Why do grandparents relate so differently to their grandchildren? Modern neuroscience, Chassidic thought, and Rabbi Jonathan Sacks converge on an ancient insight. In Parshat Vayechi, Yaakov blesses his grandchildren before his sons, teaching that Jewish continuity is not secured by survival alone, but by transmitting meaning, identity, and purpose across generations.

As life nears its end, clarity replaces illusion. From Beethoven and Jefferson to Steve Jobs and Isaac Newton, history shows how perspective sharpens with mortality. Parshat Vayechi captures this truth in Jacob’s final words to his sons, reminding us that legacy is not curated in real time, but revealed only when the dots of a life finally connect.

Written over two thousand years apart, the first-ever novel - written by a Japanese courtier - and the Torah’s story of Joseph converge on the same unsettling question: how should power be used? Drawing on The Tale of Genji and Parshat Vayigash, Rabbi Dunner explores influence beneath the throne, the danger of unchecked authority, and why true leadership is revealed not by domination, but by restraint.

When experts fail, it is rarely for lack of information. From the Great Storm of 1987 in England, to the 2008 financial crash, and recently Israel’s intelligence failure before October 7th, warning signs were present but misread. What makes Joseph succeed where others fail? Rabbi Dunner unravels the mystery of Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams—and his uncanny ability to see the wood for the trees.

Power reveals character. From Joseph’s restraint at the height of global authority to the Chashmonaim’s uneasy legacy, Rabbi Dunner explores how Judaism measures leadership once power is achieved. Why did Chazal let the Hasmonean victories fade, but still preserve Chanukah? And what does Parshat Miketz teach us about responsibility, restraint, and the moral test of power in Jewish history today?

History is filled with great people dismissed as useless dreamers, only for their brilliance to be recognized later. From Lincoln to Semmelweis, John Snow to Ada Lovelace, and even Joseph in Parshat Vayeishev, we repeatedly misjudge visionaries because of our own biases. Rabbi Dunner explores how and why genius is so often hidden in plain sight — and so easily ignored.

In Parshat Vayishlach, Yaakov embraces diplomacy eith Esav while Shimon and Levi choose confrontation with Shechem. What determines the difference? Rabbi Dunner explores the Torah’s two models for responding to danger, and how these ancient principles illuminate Israel’s dilemmas today — from the Abraham Accords to October 7th. When do we make peace, and when must we wage war?

AI panic is everywhere—politicians, philosophers, and tech theorists warn that machines may soon outthink or even replace us. But a strange nighttime encounter in Parshat Vayishlach offers a radically different lens. From Jacob’s mysterious struggle emerges a timeless truth about confronting overwhelming forces, giving us a powerful lesson about the challenges of confronting AI.

The latest Ukrainian corruption scandal shows how moral collapse hides in the smallest details — a theme Rabbi Dunner sees echoed in Parshat Vayeitzei. Jacob’s true greatness appears not on a ladder to heaven but in the messy arena of daily life. Rabbi Dunner’s late father always insisted that Vayeitzei was “the most important parsha.” He may have been right.

A mysterious prophecy, a violent struggle in the womb, and two utterly different sons set the stage for one of the Torah’s most profound lessons in Toldot. Rivkah must interpret God’s words, confront human complexity, and choose courage amid uncertainty. Rabbi Dunner explores destiny, free will, and the lifelong battle between the “twins” within each of us.

Rabbi Dunner cites the bizarre Victorian saga known as the Tichborne Case — when a mother’s devotion blinded her to an obvious imposter posing as her son — to draw a striking parallel to Parshat Toldot. Why does Isaac fall for Jacob’s disguise, and what makes this deception fundamentally different? Rabbi Dunner explores how love can obscure truth, yet divine purpose can emerge from confusion, revealing destiny beneath a disguise.

Few revolutions shouted louder about equality, or practiced it more selectively, than the French Revolution. Rabbi Dunner explores the hypocrisy behind Robespierre’s so-called “equality” and contrasts it with the genuine partnership of Abraham and Sarah, who modeled true moral equality millennia before France began shouting about liberté, égalité, and fraternité.

Rabbi Dunner marks the fifth yahrzeit of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks by reflecting on one of Rabbi Sacks’ most moving teachings — that creation, covenant, and love all depend on words. Through the story of Isaac and Rebecca in Chayei Sarah and Toldot, he explores how even holy silence can wound, and why communication — honest, vulnerable speech — is sacred.

In 1946, Howard Hughes’s experimental plane crashed with a fiery explosion into a Beverly Hills home — a modern parable of hubris. Rabbi Dunner compares Hughes’s refusal to yield to limits with the moral failure of Sodom in Parshat Vayera — and contrasts both with Abraham’s enduring humility and greatness.

We live in an age obsessed with movement — new jobs, new cities, constant reinvention. But Lech Lecha teaches that the greatest journey isn’t across continents but into ourselves. Avraham traveled far, but his true destination was his own soul. Before chasing fulfillment elsewhere, pause — the treasure you’re searching for may already be much closer than you think.

When Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition turned to disaster, his courage and leadership became legend. But 4,000 years earlier, another man faced the same kind of test — not on the ice, but in a land struck by famine. Abraham’s response in Parshat Lech Lecha revealed that true faith isn’t built in comfort. It’s forged when the unexpected shatters our plans.

Rabbi Dunner unpacks the Tower of Babel: Why did God scatter nations and diversify language? Not to punish—but to protect. Unity is holy, yet enforced unanimity is perilous. Discover how Babel warns against groupthink, how Torah sanctifies principled disagreement, and why many voices, under one God, make a symphony rather than a siren.

In this moving reflection, Rabbi Dunner explores the true meaning of the olive leaf brought to Noah by the dove after the Flood. Far from being a symbol of closure, it marked the beginning of humanity’s long journey toward renewal. Drawing parallels to post-Holocaust recovery and Israel’s resilience after October 7th, he reveals how divine light emerges through brokenness.

Throughout history, evil has cloaked itself in virtue — from the serpent in Eden to today’s moral crusaders like Greta Thunberg. Drawing on Niebuhr, Midrash, and classic Torah commentaries, Rabbi Dunner reveals how the language of compassion and justice can become a weapon of destruction when it is stripped of truth, humility, and moral clarity.

Exactly two years after October 7, Israel stands at a turning point: a sweeping hostage deal agreed, Hamas broken, and the horrors since that day nearing an end. From vulnerability and isolation to resolve and renewal, Rabbi Dunner connects this moment to Vezot Habracha—Moshe’s final blessing. How does it all connect, and what are the lessons of Simchat Torah?