The eighth portion of Torah begins a pair of complex confrontations - Jacob reunites with his brother Esau after their acrimonious separation in last week's Parasha, while a more mysterious encounter forces Jacob to wrestle, literally, with his relationship with the divine. Jacob is renamed 'Israel', and a series of births and deaths remind us that this family is evolving. But it is a terrible encounter at Shechem that may change this family and its future for ever. What does it take to be Jewish? And what boundaries must we draw from ourselves? This week's Parasha lets us dive into all of this.

The seventh Parasha of Torah follows Jacob's journey away from his father's home, to Haran, where his grandfather Abraham lived and the city his uncle Laban still calls home. Marrying both of Laban's daughters, Jacob soon begins to build the family that will eventually become the twelve tribes of Israel, although the tensions that build up between Jacob and his uncle are beyond simple repair, and yet another familial bond breaks. This Parasha also contains one of the most culturally significant stories in all of Torah, that has formed part of popular consciousness the world over - Jacob's Ladder. Connecting our world and that of the divine, the ladder on which angels are ascending and descending signifies the unbreakable bond that holds us fast to G-d.

The sixth Parashah of Torah is a fork in the road for Abraham's legacy. Things could have gone very differently, and possibly they were supposed to. In spite of what can only be seen as some really poor behaviour all around, our story will make its way forward, leading towards the tribes of Israel and the next stage of the book of Genesis. As you listen to the Parashah, remember to think critically about both Jacob and Esau. Simple solutions to complex problems may sound inviting, but most commonly they're not very helpful. We need to read Torah with diligence, reason, compassion and faith. Yes, it's a hard mix, and Parashat Toldot will exercise those muscles of yours.

The fifth parashah of Torah is, upon reflection, an uplifting and inspiring passage. Though the first great matriarch and patriarch of the Jewish people each pass away, this moment also defines the beginning of the pre-Israelite people's physical connection to the land promised to them by G-d. And, in a portion that ensures the continuation of the Jewish idea, their son Isaac finds a partner with whom to continue that legacy. We learn that in times of grief hope emerges, a profound metaphor for the Jewish sense of life that will continue to evolve through to the modern Kaddish prayer.

The fourth parashah of Torah is heavy reading. From the destruction of an entire city and its people, to immoral sexual acts, to the unfair condemnation of a woman and her child to death, and the willingness of a man to kill his own child. It's tough going. But G-d wants us to read, or listen, and understand this content for two reasons, and those are perhaps the most important lessons we will learn throughout the whole of Torah - what do you do when you are called, and what do you o when the thing you are aked to do conflicts with what you know to be right.  Our Torah characters don't always get it right, and sometimes we learn from their missteps as much as from their triumphs.

The third parashah of Torah tells us of the moment when the Jewish people began their long journey into nationhood. Though this would take many generations, and require skill, luck and faith along the way, that origin is found in Abraham's decision to 'go forth'. Though the way was uncertain, and Abraham contended with doubt, the hope of a bountiful future emerged despite those concerns. Would Abraham truly be the father of a great nation? He wasn't at all convinced, even if G-d was sure. Along the way, we read one of the strangest digressions in all of Torah - the Battle of the Nine Kings. While it provides some context about the land into which Abraham was enetering, it's meaning needs quite a bit of further consideration.

The second parasha of Torah weaves stories that are familiar the world over, because they are central narratives to our shared human experience. We sin, we survive, we are fractured and dipersed by cultural distinctions, yet our human capacity for true purpose and faith remains. G-d understands our inherent weakness and loves us not just in spite of it, but in some ways because of it. After all, as Noah finds out, human weakness and sin can be the vital impetus that helps us to drive forward towards days of new hope and rainbows. And with the arrival of Abraham into Torah, hope for the future is indeed about to blossom. Grace is out there, and on offer for all of us. It's just about making the right kinds of choices.

The first parasha of Torah allows us to begin our understanding of how G-d brought the world into being, and possibly even a little bit of why. It's a story of kindness and sin, generosity and failure, all bound up in individual characters and one lineage. But it's not all bad news - the parasha ends as G-d finds hope that a good human migth truly exist. The haftarah from Isaiah gives us further insight into G-d's purpose for us and G-d's frustrations at how we routinely fail to meet those expectations. But, as always, G-d's love and commitment to us remains unbroken. It's a powerful way to begin our study.