B"H

Tuesday, Kislev 8, 5784 / November 21, 2023

One of the highlights of this week's Parsha, Vayeitzei, is the story of Esau wanting to kill his brother, Yaakov, because he got their father’s blessings instead of him. Yaakov had to flee Be’er Sheva, where his parents lived, and go to Charan, to his uncle, Lavan.

On the way he had his famous dream, in which he saw a ladder standing on the ground and its head reaching into heaven, upon which G-d’s angels were ascending and descending. 

This took place at Mount Moriah, where G-d tested Abraham by having his son, Yitzchak (Yaakov’s father), bound on the altar. This was the very same place where many years later, the Holy Temple would be built. Yaakov, who knew that his uncle Lavan was a swindler, feared the unknown he would have to face from his uncle. He stopped at Mount Moriah to pray and rest for the night.

Yaakov had a dream in which he saw a ladder standing firmly on the ground and its top reached to the heaven. Yaakov saw G-dly angels going up and down the ladder. In his dream, he saw G-d standing beside him and G-d said, "I am the G-d of Abraham and the G-d of Yitzchak. The land on which you are lying, to you I will give it and to your descendants.  And your seed shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west, to the east, to the north and to the south.  And in you and your children shall all the families of the earth be blessed."

When Yaakov awoke, he exclaimed, "How full of awe is this place.  This is none other than the House of G-d and this is the gate of heaven."  Yaakov felt assured that G-d was watching over him and would bring him back safely to his parents. Yaakov made a vow, "Of all that You will give to me, a tenth I will give back unto You!"

The Talmud tells that once during a famine year, King Munbaz distributed his own treasures and all the treasures accumulated by his forefathers to feed the poor.  His family and friends complained, "Your forefathers have stored these valuables for many generations, how can you give them away?"

"I am not giving them away! I too, am storing these valuables," replied King Munbaz. "But while my forefathers stored their treasures in this world, I am storing them in the World-to-Come.  My ancestors stored their treasures in a place where hands can steal them, I am storing the treasures where no hand can take them away. My parents stored valuables which didn't produce fruit, I am storing them in a way that they will produce fruits [saving people’s lives].  My parents saved money and I'm saving souls.  My parents stored for others while they had no benefit from the valuables they saved, but I, by distributing them to the poor, am saving them for myself by fulfilling a mitzvah."

What we give to Tzedakah-charity is really the only thing we truly save for ourselves. No one can take that from us. While every other material possession can be ours today and be taken from us tomorrow. The Tzedakah we give is everlasting.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

WITH SPECIAL PRAYERS FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL