Rabbi Sender Haber

Rabbi, Monsey, NY

Jealousy

Reuvein was the least likely candidate to save Yosef. Reuvein was the rightful heir to the throne. He was the oldest and he had championed the cause of Leah too often to stand idly by while one of Rachel’s children took the reins in the next generation. Of all of the...

Surmountable Odds

Yaacov Avinu was able to uncover the well for Rachel when all of the shepherds could not. He cared for her and he wanted her to be able to water the sheep and go home. How did he do it? Rashi tells us that he had superhuman strength. He was able to lift the stone like...

The Days of Sarah

The Medrash tells us that Rebbe Akiva was once sitting with his students when he noticed that they were falling asleep. He decided to wake them by changing the subject. “Why is it”, he asked, “that Queen Esther merited ruling over 127 countries?” He went on to explain...

Thinking Bigger

Rav Ovadiah Yosef was once rushed to the hospital. Israel’s top surgeons examined him and determined that the only solution was a risky surgery. They scheduled it for that afternoon. Since there were three hours left until the surgery, Rav Ovadiah asked to be taken...

Own It

This year I noticed something interesting at the end of Parshas Noach. Terach took his wife and children and set out on a trip from their homeland of Ur Kasdim toward the land of Canaan. They stopped in Charan where they settled. In this context it is a little bit...