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We’ve all had days when we have so many things to do, but we just want to stay in bed and put our tasks off for later. This week, Rabbi Leora Kaye tells a story about a rabbi who faced that very same temptation head-on, showing us how we too can push through our temptation and “get up and go early.”

Three souls are met by the Heavenly Tribunal as they approach the gates of Paradise: a learned rabbi, a pious man, and a tavern keeper. Each one makes their case as to why they should enter Paradise, but who among them instantly earns the Tribunal's favor?

As this week’s Torah portion focuses on Joseph and his brothers, Rabbi Rick Jacobs discusses another band of “brothers,” the Maccabees, and how their victory and the miracle of the oil can inspire us to shine our light on the rest of the world.

Once, there was a king who set out on a mission in his kingdom to learn about his reputation. He travelled from town to town and eventually met a happy old man and his wife. After asking them why they were so joyous, they replied, “God takes care of us.” The king was furious—it’s him who takes care of the people, not God! What the man and his wife do next teach everyone in the kingdom, including the king, what it means to be taken care of. Rabbi Mark Kaiserman, the rabbi at Reform Temple of Forest Hills retells the story. For a written version, see “The Wooden Sword” in The Jewish Story Finder by Sharon Barcan Elswit.