One Verse -- Rabbi Josh & One Verse Of Torah

Exodus Chapter 34, Verse 29 So Moses came down from Mount Sinai. And as Moses came down from the mountain bearing the two tablets of the Pact, Moses was not aware that the skin of his face was radiant, since he had spoken with God.   וַיְהִ֗י בְּרֶ֤דֶת מֹשֶׁה֙ מֵהַ֣ר סִינַ֔י וּשְׁנֵ֨י לֻחֹ֤ת הָֽעֵדֻת֙ בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בְּרִדְתּ֖וֹ מִן־הָהָ֑ר וּמֹשֶׁ֣ה לֹֽא־יָדַ֗ע כִּ֥י קָרַ֛ן ע֥וֹר פָּנָ֖יו בְּדַבְּ...

Exodus Chapter 23, Verse 5 When you see a donkey belonging to a fellow Jew whom you hate, crouching under its load, would you refrain from helping him?! Rather, you must help the person.   כִּֽי־תִרְאֶ֞ה חֲמ֣וֹר שׂנַֽאֲךָ֗ רֹבֵץ֙ תַּ֣חַת מַשָּׂא֔וֹ וְחָֽדַלְתָּ֖ מֵֽעֲזֹ֣ב ל֑וֹ עָזֹ֥ב תַּֽעֲזֹ֖ב עִמּֽוֹ:   In Parashat Mishpatim, we find more than 50 commandments or mitzvot. One, however, gives an i...

Exodus Chapter 18, Verse 1 Jethro, the former ruler of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for Moses and for His people Israel, that God had brought Israel out of Egypt.   וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע יִתְר֨וֹ כֹהֵ֤ן מִדְיָן֙ חֹתֵ֣ן משֶׁ֔ה אֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ לְמשֶׁ֔ה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַמּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־הוֹצִ֧יא יְהוָֹ֛ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם   After taking a few week...

Genesis Chapter 45, Verse 2 He broke out into loud weeping; the Egyptians heard it, and word spread until the members of Pharaoh’s household heard about it, as well.   וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֶת־קֹל֖וֹ בִּבְכִ֑י וַיִּשְׁמְע֣וּ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע בֵּ֥ית פַּרְעֹֽה:   Today I am inviting you to be vulnerable as you build relationships.  In the spirit of Joseph's story, we might all be better people if we le...

Genesis Chapter 41, Verse 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not by my own power; God will provide an answer through me for Pharaoh’s welfare.”     וַיַּ֨עַן יוֹסֵ֧ף אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֛ה לֵאמֹ֖ר בִּלְעָ אֱלֹהִ֕ים יַֽעֲנֶ֖ה אֶת־שְׁל֥וֹם פַּרְעֹֽה:   This week I am talking about miracles.  It is Chanukah which coincides with Parashat Miketz and the story of Joseph's dream.  Pharaoh considers Joseph's talen...

Genesis Chapter 33, Verse 4 Please accept my welcoming gift that has been brought to you, for God has been kind to me, and I have all.” Jacob thus urged him to accept the gift, and Esau finally accepted it.   קַח־נָ֤א אֶת־בִּרְכָתִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֻבָ֣את לָ֔ךְ כִּֽי־חַנַּ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְכִ֣י יֶשׁ־לִי־כֹ֑ל וַיִּפְצַר־בּ֖וֹ וַיִּקָּֽח:   After Thanksgiving, gratitude is on my mind.  In this verse, I ref...

Genesis Chapter 28, Verse 16 Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “God is truly present in this place, yet I was not aware of it.”   וַיִּיקַ֣ץ יַֽעֲקֹב֘ מִשְּׁנָתוֹ֒ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אָכֵן֙ יֵ֣שׁ יְהֹוָ֔ה בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וְאָֽנֹכִ֖י לֹ֥א יָדָֽעְתִּי:   God is in this place, and I almost did not realize it!  This verse has always spoken to me for its simplicity and grace.  If only we could notice th...

Genesis Chapter 27, Verse 1 Isaac had grown old. His eyesight had become dim. He summoned his elder son Esau and said to him, “My son,” and he answered him, “Here I am.”   וַֽיְהִי֙ כִּֽי־זָקֵ֣ן יִצְחָ֔ק וַתִּכְהֶ֥יןָ עֵינָ֖יו מֵֽרְאֹ֑ת וַיִּקְרָ֞א אֶת־עֵשָׂ֣ו | בְּנ֣וֹ הַגָּדֹ֗ל וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ בְּנִ֔י וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו הִנֵּֽנִי:   What does it mean to REALLY be there for another person.  Th...

Genesis Chapter 25, Verse 8 And Abraham breathed his last (expired), and died at a good old age, mellow and contented; and he was gathered to his kin.   וַיִּגְוַ֨ע וַיָּ֧מׇת אַבְרָהָ֛ם בְּשֵׂיבָ֥ה טוֹבָ֖ה זָקֵ֣ן וְשָׂבֵ֑עַ וַיֵּאָ֖סֶף אֶל־עַמָּֽיו׃   Today I explore a little studied verse from the end of Chaye Sarah.  Typically people focus on the beginning of the portion and Sarah's death.  Inst...

Genesis Chapter 18, Verse 2 Looking up, he saw three figures standing near him. Perceiving this, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them and, bowing to the ground,   וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה֙ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים נִצָּבִ֖ים עָלָ֑יו וַיַּ֗רְא וַיָּ֤רׇץ לִקְרָאתָם֙ מִפֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֔הֶל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ אָֽרְצָה׃   Today, I am joined by Rabbi Adam Morris from Temple Micah in D...

Genesis Chapter 12, Verse 3 I will bless those who bless you And curse the one who curses you; And all the families of the earth Shall bless themselves by you.”   וַאֲבָֽרְכָה֙ מְבָ֣רְכֶ֔יךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ֖ אָאֹ֑ר וְנִבְרְכ֣וּ בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָאֲדָמָֽה׃   Today, we explore the Parasha Lech Lecha as God invites Abraham to leave the comforts of home and start a new nation.  But in one momen...

Genesis Chapter 11, Verse 6 “If, as one people with one language for all, this is how they have begun to act, then nothing that they may propose to do will be out of their reach.   וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֗ה הֵ֣ן עַ֤ם אֶחָד֙ וְשָׂפָ֤ה אַחַת֙ לְכֻלָּ֔ם וְזֶ֖ה הַחִלָּ֣ם לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת וְעַתָּה֙ לֹֽא־יִבָּצֵ֣ר מֵהֶ֔ם כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָזְמ֖וּ לַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת׃   Today, we explore the story of The Tower of Babel and mak...

Genesis Chapter 1, Verse 2 Now the earth was in complete disorder, and darkness was on the face of the deep, and the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the water.   וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָֽיְתָ֥ה תֹ֨הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְח֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם:   In this episode, I emphasize the fact that when God created the universe, everything was out of control...