled from Esau many years ago, God promised him that he would protect him: "Behold, I am with you; I will guard you wherever you go, and I will return you to this soil; for I will not forsake you until I will have done what I have spoken about you" (ibid 28:15). Hashem certainly keeps His promises, so what was Jacob worried about? Jacob was concerned that he no longer merited Hashem's protection. As Rashi says (ibid 32:11), "My merits have diminished because of the kindnesses and the truth that…...

5+ hour, 47+ min ago (578+ words) Thus, Yaakov's name is changed to Yisrael. The narrative proceeds to state that Yaakov saw God face to face. What does all of this mean? Rich in symbolism, we can better understand these parallel meanings through the structure of pardes. Jewish beliefs are being challenged everywhere'on college campuses, in the media, and elsewhere'by attractively packaged alternatives. Assimilation is camouflaged as an inviting, enticing table set to attract you. Do you sit down, relax, and taste the wine? Everyone seems so friendly and nice, but beware, lest you become intoxicated and soon find yourself unable to resist the allure. By keeping up with the latest technology, the contemporary Jew recognizes the importance of staying informed. He will read the manual that explains how to operate his latest gadget. Yet how much greater is the need for instruction in operating his most…...

6+ hour, 39+ min ago (631+ words) These five Jewish mindsets will help you stay steady, protect your worth, and stop turning every comment into a verdict. We all know the feeling: someone makes a comment, sends a short text, forgets to include you, answers with a strange tone " and suddenly your chest tightens. Your mind fills in the blanks. Did I do something wrong? Are they upset with me? Was that about me? Taking things personally is exhausting. It keeps you emotionally on edge and spiritually off-balance. But Judaism offers a deeper approach: most of what feels "personal" actually isn't personal at all. When you learn how to separate who you are from how people behave, you reclaim an inner steadiness that nothing outside of you can shake. These five shifts can help you stop absorbing every moment as a judgment and start moving through life…...

8+ hour, 51+ min ago (1608+ words) Raised in a devout Christian family that later became Amish, Nechama Leapley felt an unexplained pull to Judaism all her life'until she finally chased it home. Nechama grew up in a family that stood out wherever they lived. Her father's naval career meant being constantly on the move and, as the oldest of seven, Nechama was used to people staring. "Three kids is considered a large family in America," she says. "Once we had five, people would look at us like, "What's going on here?" Her parents were devout Christians, strictly vegan, and wary of technology. Nechama was an outdoor girl, happier in the forest watching birds than anywhere else. "Even as a kid, if I had a choice between being on a computer or being outside with a book, I'd never choose the computer." Despite having no connection to…...

3+ day, 7+ hour ago (108+ words) The post An Unexpected Guest appeared first on Aish.com. - Ariella's Inspiring Parsha Video In Times of Uncertainty, Pray - Rabbi Avraham Twerski's Insights on the Torah When Years Seem like a Few Days - Crash Course on Torah The Patriarchs and Matriarchs (Part 2) - Growth Through Torah Lifting Your Heart and Your Feet - Jewish Leadership in the Torah The Power of the Kotel - Kindness Hacks Rachel's Ultimate Sacrifice and Hidden Love - Language of Tomorrow The Importance of Having a Vision - Lively Parsha Jacob Goes to Yeshiva and Starts a Large Family - The New Old Path I Probably Should Have - Self-Transformation Through Torah Why Are We Called Jews?...

4+ day, 8+ hour ago (650+ words) If Esau was really so wicked, why did Isaac favor him over Jacob, wanting to give him the blessings? The only reason the Torah gives for Isaac's preference is because Esau provided him with the meat from his hunts (Genesis 25:28). Is tasty meat alone reason to decide who is the more blessed brother? The post Why Isaac Favored Esau appeared first on Aish.com. Why Isaac Favored Esau If Esau was really so wicked, why did Isaac favor him over Jacob, wanting to give him the blessings? The only reason the Torah gives for Isaac's preference is because Esau provided him with the meat from his hunts (Genesis 25:28). Is tasty meat alone reason to decide who is the more blessed brother? The Aish Rabbi Replies Thank you for raising your important issue. This is a big topic which I deal…...

4+ day, 8+ hour ago (315+ words) Your children are impacted by their surroundings. Choose wisely. They hadn't. The decision was about business, not culture. Yet once we unpacked what college life in America actually looks like, especially at secular liberal arts colleges, it became clear that the world they were considering was far different from the one they knew. In Australia, university is academic, largely commuter-based, and campus culture is minimal. In the United States, college is a full ecosystem that does more than educate. It shapes and often indoctrinates. Professors once taught students how to think. Now many teach them what to think. Professors once taught students how to think. Now many teach them what to think. Today's campuses do not simply lean left. They often operate as ideological monocultures. Ideas once debated are now declared. Traditions, religious values, and objective morality are treated not…...

5+ day, 6+ hour ago (1064+ words) America First" means America true to its founding values'God-given rights, human dignity, and religious freedom'while standing firmly with Israel. Rabbi Efrem Goldberg delivered the following at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) Summit, November 21, 2025, as an early-Friday-morning invocation. It was the first time they invited a rabbi to speak. Ladies and gentlemen, honored leaders and dear friends, We gather today to thank God for the gift of this great nation and to offer our prayers for America: for safety, unity, and for moral clarity and courage. I stand before you this morning as an Orthodox rabbi, as an unapologetic Jew, and as a grateful and proud American. If we speak of "America First," we must also speak of how America first came to be. This country was born from an extraordinary faith, deeply informed by the language and ideas of…...

6+ day, 2+ hour ago (13+ words) The post Hanukkah Quiz: Test Your Jewish Knowledge appeared first on Aish.com....

6+ day, 7+ hour ago (945+ words) The Torah records several conversations between God and Abraham, but we never find God communicating with Sarah. Was she inferior to Abraham? The post Was Sarah a Prophetess? appeared first on Aish.com. Was Sarah a Prophetess? The Torah records several conversations between God and Abraham, but we never find God communicating with Sarah. Was she inferior to Abraham? The Aish Rabbi Replies In fact, the Sages teach us that Sarah was a great prophetess in her own right. The Talmud (Megillah 14a) identifies Sarah as Yiskah " the daughter of Haran mentioned in Genesis 11:29. The Talmud explains one reason for her name, which literally means "he will look," was because she gazed with the "holy spirit" (ruach ha'kodesh) " i.e., she experienced prophecy. (The other reason the Talmud offers is because everyone gazed at her spectacular beauty.) The Midrash further notes that Sarah…...