The deterioration of relations between Egypt and the Children of Israel proceeds rapidly. What values, emotions, and perspectives make such a breakdown possible—and what could prevent it? The contrasting figures of Pharaoh and his daughter offer two opposing models, each of whom go through three steps. On the one hand, Pharaoh exemplifies the descent from relationship into fear, oppression, and alienation. On the other, his daughter represents a path grounded in courage, relationship, empathy, and a belief in the possibility of mutual flourishing.

For generations our relationship with God has been mediated through texts written almost entirely by men. In these sessions, Rabbi Avi Killip explores a collection of midrashim, written by contemporary Israeli women writers, exploring images of God that are uniquely female oriented while being deeply rooted in the images and language of the Torah and classical midrash. "And God Waited" engages with midrashic answers to an imagined question “What might God be waiting on from us?” Recorded in Summer 2025.

Source sheet: https://mechonhadar.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/mh_torah_source_sheets/KillipAndGodWaited2025.pdf

We find ourselves at the closing moments of the Book of Genesis—moments of transition as a family becomes a nation. We stand on the threshold between Yosef’s personal trauma and the national trauma soon to come, the slavery in Egypt. What mindset does Parashat VaYehi seek to give us as a tool for facing the suffering of Egypt?