Lifeboats

Lifeboats

Home
Podcast
Archive
About
From one many, from many one: Holy design. Trumah (Exodus 25:1 - 27:19)
The menorah was chosen as Israel’s national symbol, so it’s spoken for… otherwise I might have suggested that it would go very well with America’s "e…
 • 
Fabien Havas
Misreading, not miscarriage. Mishpatim on... abortion? (Exodus 21:1 - 24:18)
‘Abortion’ or ‘miscarriage’ were once used to describe something done in the most horribly wrong way imaginable; applying, too literally, to a…
 • 
Fabien Havas
Sinai, Day One. Yitro (Exodus 18:1 - 20:23)
At Sinai, God introduces Himself. That is Day One – the point where History really begins.
 • 
Fabien Havas
The long, narrow, scenic route through the Sea - Beshalach (Exodus 13:17 - 17:16)
Charlton Heston made it look easy... but the Israelites took the long way, and the way of no return... which is actually the best and only way when…
 • 
Fabien Havas
Miracles – Bo (Exodus 10:1 - 13:16)
In the thick of the drama and action of Exodus, this reading is full of Big Ones. Not a bad place to ask what they are, anyway.
 • 
Fabien Havas

January 2025

Free will, see... or... not? Vaera (Exodus 6:2-9:35)
The Ten plagues of Egypt teach many lessons. One of them is less about free will than we usually assume... and more about vision - and the contrast…
 • 
Fabien Havas
Attention! Shemot (Exodus 1:1 - 6:1)
Moses was Moses, truly great – because he had that one rare quality: vision, the ability to see what glimmers at us from afar, demanding attention…
 • 
Fabien Havas
Hindsight - Vayechi (Genesis 47:28 - 50:26)
Hindsight is always 20/20, we say, deprecatingly. Yes, it is: a field, albeit limited, of perfect vision – rich with valuable things to see and learn…
 • 
Fabien Havas
The real Judah stands up - Vayigash (Genesis 44:18 - 47:27)
Truth, responsibility, and self-sacrifice, freely chosen and embraced, are redemptive: they can make things right. They can save the future.
 • 
Fabien Havas

December 2024

The supernatural courage of light - Hanukah 2024/5784.
What seems impossible, against all odds and precedent, downright unreasonable, is precisely what this faith points to - as what must be our goal. That's…
 • 
Fabien Havas
The wise king and the tyranny of excellent intentions Miketz (Genesis 41:1 - 44:17)
When the wise king goes overboard... You’ll own nothing, and be happy, Egypt-style?
 • 
Fabien Havas
Congratulations - you're an angel. Vayeshev (Genesis 37:1 - 40:23)
Joseph’s odd encounter with a "man", who does no more than point him to his brothers: a small, understated act. And the fulcrum on which the whole world…
 • 
Fabien Havas
© 2025 Fabien Havas
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture