https://drive.google.com/file/d/18ufG2c46ZpkUKbNt0Y-b2I5psHoACMLH
Category Archives: Breishis
Mikeitz – 5783
Vayeishev 5780
IT HAS NEVER BEEN MORE EXCITING
I am often asked how we can trust HaShem will support us if we may not de-serve His support? Can we anticipate His support if we do not deserve it? I think the answer lies in the first statement a Jew makes upon waking up every morning.
In this week’s Parsha, Vayeishev, Yehuda admits to being the one who was with Tamar, his daughter in-law. Our Sages point out that Yehuda was the first to admit in public, in spite of the embarrassment it brought. It is noteworthy that his name derives from the word “l’hodos’ to admit.
Vayeishev 5779
EVERY SPOKE IS NEEDED
This week’s Parsha, Vayeishev, presents us with the tragic story of Yosef and the brothers. When Yaakov ‘realizes’ that Yosef was killed by a wild animal he refuses to accept consolation. He continues to mourn with no end. The question is; the To-rah sets a limit how much mourning one may do. Excessive mourning is actually prohibited. Why, then, does Yaakov refuse to accept consolation over Yosef death?
Continue reading Vayeishev 5779Mikeitz 5780
THE BLIND HAVE DEEPER INSIGHT
Adapted from Rabbi Aaron Lopiansky’s talk
I am so grateful to the readership of TableTalk as you provide me the opportunity of ‘pirsumei nisa’ on this beautiful holiday of Chanuka. In light of the holiday I wish to dedicate this thought to Chanukah rather than to this week’s Parsha, Mikeitz.
Chanukah celebrates our survival and ultimate triumph over the threat of assimilation into the Greek culture. Although we achieved both military and political victories against the Greeks, it is the religious victory that we celebrate. The reason for this is because the criteria of being worthy of establishing a holiday on our calendar is that the event must be an historically alter-ing event. For example, the Exodus transformed us into a people. The receiving of the Torah gave definition to our mission as a people and so on.
Mikeitz 5779
THE SMALL WEAK FLAME CONTINUES TO BURN
Among the many lessons of Chanukah is the power of the minority. We find this quality is underscored in the Al Hanisim that is said multiple times a day throughout Chanukah. The composers of this prayer equate the purity and the righteousness of our people to their being weak and few in numbers. Certainly, purity and righteous-ness qualify us and make us worthy of victory. But how does being weak and few in numbers make us worthy of victory?
Continue reading Mikeitz 5779Vayeitzei 5783
The Stones
Our Parsha opens with Yaakov Avinu on his way to Uncle Lavan to find a wife. He lies down on what is today the Temple Mount and surrounds himself with a set of 12 stones. Chazal teach us that the stones began to quarrel. Each one claiming that Yaakov should rest his head on it. They quarreled until they united into a single stone. They lost their respective distinctness and blended into one single stone.
Continue reading Vayeitzei 5783Vayishlach 5780
CHAIN OF COMMAND
Adapted from Rabbi Aaron Lopiansky’s talk
In this week’s Parsha, Vayishlach, we find Yaakov having to wrestle with the angel of Eisov. The struggle lasts the entire night until the angel sees that he is unable to bring down Yaakov. In one final effort the angel succeeds in dislocating Yaakov’s thighbone. Although, Yaakov is recognized as the victor, he nevertheless suffers injury. What is the significance of this story and how is it relevant to us?
Our Sages teach us that the human body is divided into three parts. The first is the head which is directed by the mind, the second is the upper torso which is directed by the heart and the remainder of the body which is directed by the liver.
Vayishlach 5778
WHAT A NAME!
In this week’s Parsha, Vayishlach, our father Yaakov encounters the angel of Eisov. After winning him at a wrestling match, Yaakov asks the angel what his name is. The angel tells him that angels like him do not have set names. The reason for this is that their mission changes every time HaKadosh baruch Hu sends him out. Since his mission is constantly changing, no set name would be appropriate.
The Torah is teaching us that our name defines our mission. Consequently, when one’s mission is constantly changing they can have no set name.
When reviewing this point of the Parsha I wondered about our name “Jew”. What is our constant mission and how does the name “Jew” reflect it?
Vayeitzei 5779
ENTITLEMENT OR INDEBTEDNESS
In this week’s Parsha, Vayeitzei, we find the first expression of thanks in the Torah. Upon giving birth to Yehudah, Leah states that she now gives thanks to HaShem. The obvious question is why did she wait until the birth of her fourth child and not express her thanks at the birth of her first? The answer lies in the nature of ‘hodo-ah’, thanks, which derives from ‘hodah’ which means to concede, to admit or to confess. Leah felt that she somehow deserved her first three children because she knew that Yaakov was to father 12 sons from four wives. Therefore, each wife deserved three children. Once she was given a fourth child, she acknowledged that she received more than she deserved.
Continue reading Vayeitzei 5779