B"H
Thursday, Kislev 7, 5782 / November 11, 2021
A synopsis of this week's Parsha, Vayeitzei:
At the urging of his parents, Yaakov (Jacob) goes to Charan, to his uncle Lavan. On the way, G-d appeared to him in a dream and promised to protect him. Yaakov arrived in Charan and stopped by a well in the field. There was a huge heavy stone upon the well. Noticing three flocks of sheep lying idly by the well, Yaakov asked the shepherds, "Why aren't you giving the flock to drink?" They replied, "The stone upon the well is heavy. We have to wait until all the shepherds gather so we can roll the stone off the mouth of the well". At that moment, Rachel, Lavan's daughter, came to the well with her father's sheep. "Upon seeing her, Yaakov rolled off the stone from the well by himself and Lavan's sheep drank."
Lavan had two daughters, the older one was Leah and the younger one was Rachel. Yaakov loved Rachel. Yaakov said to Lavan, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter". Lavan agreed and Yaakov worked for seven years. The Torah says, "And they seemed to him but a few days for the love he had for her."
When the seven years were up, Lavan made a wedding-feast, but instead of Rachel, he gave Leah to Yaakov. In the morning, Yaakov realized that it was Leah. He said to Lavan, "What have you done to me? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why have you fooled me?"
Lavan answered, "It isn't proper to give the younger daughter before the older one". Lavan offered to give Yaakov his younger daughter, Rachel, in exchange for another seven years of work. Yaakov agreed. After seven days he married Rachel and in return worked for his father-in-law, Lavan, additional seven years. Later, Jacob also married Bilha and Zilpa, the maid servants of Leah and Rachel. Yaakov was 84 years old when he married Leah and Rachel.
Leah gave birth to four children; Reuben, Shimon, Levi and Yehuda. "And Rachel saw she did not bear children to Yaakov and Rachel envied her sister; and she said to Yaakov: 'Give me children, if not I am a dead person'". Yaakov replied, "Am I in the place of G-d, who had withheld from you the fruit of the womb". Then Bilha gave birth to Dan and Naftali. From Zilpah, Jacob had two sons, Gad and Asher. After, Leah again gave birth to Issachar and Zevulun and a daughter, Dina.
"G-d remembered Rachel and G-d opened her womb." Rachel gave birth to a son, "And she called him Yosef (Joseph) [which means to add], saying: May the L-rd add to me another son." Rachel did have another son, Binyamin (as we will read in the following Parsha, Vayishlach), but she died during childbirth. From these sons of Yaakov came the 12 tribes of Israel.
After twenty years living with Lavan, Yaakov decided to take his family and return to his parents. It took two years until he finally came home, encountering many difficulties along the way. The birth of the Jewish nation was laden with difficulties. The end result was that it made us stronger and everlasting.
A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Friday, Kislev 8, 5782 / November 11, 2021
In this week’s Parsha, Vayeitzei, the Torah relates the following episode which took place with our forefather Yaakov (Jacob).
On his way to his uncle, Lavan, in Charan, knowing that his uncle is a liar and cheater he is scared of the unknown, so Yaakov prays that G-d should watch over him and protect him.
G-d appears to him in a dream and says, “I am the G-d of Abraham and Isaac, I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be as many as the dust of the earth; and you will spread out to the west, to the east, to the north and to the south. All the families of the earth will be blessed by you and your descendants. I am with you and I will guard you wherever you go. I will bring you back to this land, for I will not abandon you until I have carried out what I have spoken to you.”
When Yaakov woke up he made the following vow, “If G-d will be with me and he will guard me on this route in which I am going; and He will give me bread to eat and garments to wear; and I will return in peace to my father’s house; and G-d will be my G-d; This stone which I have placed as a monument will be a house of G-d and I will give tithes to you (10% to charity) from everything which You give to me.”
Indeed, on this very place where Yaakov slept that night and placed the monument, is the place where the Holy Temple was built many years later.
Q. Why does Yaakov specify in his prayer, “bread to eat and garments to wear”? Wouldn’t it be enough if he asked for bread and garments, without specifying “to eat” and “to wear?” What else would he do with bread if not to eat; and garments, if not to wear?
A. There is a very profound lesson in this for everyone. Sometimes we tend to forget the purpose of our work. Many times, people become so involved in their work and business, to the point that instead of eating the bread, the bread eats them! Instead of clothing to wear, the expensive designer clothing, wears them down! Manypeoplebecome so consumed in their business chasing after money and more money, at the expense of family and health.
Until now Yaakov was immersed in the study of Torah. Now that he was on his way to build a home, a family and financial success, Yaakov was worried that he may be completely consumed with his physical welfare at the expense of forgetting the spiritual purpose of it all.
He prayed that G-d give him, “bread to eat and garments to wear.” That he should have whatever he needs and be successful in his work, but always remember that they are only a means to an end – for a higher spiritual purpose.
