B"H
Tuesday, Kislev 2, 5785 / December 3, 2024
At the end of last week’s Parsha, Toldot, the Torah tells how after Yaakov, who was disguised as his brother, Esau, received his father’s blessings, Esau wanted to kill him. When their mother, Rivkah, found out about Esau’s plan, she and Yitzchak called Yaakov and advised him to run to Charan, to his uncle, Lavan. They had two motives for this. 1) To get away from Esau. 2) To marry one of Lavan’s daughters.
This week’s Parsha, Vayeitzei, begins with, “Yaakov went out (“Vayeitzei”) from Be’er Sheva and went to Charan.” The Torah describes what happened to Yaakov on the way and then when he finally arrived in Charan, where he met his cousin, Rachel, at the well and whom he later married. Yaakov ended up marrying all four daughters of Lavan: Leah, Rachel, Bilha and Zilpah.
From them Yaakov had twelve sons and one daughter. From them come the twelve tribes of Israel.
Q. Every word in the Torah is measured and exact. The Torah could have said that Yaakov went to Charan and we would automatically know that he left Be’er Sheva, where he was until then. Why does the Torah also tell us that, “Yaakov went out from Be’er Sheva?”
A. In the previous Parsha we read that Yitzchak, who was blind and fooled by Esau into thinking that he was a righteous person, wanted to bless Esau. But Rivkah, who knew the true character of her sons, knew that Yaakov was worthy of the blessings, not Esau. She worked out a plan in which Yaakov disguised himself as Esau and received his father’s blessings. As a result, Esau wanted to kill Yaakov and Yaakov had to flee. Not wanting to tell her husband that Esau wants to kill Yaakov, Rivkah told Yitzchak to encourage Yaakov to go to Charan to find a wife.
Thus, Rivkah’s main objective was that Yaakov get away from Be’er Sheva, so he won’t be killed. But, Yitzchak’s reason was so he would find a wife in Charan. This is why the Torah tells us that he left Be’er Sheva and went to Charan, to tell us that he had one reason to leave Be’er Sheva, out of fear of Esau; and to go to Charan, to find a wife.
Q. Did Yaakov go immediately to Charan? How old was he when he left his parents? How old was he when he got married?
A. Yaakov, was 63 at the time he left his parents. He didn’t go to Charan right away. He went to the Yeshiva of Eiver, Noach’s grandson. He stayed there 14 years. Then he continued to Charan. He worked seven years for his future father-in-law, so he can marry his younger daughter, Rachel. But after his father-in-law fooled him and gave him Leah instead, he agreed to work another seven years for Rachel. However, he wasn’t taking any chances with a father-in-law like Lavan, who fooled him once. First he married Rachel and then he worked the seven years for her. In total Yaakov stayed with Lavan for 20 years. Thus, Yaakov was 84 years old when he married Leah and Rachel. He was 97 when he left Lavan and returned to his parents, Yitzchak and Rivkah. Eleven of his sons and his daughter were all born in Charan. Only his youngest son, Binyamin was born when he came back to Canaan.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY
UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
B"H
Friday, Mar-Cheshvan 28, 5785 / November 29, 2024
In this week's Parsha, Toldot, we read about the birth of the twins, Yaakov (Jacob) and Esau. We read about how they went in different ways. Esau became a hunter (“A man of the field”) and a cheater, while Yaakov was a serious and honest person, who was a man of study.
The Torah tells us about Esau’s marriages. The Torah also tells us about the blessings which Yitzchak gave to his son, Yaakov (Jacob). Yitzchak, who was blind, was fooled by Esau in thinking that he was a righteous person. However, Rivkah knew the truth that it was Yaakov who was righteous and not Esau.
The Torah tells us, “When Yitzchak become old, the vision of his eyes dimmed, he summoned his older son, Esau, and said to him, “I have grown old and I don’t know when I will die.” Yitzchak tells Esau, “Prepare food which I love, so that I will bless you before I die.” Yitzchak was 123 years at that time.
Rivkah, who knew the truth, had another plan. Upon his mother’s urging, Yaakov disguised himself as Esau and got his father’s blessings. After giving Yaakov the blessings, Esau came into the room and asked for his blessings. Yitzchak realized his mistake and he then gave Esau a blessing too.
Q. Yitzchak lived 180 years. Abraham, lived 175 years. Why, at 123, was Yitzchak worried about dying?
A. Our sages say that when a person reaches within five years of when their parents passed away, they should start preparing for death. Yitzchak’s mother, Sarah, passed away at the age of 127. Yitzchak was now 123, so he was within five years of his mother’s passing age. Thus, he started preparing and said, “I have grown old and I don’t know when I will die.”
Q. At what age did Yaakov marry and at what age did Esau marry?
A.Esau was 40 years old when he married. He imitated his father who married at the age of 40. However, 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. How is it that our patriarch and matriarch, Yitzchak and Rivkah, had a wicked son like Esau?
