B"H
Thursday, Kislev 14, 5783 (Hakhel Year) / December 8, 2022
This week’s Parsha, Vayishlach, is the story of Yaakov (Jacob) and his family returning to the land of Canaan, the land where his parents lived and which G-d promised to give to the children of Israel.
Yaakov had just spent twenty years with his father-in-law, Lavan. Twenty very difficult years in which he worked day and night for Lavan and was swindled by Lavan a hundred times.
Yaakov describes his difficult years with Lavan, when Lavan confronted him and wanted to harm him. Yaakov complains; “Twenty years I have been with you, your sheep and your goats have not lost their young and the rams of your flocks I have not eaten… During the day the drought consumed me and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes…”
Now, Yaakov was on his way home with his four wives, eleven sons and one daughter. He was rid of his problems with his father-in-law, but a new problem was awaiting him. His brother, Esau, who for the past 34 years was plotting to kill Yaakov, was coming towards him with 400 men. The Torah tells us that Yaakov was very scared.
Yaakov devises a plan. First he prays that G-d should save him. “G-d of my father, Abraham, and my father Isaac, Who has said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your birth place and I will do good with you… Save me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him that he may come and smite me, the mothers together with the children. And You had said to me, “I will do you good and make your seed as the sand of the sea which cannot be counted for its multitude.”
In addition, he sends gifts to Esau to soften his anger against him. He also prepares for war. In the end, G-d made sure that Esau wouldn’t harm Yaakov. They met and parted without incident.
Q.If G-d promised Yaakov that He will protect and be with him, then why was he afraid of Easu?
A.Yaakov was away from his parents for more than 34 years, while Esau was there to take care of his parents and especially of his blind father, Isaac. Yaakov was afraid that G-d may reward Esau now for the great mitzvah of honoring his parents.
The Talmudic sage, Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel said, "All my life I tried to honor my father to the fullest, yet I have not attained one hundredth of the honor which Esau gave to his father." Rabbi Shimon explained that Esau would dress in the most expensive garments, whenever he served his father, even though his father was blind and even when he performed the most ordinary chores.
Yaakov was afraid that G-d would reward Esau in thisworld, for his special mitzvah while fulfilling His promise to Yaakov in the World to Come.
From this we see how great the mitzvah of honoring parents is.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Friday, Kislev 15, 5783 (Hakhel Year) / December 9, 2022
This Shabbat we will read Parshat Vayishlach. In this Parsha the Torah relates the story of how Yaakov (Jacob) returns, together with his family back to the land of Canaan, to his parents, Yitzchak and Rivkah.
On the way home, Yaakov hears that his brother Eisav (Esau), who is still angry at Yaakov for getting his father’s blessings, is coming toward him to kill him.
Yaakov sends angels as messengers to tell Esau that he wants peace. But when they return, they tell Yaakov that Eisav is not ready for peace. Instead, Eisav is coming with 400 men to fight him. Upon hearing this, Yaakov became frightened. He then forms a plan to counter Eisav's threat. Yaakov prays to G-d to save him and his family. He also sends gifts to his brother in the hope of appeasing him. In case that doesn’t work, he also prepares for war.
The Torah tells us how, even before meeting Eisav, Yaakov battled with Eisav’s guardian angel and won. Now, Yaakov felt more assured that he will be safe with Eisav too. When they finally meet, Yaakov bows seven times to Eisav. Yaakov’s wives and sons also bow to Eisav. When Eisav sees Yaakov he hugs and kisses Yaakov. They then part ways and Yaakov and family continue travelling to his parents.
It took Yaakov 18 months to get back home. On the way he had to contend with more troubling situations. In the city of Shchem, his daughter, Dina, was forcefully violated by the prince of the land. Two of Dina’s brothers were so angered that, without Yaakov’s knowledge, they killed every man in Shchem. Yaakov was very distressed and strongly reprimanded them for this.
After this Yaakov’s beloved wife Rachel gives birth to their youngest child, Binyam (Benjamin), but Rachel dies. Yaakov buries her in the city of Bethlehem. Rachel’s gravesite in Bethlehem is visited by tens of thousands of Jews to this day. Rachel’s Yartzeit is on the eleventh of Cheshvan.
On his way home, Yaakov is also notified of the passing of his mother, Rivkah. Yaakov finally comes home a year and a half after leaving his father-in-law, Lavan. The next twenty years he spends together with his father, Yitzchak. At the end of the Parsha we read about Yitzchak’s passing at the age of 180. The Torah doesn’t tell us how many years Rivkah lived. But, we can calculate that she lived to about 120.
Yaakov was away from home for thirty-five years. He was 63 when he left and 98 when he returned. He was single when he left his parents and returned with a family of twelve sons and one daughter. Unfortunately, his mother, Rivkah, didn’t merit to see Yaakov’s children – her grandchildren.
Yaakov and his eleven sons bowed to Eisav. The only one of Yaakov’s children who didn’t bow to Eisav was Binyamin, as he was not born yet at the time of that encounter. He was the only one of Yaakov’s children to be born in Israel. One of the reasons that the Holy Temple (Beth Hamikdash)was built in Jerusalem, on the land of Binyamin (Benjamin), was because he didn’t bow to Eisav!
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 3:52 / Shabbat ends: 5:01
B"H
Monday, Kislev 18, 5783 (Hakhel Year) / December 12, 2022
Sunday night, December 18, begins the eight-day holiday of Chanukah.
The first night of Chanukah one candle is lit, each night, for the next seven nights we kindle an additional light. Thus, the first night we kindle one light, the second night two etc. On the last night of Chanukah, we kindle eight lights. It is preferable to use olive oil for the Chanukah menorah. Candles are also good. The lights in the menorah should burn at least a half hour into the night.
The Chanukah lights should be lit near a door or window. They have to burn into the night, so that their light will be noticed and have an effect. The reason is to advertise this great miracle not only within our home, but also to others who are outside.
Our sages say, “A little light pushes away much darkness.” The lesson from the Chanukah lights is that everyone has the ability and responsibility to illuminate the darkness of the outside world. It is not enough for one to make sure that there is spiritual light in their own home. One has a responsibility to be an influence on the surroundings around them and spiritually illuminate them as well.
Q. Why is olive oil preferable for lighting the Chanukah menorah?
A.The Chanukah lights commemorate the miracle which took place in the Holy Temple (Beth HaMikdash), when a small amount of oil enough only for one day, lasted eight days. The menorah in the Holy Temple had to be lit with pure olive oil. Thus, to commemorate the miracle we also prefer to use olive oil. But any oil or candle is kosher for Chanukah.
Q. Why do we celebrate Purim with having a feast, yet on Chanukah there is no mitzvah to eat a meal, only the lighting of the menorah?
A.The miracle of Purim and the miracle of Chanukah were fundamentally different. In the miracle of Purim, Jews were saved from physical annihilation. To celebrate this miracle, the sages established a celebration of feasting, which we enjoy physically. However, at the time of Chanukah, our religion, the Torah and mitzvot and the Neshama (soul) of the Jew was in danger. At the time of Chanukah they prohibited the study of Torah and the observance of the mitzvot. For this we celebrate Chanukah in a spiritual way, with the kindling of lights, which represent the Torah and mitzvot and the Jewish soul, as they are all compared to light.
Q. Except for lighting the candles each night of Chanukah, is there anything else we do specially for Chanukah?
A. We recite the Hallel each day during the Morning Prayer. We recite the “Al Hanisim” - a prayer of thanks for the miracle of Chanukah. We also read from the Torah each day of Chanukah.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Tuesday, Kislev 19, 5783 (Hakhel Year) / December 13, 2022
Chanukah begins this Sunday night, December 18. One of the many lessons from Chanukah is how important each and every mitzvah is. There is no mitzvah too small or too insignificant.
Mitzvot are called, “light” and just as even a small light can push away much darkness, so too, every mitzvah we perform brings spiritual light to the world and pushes away much darkness.
This is the lesson of the Chanukah lights. Each of the Chanukah lights has to consist of a single wick. One is not permitted to link a few wicks together, for then it becomes a flame, and a flame is not qualified for performing the mitzvah of Chanukah candles.
A flame may give more light, but Chanukah teaches us the importance of the individual. The miracle of Chanukah, as we say in the Al Hanisim prayer, was when a small army of “few” overpowered the army of “many.”
It is not the quantity which makes a difference in the victory of good over evil, rather it is the quality.
Chanukah teaches us that each one counts. Each one of us can accomplish so much, and for that matter has the responsibility to be a shining light to illuminate our surroundings.
Today, the 19th day of Kislev, is the day when the first Chabad Rabbi, Rabbi Shneur Zalmen, was released from Czarist prison for his role in spreading the light of Torah. The illumination of his Torah teachings has been shining throughout the world ever since. Indeed, just like the individual Chanukah lights, one person can make a tremendous impact even on a global scale.
Chanukah also teaches us that one cannot be satisfied with yesterday’s accomplishments. Each night we add an additional candle. Although, one small light was enough yesterday, the next day we have to increase in our efforts and bring more light into the world.
During the great blackout of November 1965, when the electric circuits went dead from Canada to as far south as Baltimore, New York was pitch black.
Max was in his Brooklyn apartment screwing in a light bulb into the socket, when suddenly the power failed. His wife jumped up, ran over to the window and saw that everywhere, the entire city as far as she could see, was pitch-black.
“Max,” she wailed, “look what you did!”
Perhaps Max didn’t have any effect on the blackout in New York, but each of us can have some impact. Every mitzvah we do kindles a spiritual light which pushes away much of the darkness and makes this world a brighter and better world.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
|
Torah Fax is published daily (except Shabbat & Sunday) so you can learn something new every day |