We're halfway through November, which means the end of 2021 is coming up quickly. With a few weeks left in the year, I took a moment this week to reflect on some goals I'd set at the start of the year, how much progress I've made towards them, and where I find myself as the year wraps up.
The Torah this week finds Jacob journeying to the house of Laban, where he serves as a laborer for 14 years before marrying Laban's daughter Rachel. Along the way he marries Leah, which wasn't part of his plan. I took a lesson from Jacob's struggles this week, the good and the bad, in the context of my own life this year.
Of course, I couldn't help but slip in a Game of Thrones reference, having just finished a fifth rewatch of the series. If you're not a fan, hopefully I explained the basic details enough, and you understand the point.
Thanks for listening, and Shabbat Shalom!
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I'm not a rabbi, so every week I look at our Torah portion and try to put it in conversation with the modern world around me. Judaism is rich in tradition, and each of us deserves the chance to find our own meaning in the text. Just remember, like the text itself says, “there’s nothing new under the sun.”
Modern Torah is published every week on Friday mornings, anywhere you get your podcasts. Learn more about me and any of my other podcasts at www.moderntorah.com.
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I’m not a rabbi, so every week, I look at our Torah portion and try to put it in conversation with the world around me. Judaism is rich in tradition, and each of us deserves the chance to find our own meaning in the text. Whether you’re studying Torah daily, or taking a moment to prepare for Shabbat, I hope you’ll make these ten minutes of Torah part of your week.
You can learn more about me, and my work, on my website – www.nathanjvaughan.com
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