…“You shall tell (vehigadeta) your child on that day, ‘[I do this] because of what the Lord did for me when I went out of Egypt’” (Shemot 13:8). However, the word ‘haggadah’ derives from a verb that also means bind, join, connect. The story of the Exodus is more than a recounting (sipur) of things that happened long ago. It…
…have dug. Moshe, bearer of the Divine word, is the man who says, ‘I am not a man of words… I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue’ (Shemot 4:10). Israel is the people whose achievements are transparently God-given. What for others is natural, for Israel is the result of Divine intervention. Israel must be weak if it…
…exploration of this source Core Questions What does the palace represent? What do the flames represent? What is humankind’s calling with regard to the palace in flames? A Chosen Nation, but Chosen for What? Examine the following three sources: Shemot 19:4–6 Isaiah 43:10 Isaiah 49:6 Core Questions What does the word segulah actually mean? What do you think the verse…
Lecturers of the highest quality, both local and international, are scheduled to deliver shiurim which will develop Rabbi Sacks’ ideas on each parsha in Sefer Shemot, Vayikra, Bamidbar, and Devarim, and they will distill key ideas in his approach to Chumash. This new course, offered by the London School of Jewish Studies, is open to all, available online, worldwide, and…
There is a fascinating moment in the unfolding story of the plagues that should make us stop and take notice. At the opening of this week’s parsha, seven plagues have now struck Egypt. The people are suffering. Several times Pharaoh seems to soften, only to harden his heart again. During the seventh plague, hail, he even seems to admit his…
The parsha of Vaera begins with some fateful words. It would not be too much to say that they changed the course of history, because they changed the way people thought about history. In fact, they gave birth to the very idea of history. Listen to the words: God said to Moses, “I am Hashem. I appeared to Abraham, to…
Throughout all Egypt the dust turned into lice. But when the magicians tried to produce lice by their secret arts, they could not. The lice attacked men and animals alike. The magicians said to Pharaoh, ‘This is the finger of God.’ But Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen. Too little attention has been paid to the use…
“That day, God saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians . . . The Israelites saw the great power God had displayed against the Egyptians, and the people were in awe of God. They believed in God and in His servant Moses. Moses and the Israelites then sang this song, saying . . .” The Song at the Sea…
On 25th May 2014, Rabbi Sacks held a public conversation with Gidi Grinstein, founder of The Reut Institute. The event consisted of a private learning session for a group of civic and business leaders in Tel Aviv, followed by a public dialogue with Rabbi Sacks and Gidi Grinstein. Here are some highlights from those conversations. Transcript First highlight: Rabbi Sacks…
Go to Washington and take a tour of the memorials and you will make a fascinating discovery. Begin at the Lincoln Memorial with its giant statue of the man who braved civil war and presided over the ending of slavery. On one side you will see the Gettysburg Address, that masterpiece of brevity with its invocation of “a new birth…