Curiosity can make all the difference

Video version: https://youtu.be/krM0x9Awtb8

Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” (Shemot/Exodus 3:1-4)

Shemot

For the week of January 10, 2026 / 21 Tevet 5786

Torah: Shemot/Exodus 1:1 – 6:1

Haftarah: Isaiah 27:6 – 28:13; 29:22-23

Originally posted the week of January 9, 2021 / 25 Tevet 5781 (revised)

Text version: https://torahbytes.org/86-13

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Knowing God prompts us to anticipate the positive

Video version: https://youtu.be/IXBOBsr1XPE

When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. (Genesis 50:15-21)

Mentioned in this podcast:

The Other Side of the Coin: https://torahbytes.org/82-12/

Vayechi

For the week of January 3, 2026 / 14 Tevet 5786

Torah: Bereshit/Genesis 47:28 – 50:26

Haftarah: 1 Melachim/1 Kings 2:1–12

Text version: https://torahbytes.org/86-12

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Are you emotionally stuck?

Video version: https://youtu.be/GfxN-CTxL6Y

And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. (Bereshit/Genesis 45:2)

Vayigash

For the week of December 27, 2025 / 7 Tevet 5786

Torah: Bereshit/Genesis 44:18 – 47:27

Haftarah: Ezekiel 37:15-28

Originally posted the week of December 15, 2018 / 7 Tevet 5779 (revised)

Text version: https://torahbytes.org/86-11

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The clarifying light of Hanukkah

Video version: https://youtu.be/0LUikhF5IkU

And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” (Bereshit/Genesis 41:38)

Miketz, Hanukkah, & Rosh Hodesh

For the week of December 20, 2025 / 30 Kislev 5786

Torah: Bereshit/Genesis 41:1 – 44:17; B’midbar/Numbers 28:9–15, 7:42–53

Hatarah: Zechariah: 2:14 – 4:7 (English: 2:10 – 4:7)

Text version: https://torahbytes.org/86-10

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Are life's complications really all that necessary?

Video version: https://youtu.be/zXCF6mg4Jqs

The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed. (Bereshit/Genesis 39:23)

Vayeshev

For the week of December 13, 2025 / 23 Kislev 5786

Torah: Bereshit/Genesis 37:1-40:23

Haftarah: Amos 2:6-3:8

Originally posted the week of December 24, 2016 / 24 Kislev 5777 (updated)

Text version: https://torahbytes.org/86-09

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Fear can be a handy tool when used properly

Video version: https://youtu.be/NXbvgI5Epp0

And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’” (Bereshit/Genesis 32:10–13; English 32:9–12)

Vayishlach

For the week of December 6, 2025 / 16 Kislev 5786

Torah: Bereshit/Genesis 32:4 – 36:43 (English: 32:3 – 36:43)

Haftarah: Hosea 11:7 – 12:12

Text version: https://torahbytes.org/86-08

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God's complex love for Israel

Video version: https://youtu.be/4JcfEM4ya4g

I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol; I shall redeem them from Death. (Hoshea/Hosea 13:14)

Vayetzei

For the week of November 29, 2025 / 9 Kislev 5786

Torah: Bereshit/Genesis 28:10 – 32:3

Haftarah: Hoshea/Hosea 12:13 – 14:10 (English: 12:12 – 14:9)

Originally posted the week of December 7, 2024 / 6 Kislev 5785 (revised)

Text version: https://torahbytes.org/86-07

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Does prayer really make a difference?

And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. (Bereshit/Genesis 25:21)

Video version: https://youtu.be/AODGnyX3mSc

Toledot

For the week of November 22, 2025 / 2 Kislev 5786

Torah: Bereshit/Genesis 25:19-28:9

Haftarah: 1 Samuel 20:18-42

Originally posted the week of November 22, 2014 / 29 Heshvan 5775 (updated)

Text version: https://torahbytes.org/86-06

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