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

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

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

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

Thursday, Mar-Cheshvan 30, 5783 (Hakhel Year) / November 24, 2022

B"H

Thursday, Mar-Cheshvan 30, 5783 (Hakhel Year) / November 24, 2022

 

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

 

As in every Rosh Chodesh, additional prayers, Hallel and Musaf are added. Although it’s Thursday, a day when we read from the Torah during the morning prayer, yet the reading is not the regular Torah reading of the Parsha of the week, but the special Rosh Chodesh reading.   

 

In this week's Parsha, Toldot, which we will read on Shabbat, the Torah tells us that Yitzchak and Rivkah were not blessed with children. After twenty years of marriage, G-d answered their prayers for  children and Rivkah conceived. But she had a difficult pregnancy with a constant struggle within her womb.  Rivkah was distressed and regretted wanting to become pregnant.  She went to Noach's son, Shaim, to inquire about the situation.

 

Shaim told her that she was carrying twins. “There are two nations within your womb. Two people shall come from you and the elder one will serve the younger one." Rivkah gave birth to twins. The first child was called Esau.  Then his brother came forth holding Esau's heel.  He was named Yaakov (Jacob).

 

Three of the matriarchs: Sarah, Rivkah and Rachel couldn’t have children. Their giving birth was miraculous. Why did G-d make it so that they couldn’t have children by laws of nature? Our sages explain that G-d wanted the matriarchs to pray to Him, for He loves the prayersof the righteous.

 

There is a lesson in this for us. The very birth of the Jewish nation is related to forces higher than nature.  Sarah gave birth to Yitzchak at the age of 90 defying the laws of nature. Jacob's birth was also related to the prayer of his parents.  Indeed, Jewish existence and survival from the very beginning to this day, was and is connected with prayer and miracles.

 

Prayer is one of the thirteen principles of Jewish faith, as composed by Maimonides. Prayer is an essential part of Judaism through which we connect to G-d. The mitzvah of prayer is found in the Sh'ma Israel (Hear O' Israel), which we recite every morning and night. "To love G-d your G-d and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul."  To serve Him with all your heart refers to prayer, which is a service of the heart.

 

The Talmudic sageRabbi Chama bar Chanina said, "If a person sees that their prayer wasn't answered they shall continue to pray.  One should not get discouraged but continue to pray as long as needed.

 

Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Elazar said, "Even if a sharp sword is actually resting on a man's neck, he should not hold himself back from praying for G-d's mercy!"

 

Rabbi Ze'era said, "A person who has a friend who beseeches him with his needs and pleas continuously for his help, may come to dislike him and avoid him. But, with the Holy One blessed be He, it is not so.  Rather, the more a person prays to G-d for their needs, the more G-d loves them.

 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL CHODESH-MONTH