A. The Midrash quotes the verse in Mishlei (Proverbs), "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him reprimands him." This, says the Midrash is what happened with Esau. Since Esau wasn't reprimanded when he was young, he grew up to steal, murder and plot to kill his own brother.
King David had a similar experience with his son Avshalom. Because he never reprimanded his son, David suffered when his own son turned against him.
As the saying goes, “If you educate your children, you will be able to spoil your grandchildren.. But if you spoil your children, you will have to educate your grandchildren…”
Shabbat we bless the new month, Kislev. Rosh Chodesh will be Saturday night, Sunday & Monday.
SHABBAT SHALOM - Montreal candle lighting time: 3:55 / Shabbat ends: 5:02
UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
Thursday, Mar-Cheshvan 27, 5785 / November 28, 2024
This week's Parsha, Toldot, begins with the births of Esau and Yaakov to Yitzchak and Rivkah. After twenty years of marriage, Yitzchak and Rivkah still had no children. They both prayed to G-d to be blessed with children. G-d answered their prayers and Rivkah conceived.
Rivkah's initial joy soon changed. The Torah tells us, "And the children struggled within her." Rivkah's reaction was, "If this is so, what did I need it for?" The Torah tells us that, “She went to inquire of G-d,” to the prophet Shem for an explanation of this constant battle within her.
What was this struggle in her? Our sages explain: When Rivkah passed a house of idol worship, she felt the child pushing to go out. When she went by the Yeshiva (house of Torah study) of Shem and Ever, she had the same feeling. Rivkah didn't know at the time that she was carrying twins. She couldn't accept the fact that her child would feel comfortable in the house of G-d and also in a house of idol worship, so she went to inquire.
Shem told her:“Two nations are within your womb and two peoples shall be separated from you, one stronger than the other, and the elder one shall serve the younger one."
She gave birth to twins. The older one was called Esau and the younger one was named Yaakov (Jacob). Esau became a hunter, while Yaakov, "dwelt in the tents" - studying Torah.
Q. In the Parsha we read about the blessings which Yitzchak gave to Yaakov and later also to Esau. To Yaakov he says, “May G-d give you of the dew of the heaven and of the fat of the earth." However, 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). 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").
The holy Rabbi Meir of Premishlan, 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 months 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 slippery ice without falling? 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 a safety net from the pitfalls earthly matters can cause.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY
UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
B"H
Tuesday, Mar-Cheshvan 25, 5785 / November 26, 2024
The following is a Talmudic story about Rabbi Nachum Ish Gam Zu, which illustrates how true belief in the concept that, "Whatever G-d does is for the good," actually transformed a potentially disastrous situation into a great miracle.
Rabbi Nachum, one of the Talmudic sages, was known as Nachum Ish Gam Zu, for no matter what happened to him, Rabbi Nachum would say, "Gam Zu L'Tovah" - "This is also for the good".
Once, the Romans made a harsh decree against the Jews in Israel. It was decided to send Rabbi Nachum to plead with the king, because, "He is used to having miracles performed for him!"
Rabbi Nachum went to Rome with a box full of gold and precious stones as a gift to the king. On the way, he stopped overnight at an inn. While Rabbi Nachum was asleep, the innkeeper stole the valuables and filled the box with earth instead.
In the morning, when Rabbi Nachum opened the box and saw the earth, he was puzzled, but said, "Gam Zu L'Tovah - this is also for the good." He took the box and continued on to Rome.
Rabbi Nachum presented the king with the box. "This is a gift from the Jews," he told the king. The king opened the box and became very angry. "The Jews are mocking me! I will kill them all!" he cried. Rabbi Nachum didn't become frightened and said, "Gam Zu L'Tovah - this is also for the good!"
G-d then sent Eliyahu Hanavi (Elijah the prophet) disguised as one of the king's advisers. He said to the king, "The Jews wouldn't make fun of you. This earth must be special. I have heard that when their forefather Abraham fought against the mighty army of the four kings, he threw sand at them and G-d transformed the sand into arrows and therefore he won the war! Maybe this earth is the same."
The king, who was at war with a neighboring country, tested it and G-d made a miracle and transformed the earth into arrows.
Not only did the king nullify his evil decree, he also had the box filled with precious stones and sent it back with Rabbi Nachum as a gift to the Jewish people.
On his return home, Rabbi Nachum stayed over at the same inn. When the innkeeper heard what happened, he said, "I had no idea that my earth was so valuable. I will fill a whole carriage full of earth and bring it to the king. He will surely reward me handsomely!" The innkeeper came to the king with his load of earth claiming that it was the same earth as the one Rabbi Nachum brought. The king tested it, but nothing happened. The innkeeper, naturally, was punished.
During these difficult times, we have to remember the lesson from Rabbi Nachum, "Gam Zu L'Tovah - this is also for the good!" We must have faith, think positively and things will be positive!"
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW
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