ESAU’S CLOTHING There is a glaring question at the heart of this week’s parasha. Rebecca instructed Jacob to dress up as his brother, Esau and ‘steal’ the blessings from his father, Isaac. If Rebecca thought Esau was unworthy of receiving the blessing, why didn’t she communicate directly with her husband? There were good grounds for her to object to Esau. His cravings drove him, not so much his spiritual self. He was a hunter-fighter, a ‘man of the field.’ His life was to kill or be killed. As such, he was ready to sell his birthright for a pot of...

SARAH’S STRENGTHS The first verse of our parasha seems unnecessarily repetitive in its use of the word, ‎‎‎‘years.’: “And Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred years, twenty years and seven years, the years of Sarah’s lifetime.”(Bereishit 23:1) Our major commentator, Rashi (d. 1105) makes an observation that, at first glance, strains credulity. He says: The repetition of “the years of Sarah’s lifetime” teaches us that all were equally good. How can Rashi say this? Surely, by any standard, Sarah lived a very difficult ow  How life. At age sixty-five, she was uprooted from her birthplace to travel to a distant land....

THE TRACE OF G-D Can you break off a conversation with G-d? Abraham did! At the beginning of this week’s parasha G-d appears to Abraham as he was sitting by the entrance of his tent, looking for visitors. He spies three strangers approaching. Turning to G-d he says: “My L-d, if I have found favour in your eyes, do not leave your servant.” [i.e. Please wait until I have given hospitality to these men.] He then turned to the men and said: “Let me send for some water so that you may bathe your feet and rest under this tree”...

RESPONSIBILITY Next Shabbat, 20th Marcheshvan, 4th November, is the third yahrzeit of Rabbi Lord Sacks, zichrono livracha. In tribute to his memory, you are invited to join me together with Rabbi Dr Raphi Zarum, the Dean of the London School of Jewish Studies, as we explore the inner world of Rabbi Sacks – how he taught and how he thought. This will take place next Wednesday evening at St Johns Wood shul at 8.00 pm. How we miss Jonathan Sacks at this particular time! We crave his words of comfort and inspiration.  There is much to draw from as we...

SHABBAT REST AND SHABBAT STRENGTH It was very special seeing so many of you in shul last Shabbat, both on Friday night and Shabbat day, raising your voices in prayer and song. When we come together at times of crisis, we all feel stronger. Please join us again this Shabbat. Large numbers of our soldiers on the front line are unable to have prayer services. Our songs and tefilot represent them as well as ourselves. A passage in this week’s parasha shows us the special capacity of Shabbat to be a source of strength and comfort to our people in...