Parashat VaYera: A Fair Shake (re-release)

When kids ask big questions, how do you respond? Whether you are parent, educator, or just a curious person, you've probably asked yourself the same questions.This podcast doesn’t have all the answers, but it can give you language and frameworks to engage meaningfully with these questions. Every week, Rabbi Shai Held invites an expert guest to explore a big question: Who is God? Why did God create the world? Why do bad things happen? No pressure.  

At the end of the Book of Bereishit, Ya'akov blesses his sons, including a really intricate one for Dan. Mara and Ravi discuss what it could mean and the lessons for being a good leader. At the end of the episode, they share some of their favorite moments of this season and what they've learned from each other.

After Yosef reveals himself to his brothers, and Ya'akov and the entire family go down to Egypt, God says not to be afraid.  Mara asks why this might have been what Ya'akov needed to hear and Ravi talks about a time when he felt God was with him.

If the Torah says not to hold a grudge, why does Yosef take revenge on his brothers? Mara and Ravi talk about how role models might not always be perfect and how we can learn both from their strengths and their mistakes. 

Yosef's dreams lead to a lot of tension in his family. But did they have to? Ravi thinks about sibling rivalries, favoritism, and how everyone could've interpreted Yosef's dreams differently.

A name can tell us a lot about a person. Ya'akov (or is it Yisrael?) is no exception! Mara and Ravi talk about name changes in the Torah and why they are so important.

Ya'akov dreams about angels going up and down a ladder to the heavens. Where are they coming from? Where are they going? Ravi and Mara think about what they symbolize and why Ya'akov needs to see them.

Ya'akov and Esav were really different - but they were still brothers. Mara asks how siblings can still try to get along, even when they have different interests, and Ravi has some ideas.

What's the most important quality in a person? When Avraham's servant looks for a wife for Yitzhak, he looks out for kindness. Ravi and Mara talk about why it's so important to be kind.

Is it fair to punish people for things for they didn't do? Avraham sure didn't think so.  Mara and Ravi talk about Avraham arguing with God over the destruction of Sodom and what it takes to stand up for what's right.