Torah Cafe

Kabbalah teaches that G-d uses various expressions to impact creation. These expressions sometimes come as Names of G-d. One of G-d's lesser known names, is a 72 word name that was invoked at the Splitting of the Sea and can be found alluded to in the Torah's description of the event.A fascinating discussion about the secrets of the 72-word name of G-d.Here is a link to the handout https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IS1UVj6F2tlVHgl2eEvmpDrH3WAuC8na/view?usp=sharing

We hear a lot about antisemitism, the irrational, obsessive hatred of Jews. Yet is an important flipside to antisemitism - philosemitism, the irrational, obsessive love for Jews.We all know philosemitism - they are all around us and are a huge part of our country. There have been philosemites as long as there have been antisemites. Still, for some reason, philosemitism doesn't get the same acknowledgement or attention as antisemitism.A fascinating discussion about philosemitism, which will also give us a much better understanding of antisemitism, its causes and steps we can take to reduce antisemitism and increase philosemitism.

The most important Jewish find in recent history was the Cairo Geniza, a massive trove of hundreds of thousands of ancient documents and books that entirely rewrote medieval Jewish and Middle Eastern history. A fascinating discussion about the exciting find and some of the amazing things we learned from it.

Bet Shamai and Bet Hillel were two major Jewish schools in Jerusalem that lasted about 100 years from about 10 BCE to 70 CE. The schools were founded by two great Jewish leaders Hillel and Shamai. There were hundreds of debates of Jewish law between the two prominent schools. A fascinating discussion about Beit Shamai and Beit Hillel and their important contributions to Judaism and Jewish History.

In a cryptic story, the Torah tells us how Jacob found himself alone at night and found himself wrestling with a man who dislocated his thigh. Jacob refused to let the man go without a blessing and the man told him that his name will be changed from Jacob to Israel.Clearly this man was no ordinary man and the story has deeper meaning. Most commentaries assume this man was an angel. Who was this angel? Can a person really wrestle with an angel? What is the meaning of this fight and the dislocated thigh?A fascinating discussion about Jacob's wrestling with the angel and the lessons for us today.

In one of the most perplexing stories in the Torah, Isaac wanted to bless his older son Esau before his death. However, his younger son Jacob tricked his father into believing that he was Esau and blessing him instead. How was Jacob allowed to trick his father? Was it ethical for him to take the blessings meant for his brother?A fascinating class about how Jacob was able to trick his father.

Not only are we commanded to care for the sick and help them heal, it is an important Mitzvah for us to visit the sick and spend time with them. A fascinating discussion about the unique Mitzvah of visiting the sick.