He asked for bread to eat and not be eaten by it; for clothing to wear and not that his financial success will wear him down. The lesson of it is obvious, especially in today’s hustle bustle business world.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 4:09 / Shabbat ends: 5:13
B"H
Monday, Kislev 11, 5782 / November 15, 2021
We are two weeks away from Chanukah. Being an eight day holiday, Chanukah begins and ends on the same day of the week. This year, we light the first Chanukah candle Sunday night, November 28; and the eighth candle is lit Sunday night, December 5.
Q. Why is the holiday called, “Chanukah”?
A. There are many reasons for the name Chanukah. Here are two:
1) “Chanukah” means “dedication.” When the Macabees reclaimed the Holy Temple from the Greeks, who defiled everything in the Temple, they had to “re-dedicate” the Temple to its former state of purity. Thus, the holiday is called Chanukah, for then the Holy Temple was re-dedicated.
2) On the “25th” day of Kislev the Jewish fighters were finally able to “rest” from their battles. “Chanukah” can be divided into two Hebrew words: “Chanu” (rest) – “Kah” (numerical value of 25). The name Chanukah alludes to the fact that, “They rested on the 25th." Chanukah begins on the 25th day of the month of Kislev.
Q. In the prayer recited after the lighting of the Chanukah candles we say, "During all eight days of Chanukah these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to make use of them". What is the reason that we are not permitted to have any personal use of the Chanukah lights?
A. The Chanukah candles commemorate the lights of the menorah in the Beth Hamikdash (Holy Temple). One was prohibited to have any personal use of the holy objects of the Beth Hamikdash. Being that the Chanukah candles represent the lights of the Beth Hamikdash we are not to derive any personal benefit from them either.
Q. Why do many prefer to use olive oil and wicks instead of candles for the Chanukah lights?
A. Olive oil was used to light the menorah in the Holy Temple. Since the original miracle of Chanukah involved olive oil, using olive oil to light the menorah commemorates the miracle more accurately.
Also, our sages compare the Jewish people to an olive. Just as the olive reveals its treasure, its oil, through being pressed, so too, the Jewish people have produced the greatest scholars during our years of exile and oppression.
The Midrash tells us that the Jewish people are compared to oil for another reason too. While liquids mix with each other, oil, when mixed with other liquids, will eventually separate and float to the top. Although many nations tried to oppress and assimilate us over the past 2000 years, yet, the Jewish nation has endured and retained its unique identity and have in the end come up to the top.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Tuesday, Kislev 13, 5782 / November 17, 2021
Q. Is Chanukah a Biblical holiday, or a rabbinical holiday?
A. Chanukah and Purim are rabbinical holidays. The holidays of Pesach, Shavuot, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot are Biblical holiday as they are mentioned in the Torah, written by Moshe. The miracle of Chanukah took place about 1200 years after the Giving of the Torah. It was established by the rabbis of that time to commemorate the miracle of the oil and the dedication of the Holy Temple.
Q. Every morning, afternoon and evening service has an “Amidah” (or Shmone Esrei) prayer in it. On special occasions, like Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh and holidays, after reading from the Torah, we recite an additional Amidah prayer, called “Musaf” (Musaf means addition). Why don’t we recite the Musaf prayer during the eight days of Chanukah?
A. The morning and Mincha (afternoon) Amidah prayers are instead of the morning and afternoon sacrifices which were offered in the Holy Temple each day, as mentioned in the Torah. On special days, such as Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh and holidays, the Torah instructs that an additional sacrifice be brought upon the altar in the Temple. Thus, the Musaf service we recite on these special days corresponds to the additional sacrifice brought in the Temple.
However, the Musaf prayer is said only on holidays that are mentioned in the Five Books of Moses (Bible). This applies to Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh, Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot, Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, in which the Torah commands that to offer the additional sacrifice in the Holy Temple.
But, as mentioned before, Chanukah is a rabbinical holiday and in the days of the Temple there was no additional sacrifice brought on these days. Thus, the Musaf prayer is not recited on Chanukah and Purim.
Q. If Purim and Chanukah are both rabbinical holidays, why is the "Hallel" service, in which we give special praise to G-d, recited only Chanukah and not on Purim?
A. The miracle of Chanukah took place in the Holy Land (Israel) while the miracle of Purim took place in Persia. Hallel is recited for miracles which happened in the Land of Israel.
Another reason is that Purim we have the reading of the Megilah, which tells the story of the miracle of Purim, thus, praising G-d for this miracle. Since on Chanukah there is no Megilah reading, we recite the Hallel, through which we praise G-d for this miracle.
Q. What is the significance of the four Hebrew letters, Nun, Gimel, Hay, Shin on the Driedel?
A. They stand for: "Nes, Gadol, Haya, Sham" - A great miracle happened there - in Israel. In Israel, the letter "Shin" is substituted with the letter "Pay". It stands for the Hebrew word "Poh" - "Here" ("A great miracle happened here"), as the miracle of Chanukah took place in Israel.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
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