Bereshit

Rav Kook explains the interesting phenomenon that the Tanach Heroes must also be physically strong and military heroes. He connects it with the Ideal Jew who is a healthy soul in a healthy body, which we must revive and educate today, with our return to Israel.

How can we understand that Yitzchak preferred & even considered giving the bracha of Eretz Yisrael to Esav? This short article explains a new pshat (literal understanding) as well as having important ramifications for today's current events between Israel & Hamas.

Avraham's "elaborate" and prolonged give-and-take to acquire Chevron has important eternal and practical messages, especially for the many New-Yorkers recently considering buying homes in Israel!

Many don't notice that our parsha explicitly pits Avraham Avinu as the ANTI-THESIS of Avimelech. After the Akeidah, Avraham is described: "now I know that you have YIRAT ELOKIM" (22, 12) as opposed to when he answers Avimelech's question, "what did I do wrong by 'accidentally' taking your wife?": Avraham precisely answers: "it's just that there is NO Yirat Elokim in this place". What exactly is that "Awe of G-d" that should typify our actions and get us to even initiate "Hineni", and conversely avoid the common search for excuses & alibis so prevalent in the western world?