Category Archives: Breishis

Vayishlach 5778

Vayishlach

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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?

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Vayeitzei 5779

Vayeitzei

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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.

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Vayeitzei 5778

Vayechi

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WARNING: DANGER AHEAD

This week’s Parsha, Vayeitzei, opens with Yaakov on his way to his mother’s brother, Uncle Lavan, to find for himself a wife and to build the seminal Jewish family. Uncle Lavan is a notorious swindler whose daughters are remark-ably virtuous. Along his way, Yaakov was robbed of everything that he had taken with him and was now penniless but full of hope and trust in HaKadosh baruch Hu. Yaakov turns to HaShem with the following deal. “If HaShem will be with me as I travel along this path and He will protect me and provide me with bread to eat and clothing to wear and return me to my father’s home… then HaShem will be Guide etc.”
It is noteworthy that in the Book of Bamidbar the Torah instructs the kohanim to bless the Jewish people with the following blessing. “HaShem shall bless you and protect you.”

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Vayeitzei 5777

Vayeitzei

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THE ORCHESTRA AND THE ROLEX

This week’s Parsha, Vayeitzei, teaches us a great lesson in the unity to which we must aspire and achieve for us to accomplish our mission.

The Parsha begins with a scene of our father, Yaakov, laying down for the night on the ground on the way to his Uncle Lavan’s home in search of a wife. “He took from the stones of the place and placed them around his head…And he took the stone which he placed around his head and set it as a monument.” Our Sages point out the seeming inconsistency. Initially he took multiple stones to place around his head and when he awoke he took the stone (singular) which he placed around his head; was it many stones or was it just one stone? Our Sages teach us that initially Yaakov took 12 stones to place around his head but the stones began to quarrel, each stone argued that it should be the one upon which Yaakov’s head shall rest. After all the stones made their argument they merged into one single stone. This story requires an explanation. What does it mean that a stone has a position on what it should be doing? Furthermore, the argument sounds competitive with each stone trying to claim that other stones are wrong. Is there competition among stones?

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Toldos 5783

Toldos

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ONE QUESTION; WHICH DIRECTION

Parshas Toldos introduces us to the birth of Yaakov and Eisov, the central players of world history. Yaakov plays the role of the hero who will bring the world to its ultimate destiny when HaShem will be recognized and accepted by all. Eisov plays the role of Yaakov’s nemesis. Eisov is the one who tries to block Yaakov, using his many tactics, from achieving his goal. Hashgacha had it that these two players be born to the same parents in the same womb at the same time – they are twins. Their dichotomous relationship is reminiscent of the two goats that were prepared for the Yom Kippur service. They were supposed to be the same height, same value and as much as possible to resemble one another. One of these goats would be brought before HaShem in the Bais Hamikdosh and the other thrown down a cliff to appease the satan. The only distinction was the direction they were going.

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Chayei Sara 5783

Chayei Sara

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IT IS NEVER ENOUGH

When Avraham instructs Eliezer to go to Aram Naharyim to find a wife for Yitzchok, Eliezer raises the concern that perhaps the woman will not want to come. Avraham tells Eliezer not to worry; “HaShem Who took me from my father’s house and promised to me that my children will inherit this Land, He will send his angel before you.” Armed with the blessing of Avraham, Eliezer heads out to Aram Naharyim . When he arrives at the city well he turns in prayer to HaShem and pleads to please grant him success in finding the woman who is destined for Yitzchok. 

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Toldos 5782

Toldos

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PAPA IS IN PAIN, TOO!

The Talmud teaches us that just as we wear tefillin on our heads and our arms to attach our-selves to HaShem, so does HaShem wear tefillin on His head (so to speak) and on His arm to attach Himself to us. Just as in our tefillin we have Torah portions which express our commitment to Him, so in His tefillin are Torah portions which express His commitment to us. Judaism is not merely the religion of the Jewish people – it is a loving relationship between HaShem and His beloved people.

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Toldos 5781

Toldos

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KEEP THE KITCHEN STAFF IN THE KITCHEN

This week’s Parsha, Toldos, presents us the story of Yaakov’s stealing the blessings that were meant for Eisov from Yitzchok. We must point out that once Yitzchok realized what transpired he immediately agreed with Yaakov that the blessings should remain with him as Yitzchok explicitly expressed that.

When Eisov discovered that Yitzchok gave the blessings to Yaakov he begged his father for another blessing to which his father told him that it was already given away. The blessing Yaakov received was that his brother shall serve him, so there is nothing left to give. Eisov begged until Yitzchok told Eisov that when Yaakov fails to live up to his mission and will fall from his position, then you will reign supreme. But when Yaakov reigns you will be irrelevant. From this conversation our Sages teach us that never will Jerusalem and Rome (the capital of Eisov) share positions of world leadership. When Yaakov is supreme Eisov is reduced and vice versa.

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Toldos 5780

Toldos

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JOB DESCRIPTION

In this week’s Parsha, Toldos we find two distinctly different visions for the Jewish people. We have Yitzchok’s pre-blessing vision and Rivka’s vision to which Yitzchok conceded in the end. As children of this incredible people let us familiarize ourselves with these visions.

Both Yitzchok and Rivka understood that their children would be the people chosen by HaShem to bring the world to its state of perfection. That was to be accomplished by being a Nation of Priests and a light unto the nations. They both under-stood that Yaakov was to be the spiritual leader of this nation. Yaakov was a man of Torah study while Eisov was a man of the field. Yaakov was a man of spirit while Eisov was a man of material.

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Toldos 5779

Toldos

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MAINTAINING BALANCE

As Jews, we know that HaShem created this universe for the expressed purpose to pro-vide pleasure for others. With this understanding it follows that He is the personification of goodness. His sole interest is the welfare of others. To this end, He created a world that contains uncountable forces and each force has its counterforce that opposes it. His world lies in perfect balance. Gravity pulls the Earth towards the Sun but it is countered by the centrifugal force which pulls it away from the Sun. This perfect balance allows the Earth to continue its movement around the Sun in a perfect orbit. The same occurs in our stomach when the corrosive enzymes break apart the foodstuff but are countered by forces that protect the stomach wall. HaShem is the Master of balance.

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