B"H

Friday, Kislev 1, 5783 (Hakhel Year) / November 25, 2022

Today is the second day of Rosh Chodesh and the first day of the new month, Kislev.

This is a special month as on the 25^th day of the month we celebrate the holiday of Chanukah.

This week’s Parsha, Toldot, begins with the struggle of Esau and Yaakov, which began while they were still in their mother’s womb. Even 147 years later, when Yaakov’s body was brought from Egypt to be buried in Hebron, Esau tried to stop the burial process, claiming that he had the rights to that plot. Thus, Yaakov and Esau were buried on the same day, at the age of 147.

Q.   At what age did Yaakov marry and at what age did Esau marry?

A.  The Parsha tells us that Esau was 40 years old when he married. He imitated his father who married at the age of 40. However, the Torah tells us that the women he married caused Isaac and Rivkah great anguish as they worshipped idols. In the next Parsha, we will read about Yaakov’s marriage. 

Yaakov was 84 years old when he got married.

Q.  In the Parsha we read about the blessings which Yitzchak gave to Yaakov and later also to Esau.  However, to Yaakov he says, “May G-d give you of the dew of the heaven and of the fat of the earth."  But when Yitzchak later blessed Esau, he reversed the order, saying, "Of the fat places of the earth shall be your dwelling and of the dew from heaven above."  Why did Yitzchak bless Yaakov with the dew from heaven first and then the fat of the earth, but to Esau he said it in reverse?

A.   “Heaven” and “earth” represent spiritual (heaven) and physical (earth). Our sages explain that the blessing to Yaakov was in essence a blessing and guideline for the Jewish people, who are descendants of Yaakov.

Yitzchak blessed Yaakov that “heavenly matters" should always come first. The performance of Mitzvot ("heaven") should be the goal and objective of a Jew's worldly success ("earth"). 

Rabbi Meir of Premishlan, who was a holy man, would take a shortcut, which took him up and down a hill, in order to get to the Mikvah (ritual bath).  He would take this shortcut even during the winter wonts when the mountain was icy.  Others who tried to do the same, failed. They slid on the ice and were badly bruised. When asked how he walks up and down the hill on the ice, he replied, "When one is attached to above, one doesn't fall down below!"

Yitzchak blessed Yaakov that heavenly matters (Torah and Mitzvot) be his guideline, even when dealing with worldly matters.  Being connected to G-d is our safety-net from the pitfalls earthly matters can cause.

SHABBAT SHALOM & A HAPPY, HEALTHY CHODESH-MONTH

Shabbat candle lighting time: 3:58 / Shabbat ends: 5:03

B"H

Monday, Kislev 4, 5783 (Hakhel Year) / November 28, 2022

In this week’s Parsha Vayeitzei the Torah relates the story of how Yaakov leaves his parents, Yitzchak, and Rivkah, to go to his uncle, Lavan who lived in Charan.

Yaakov’s travelling to his uncle had a double purpose. 1) To flee from his brother Esau, who wanted to kill him after Yaakov received his father’s blessings, which were originally intended for Esau. 2) He went to his uncle Lavan, with the intention of marrying one of Lavan’s daughters.

On his way to Lavan, Yaakov stopped off to study at the Yeshiva (study halls) of Eiver (great grandson of Noah).He was there for 14 years, after which he continued his journey to his uncle in Charan.

When he finally came to Charan, he met Lavan’s younger daughter, Rachel, at the well. He was taken by her beauty and piety. Yaakov promised Lavan that he would work for him seven years for his permission to marry his daughter Rachel. Lavan agreed. However, after working seven years, Lavan fooled him and gave him his older daughter, Leah, instead. 

Yaakov then promised to work another seven years for Rachel. Lavan agreed, but, whereas the first seven years he worked before his marriage, the second seven he worked for his father-in-law, only after marrying Rachel. Yaakov ended up working fourteen years for Lavan’s two daughters.

In addition to Leah and Rachel, he also married Bilha and Zilpa, who were half-sisters to Rachel and Leah. Thus, Yaakov had four wives from whom he had his twelve sons and his daughter, Dina. From these twelve sons come the twelve tribes of Israel.

Eleven of Yaakov’s sons and Dina were born in Charan. His youngest son, Binyamin (Benjamin), was his only child born in Canaan (Israel). Binyamin was born when Yaakov was on his way back to his father’s home. Right after Rachel gave birth to Binyamin, she passed away.

Q.   How old was Yaakov when he left his parents and how old was he when he came to Lavan?

A.   Yaakov was 63 years old when he left his parents’ home.  On the way to Lavan he stopped at the Yeshiva of Ever, where he studied for 14 years.  Thus, when Yaakov came to Lavan he was 77.

Q.  How old was Yaakov when he married Leah and Rachel?

A.He worked for seven years before he married Leah and then Rachel. Thus, he was 84.

Q.  How many years did Yaakov end up staying with his father-in-law, Lavan?

A.  Twenty years. Fourteen years he worked for the rights to marry Leah and Rachel. He worked another six years, during which time G-d blessed Yaakov with great wealth. He was 97 when he left Lavan. But, his travel back home took him two years. 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

B"H

Tuesday, Kislev 5, 5783 (Hakhel Year) / November 29, 2022

In this week’s Parsha, Vayeitzei, the Torah describes Yaakov's journey to Charan, to find a wife from the daughters of his uncle, Lavan.  Yaakov was seventy-seven years old at the time and was afraid of the unknown. After spending the night at Mount Moriah, where he had his famous dream in which he saw a ladder extending from earth to heaven and angels going up and down, G-d promised to protect and watch over him wherever he went.

Refreshed and assured of G-d’s protection, Yaakov comes to a well in a field near the city of Charan. There, he sees many shepherds gathered with their flock near the well. A huge stone covers the well.  The stone was so heavy that many shepherds were required to roll it off.

At the well, Yaakov meets his cousin Rachel coming with her father's flock. Upon seeing her, Yaakov single-handedly lifts the stone from the well and leads her flock to drink. Yaakov tells her who he is and she runs to tell her father.

Yaakov offers to work seven years for Lavan in order to marry his younger daughter, Rachel. Lavan accepts. The Torah describes Yaakov’s work for Rachel as follows: "Yaakov worked seven years for Rachel, but they seemed to him like a few days, for the love he had for her." 

However, after the seven years, Lavan, the cheat who he was, fools Yaakov and gives him his older daughter, Leah, instead.  The next morning "Yaakov says to Lavan, "What have you done to me?  Did I not serve you for Rachel?  Why have you cheated me?"

Lavan replies, "It is not done so in our country to give the younger before the older. Fulfill her week and we will give you also Rachel for the service which you will serve for me another seven years.”

Yaakov agrees and after a week he also marries Rachel and continued working another seven years.

Q.   What is the meaning of, "Fulfill her week”. What is the significance of the week?

A.   The seven days after a marriage ceremony are called "Shivaat Yemei Hamishte" - "Seven days of feast and rejoicing." These are seven joyous days for the bride and groom.  Seven blessings are recited each of the seven days over a cup of wine at the conclusion of the Grace-after-meal.   

Q.  Why is it customary at a wedding that the groom is led to Chupah (wedding canopy) before the bride?

A.  The Giving of the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai is compared to a wedding ceremony – a wedding between G-d and the Jewish people. Thus, many of our wedding customs are rooted in the Giving of the Torah.  At the Giving of the Torah G-d (the Groom) appeared at Mount Sinai before the Jewish people and waited for the bride (the Jewish people). So too, the groom comes to the Chupah first.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY