Root Source just earned the Gold Seal of Transparency!

Published: Tue, 11/25/25

Updated: Wed, 11/26/25

"And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring... Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Genesis 28:13,15

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Hi friend,

This coming Shabbat's Torah portion, read on Saturday, November 29th, is Parashat Vayetzei. In this week’s reading, Vayeitzei, Jacob travels to his uncle Laban. En route he stops at the Temple Mount where G‑d appears and assures him that he will return safely to the Land of Canaan. Jacob stays for twenty years in Charan before returning to Canaan. During his stay he shepherds Laban’s sheep, and survives and prospers despite all his uncle’s attempted deceptions. He marries Leah and Rachel, and the first eleven tribes are born.

Join us as we launch a groundbreaking new kind of Bible with Bob O’Dell and special guests, and discover a fresh way to read and experience Scripture together! Check it below!

Check out this exciting update—Root Source just earned the Gold Seal of Transparency! Check below!

Join us in exploring the Weekly Bible Chapter: Pharaoh’s Confirmation Bias with Rabbi Avraham Norin, and let’s learn and reflect together!

Please enjoy this teaching of our beloved Root Source teacher, Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz of blessed memory, about this week's Torah portion, Vayetzeh, and share your thoughts with us!

Last week, our popular Root Source teacher Rabbi Gedalia Meyer talked about Toldot. Watch it below.

Check below to hear what Gidon Ariel and Ann Stacy and Friends have to share.

We sign off with a nice comment and a beautiful photo of Masada, Israel .

Shalom,

Gidon Ariel and Bob O’Dell
Root Source Founders

Parashat Vayetzei

Jacob left Be’er Sheba and headed towards Charan, to his uncle Laban’s home. While traveling, Jacob encountered “the place” (Mount Moriah) and since the sun had set, he lay down to sleep. In a dream he saw a ladder reaching up to heaven with angels ascending and descending its rungs. G‑d appeared and informed him that He would bequeath the entire land to his descendants, and that He would safeguard him until he returned to Canaan. Jacob awoke, and now recognizing the holiness of the location, he erected a monument to G‑d, named the location Beth El (“House of G‑d”), and vowed to tithe all his belongings when G‑d’s promise of a safe return would be fulfilled.

Read more here

Read the Bible Again for the First Time

Root Source is excited to announce a special launch event for a brand-new kind of Bible, and you’re invited to be part of it. Join me, along with my good friend and partner Bob O’Dell and several guests, as we introduce a project that may help you read the Bible again with fresh eyes.

Read more here

Root Source Earns Candid Gold Seal of Transparency on GuideStar

Guidestar is one of the leading nonprofit evaluators in the world, and less than one percent of all organizations are recognized with a Gold Seal. Today, Root Source is one of them! This reflects on our transparency, exemplary financial management, and important charitable work. Please join Guidestar in promoting Root Source's important mission with a tax deductible, end of 2025 donation to your favorite organization and mine:-), Root Source!

Read more here

Weekly Bible Chapter:

The Misguided Reliance on Military Technology

The military dominance of the Egyptians was based on the horse-drawn chariot, introduced into Egypt by the Hyksos in the sixteenth century BCE. This made the Egyptian army invincible. It was the symbol of their strength. There is however one form of terrain in which the horse-drawn chariot is a source not of strength but of weakness, namely an uncovered, saturated sea-bed. The Israelites, traveling on foot, were able to walk across, but the Egyptians, pursuing after them in their chariots, found that “the wheels of their chariots were unfastened and drove with difficulty” (Ex. 14:25). They became stuck in the mire, unable to move forward or back.

Read more here

Parashat Vayetzeh: Leaving One's Comfort Zone

Jacob’s journey begins when he leaves the insular study halls of Shem and Ever, stepping out from a world of spiritual learning into the unknown and corrupt environment of his uncle Laban. This transition marks a pivotal moment in Jacob’s life, where he must confront the challenges of the outside world and recognize the higher responsibility that comes with his existence.

Read more here

Toldot:
Rabbi Gedalia Meyer's Weekly Torah Study

“Why am I?” asks Rivka, experiencing a difficult pregnancy after years of praying for a child. It is a difficult question to ask and a difficult question to answer, and the answer she does receive is no less difficult to process.

Watch the video

Conversations:

Gidon Ariel and Ann Stacy and Friends - November 18, 2025

Our good friend from Dallas Texas and founding board member Ann Stacy has weekly luncheons with friends at her beautiful home (it even has a name – the Blessing!) to fellowship and study Torah. She often has guest speakers and this time it was Gidon’s turn:-) He spoke about his personal journey, Root Source, and our new project We Must Not Forget. It’s a little long but worth it!

Watch here!

Comments

We get so many comments!
Here is one from Miriam on a blogpost:

“The way you link Jacob’s dreams to our own search for meaning inspires me each week. Thank you for bringing the Torah alive!”

Masada, Israel

Enjoy this photo of the Masada, Israel by Cristina Gottardi.

Blessings and Shalom,
Bob and Gidon

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