You are very familiar with this week’s Torah portion, because we retell the story every year at Pesach! Nonetheless, this Shabbat, we read the second portion in the Book of Exodus. Exodus, by the way, from the Greek word meaning “departure from Egypt,” is called Sh’mot in Hebrew, meaning “names.” There are so many names—including women’s names—in both last week’s portion and in Va-eira. This is notable, since the names of our female Biblical predecessors are often not mentioned in Torah. But here, we have many specific names and specific explanations of their personality traits and their relationships. LET MY PEOPLE GO! This is the refrain from the familiar story we read in Parashat Va-eira (“I appeared”). Moses and Aaron are dispatched to Pharaoh to prevail upon him to let the Israelites leave slavery in Egypt. The first seven of the 10 plagues occur in this portion.

by Sandy Adland Parashat Sh’mot, meaning “names,” centers around four major themes: the fertility of Israel, the oppression of the Israelites, God’s intervention, and most notably, the prominent role of women in saving the nation. In this chapter of our people’s narrative, five women are highlighted. Shiphrah and Puah, the midwives, defy Pharaoh by intentionally disobeying his order to kill the newborn sons of the Israelite women, knowing it is the wrong thing to do. They tell Pharaoh that the women are strong enough to birth their own young without assistance, suggesting they were not always present to know whether the newborns were boys or girls, thus avoiding the inevitable task. Pharaoh accepts this explanation, which later makes him look foolish.

by Marla Goldberg Parashat Va-y’chi literally translated means “he lived.” But how did Jacob live? This last portion in the Book of Genesis focuses on the impending death of Jacob and later his son Joseph. What are the lessons we glean from reading this? Let me suggest the following: blessings and legacy. While there is a lot of detail about death preparation and where Jacob will be buried (in the place of his forefathers), a bigger emphasis is on the gathering together of all of his sons to offer blessings. In addition, Jacob first calls and blesses Joseph’s sons, his grandsons Manasseh and Ephraim (this is what later becomes our blessing for our children primarily offered on Shabbat evening), endowing the future of the people of Israel as well as the land. This has its own twist, but you will have to read it to find out what this is about.

by Nancy Marcus This parashah is the climax of Joseph's story. It is when Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. We witness the emotional reunion between the brothers and see Joseph’s joy upon learning his father is alive. Pharaoh offers him the land of Goshen for his family and the brothers set out to bring Jacob to Egypt.  On their journey the brothers worry about how to tell Jacob that Joseph is alive and Pharaoh’s most trusted aide. It is here that we meet one of the most intriguing women in Torah: Serah bat Asher. According to midrash, the brothers are so worried about Jacob's shock at learning that Joseph is alive that they decide to have Serah sing the news to him. She sings a beautiful song to her grandfather and he weeps as he understands the message.

by Michelle Scheinkopf My mother-in-law Emily turned 90 years old this past October. Five days after her birthday she had her right hip replaced.   Prior to this, my husband, brothers- and sister-in law, and I discussed with her what her wishes would be in the event that complications arose and rendered her unable to make decisions for herself. Needless to say, this was a very important and emotional conversation. My mother-in-law requested that I be her patient advocate and power of attorney while in the hospital and the nursing care facility where she would go for rehabilitation. Knowing her feelings and values regarding complications and life-prolonging measures helped me immensely in my new family role. In this week’s Torah portion, Mikeitz, Judah talks to his father Jacob about taking Benjamin, the youngest of Jacob's 12 sons, on a risky trip back to Egypt to purchase much needed food from the vizier (Joseph, though they don't know it yet) for the family during a time of famine. Judah says: “You may hold me responsible: if I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, I shall stand guilty before you forever” (Genesis 43:9). Judah's promise to his father that he will be responsible for what happens to his family and will do whatever is necessary to keep them safe echoes true for many of us.

by Sharon Sobel The extraordinary story of Joseph’s early life, his preferential status to his father, the cruel betrayal by his brothers, and the deception that leads to his life in Egypt, is among the most vivid narratives in the Torah. Certainly, it is readily accessible to even our youngest children, who most likely will long remember a visual representation of the “ornamented tunic,” and its many colors. The themes of jealousy and rivalry are also pervasive, inasmuch as they so readily connect to a child’s sensibility and belief that he or she is the most loved in the family. But once we mature and begin to find our way in the world, it is more likely that our focus is on Joseph’s prophetic dreams, the telling of which are both provocative and illustrative of a very keen sense of self.

by Hilda R. Glazer This parashah is full of family and of life-changing events: Jacob becomes the last individual to receive a personal covenant with God. Meeting God face-to-face is a life-changing event. Jacob’s name is changed to Israel. Jacob and Esau meet and reunite. At the end, Rachel dies in childbirth. The midwife attempts to comfort Rachel with the statement that while she is dying, her healthy son lives. Another significant event is story of the rape of Dinah and the subsequent destruction of Shechem’s city by Dinah’s brothers. This portion considers what it means to be a family. How do brothers who fought for most of their lives reconcile and reconnect? What is the relationship between them? What is the relationship between the men of Jacob’s family and the community in which they live? We can apply this to our lives by looking at the relationships between siblings and think about how we can enhance or improve those relationships. Do you talk to or email your siblings frequently or do long periods go by without contact? What is behind the way that you treat each other? In the greater scheme of things, what is important? The ties of the families throughout the parashah are strong no matter what the obstacles.

by Linda O. Ferguson

This story is well known and core to our history and background. It begins with Jacob leaving Beersheba and setting out to Haran. His story lays the groundwork for the future of the Jewish people. Jacob sleeps and dreams of a ladder of God’s angels. God stands beside it and blesses him. Jacob also commits to God and makes a vow to God to accept God as his God. Thus Jacob makes a commitment for the future of the Jewish people.

Jacob meets Rachel and Leah, two of the foremothers of our people. Jacob falls in love with Rachel. He makes a commitment to her father Laban to work for him for seven years in order to wed her. Laban deceives Jacob and, as we know, Jacob is wedded to Laban's older daughter, Leah. Despite being deceived by Laban, Jacob again commits to work another seven years in order to wed Rachel. In those seven years, Jacob fathers 11 children with Leah: 10 sons and one daughter.

by Amy Konig Wulfe “A blessing on your head...mazel tov, mazel tov.” Even though Grandma Tzeitel credits Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick for their words in Fiddler on the Roof, we have to give Patriarch Isaac the honor for creating “the philosophy of blessings.” This week’s parashah, Tol'dot (Genesis 25:19-28:9), reads like a Broadway play. Synopsis: the young beauty, Rebekah marries a much older Isaac. Many years of infertility are rewarded when Rebekah becomes pregnant. During this difficult time, she is gifted with the knowledge that “there are two nations in your womb,” and that the younger will prevail over the elder. Esau emerges first and matures into a womanizing hunk who excels at the hunt, followed, quite literally, on the heel with tiny Jacob, the mild manner homebody. During one scene, Esau returns tired and hungry, stumbling into his brother’s abode looking for food, for which Jacob graciously barters for Esau’s birthright.