oneg vayetze (1st anniversary edition)  

16
PARSHAH PARSHAS VAYEITZEI Rabbi Pinchas Hackenbroch Senior Rabbi, Woodside Park Synagogue KINDLY SPONSORED ה" ע חנה בת אלעזר לעילוי נשמתל" ז שלמה בן אברהם משה לעילוי נשמת הש"ץ020 8349 0321 [email protected] www.ogrstockdenton.com With best wishes THIS PAGE HAS BEEN KINDLY SPONSORED Yaakov awoke from his prophetic vision and made a vow, “and I will return in peace to my father’s house and Hashem will be a G-d to me.” Rashi comments on this passuk that “His name will rest upon me from beginning to end.” The Midrash states that HaKadosh Baruch Hu took the discussions of the Avos and transformed them into the key for the geulah of his children. Said Hakadosh Baruch Hu, “You (Yaakov) stated, “V’hayah Hashem li l’Elokim” “by your life all the tovos and brachos and nechamos that I give to your children, I will only give in this language…. And it will be on that day that the great shofar will be blown.” The Sfas Emes offers a majestic explanation of this cryptic midrash. In reality any nechamah that is in the hands of mankind is not a true consolation since its main purpose it to ensure that the tzarah should be merely forgotten. Hashem, on the other hand, is the Baal Hanechamos. The reason for this is that in regards to Hashem, nechamah, consolation, is something radically different in that He is able to console the individual by holding up a mirror and showing retrospectively that there never was a tzarah in the first place. What appeared at the time as a tzarah was in fact for the individual's ultimate benefit this is a true nechamah. In the future when we usher in the Geulah Sheleimah, the final redemption, it will be revealed in the eyes of all of humanity that the catalogue of tragedies and persecution, our darkest moments that have beset our nation in exile over the course of the millennia, were in fact for our ultimate benefit. In the future it will be clarified for us that Hashem never left our side and all the tzaros which appeared as bad were in reality for our long term benefit. Rav Gedaliah Schorr avers that this notion is hinted to in the very first word that Yaakov stated in his vow. The word ve’hayah, the root being “היה” refers to the past, yet with the letter vav preceding it, the word is transformed from past to the future. Therefore all the prophecies concerning the redemption are written in this form since at the time of the future redemption it will be revealed to us that the sorrow of galus was truly for our benefit. With this remarkable insight we can understand the passuk in Devarim “ ki mi goy gadol asher lo elokim kerovim elav keHashem Elokenu bechol karenu elav - for which is a great nation that has a G-d close to it as is Hashem our G-d whenever we call to Him.” In describing the close relationship enjoyed between Klal Yisrael and Hashem, the passuk employs the term Elokim which is middas hadin - the attribute of strict justice, thereby underscoring the fact that even when Hashem is forced to exercise His attribute of strict justice in relation to our people He is still close to us and we are close to Him. It is all performed for our ultimate benefit and underlying the attribute of justice is Hashem really acting in a compassionate and merciful manner towards us despite appearances to the contrary at the time we experience the hardship. For this reason we find it expressed in Tehillim that retrospectively at the time of the redemption we will see everything in the correct perspective and appreciate it was all for our benefit. Thus the idea that we suffered in exile will be reappraised and determined as “hayinu kecholmim” - it was like a dream something that is unreal that had no basis. This principle to recognise that we are only seeing and experiencing one fragment in the cosmic picture being painted and cannot expect to comprehend the true chesed that Hashem performs in every aspect of our lives is reflected in an idea from Shmuel. The passuk says “Ein Tzur k’Elokeinu” – literally, “there is no rock like our G-d” Rashi famously commented “Ein Tzayer k’Elokeinu - there is no artist like Hashem.” Rav Shraga Feivel Mendelovitz explained the idea of Hashem being an Artist by way of a mashal: There was once a king who commissioned the greatest artist alive to create a masterpiece for him. The artist agreed on condition that during the six months that he would be working no one was permitted to view the canvas. After two months the king became impatient and in the middle of the night the king secretly viewed the picture but to his shock and horror it looked a mess with smudges of paint across it .The next day, furious, he called in the artist and demanded an explanation. The artist explained that a true masterpiece has different shades and textures and one cannot appreciate it until it is completed. After six months the king was invited to a viewing and was amazed at its beauty. He now was able to see the colours in the correct perspective and appreciate that what had appeared earlier as smudges were in fact shadows from the beautiful sun shining down on the trees and that now he was able to see a true master piece in all its glory. This is the meaning of Hashem being the ultimate Artist. We view during our lifetime one fragment of the masterpiece being created over 6000 years and like the king in the mashal we become frustrated at not understanding it. May we be zocheh to experience the Geulah Sheleimah when we will truly appreciate that Hashem is the Baal Hanechamos. SPONSOR THIS SPACE email [email protected] for details North West London's Weekly Torah and Opinion Sheets North West London's Weekly Torah and Opinion Sheets C e le b r a tin g o ur 1 st A n ni ver sary For Questions on Divrei Torah or articles, to receive this via email or for sponsorship opportunities please email [email protected] בס"דNow in Yerushalayim, Antwerp, Baltimore, Bet Shemesh, Borehamwood, Chile, Cyprus, Edgware, Elstree, Gibraltar, Hale, Holland, Hong Kong, Ilford, Johannesburg, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Manchester, Melbourne, Miami, New York, Petach Tikva, Philadelphia, Radlett, Toronto, Vienna, Zurich 21st November '15 ט' כסלו תשע"ו פרשת ויצא מוצש’’קLONDON: 4:59 pm נרות הדלקתLONDON: 3.49 pm We would like to thank all the writers who have helped the Oneg Shabbos reach this milestone!

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Page 1: Oneg Vayetze  (1st Anniversary Edition)  

PAR

SH

AHPARSHAS VAYEITZEI

Rabbi Pinchas HackenbrochSenior Rabbi, Woodside Park Synagogue

K I N D L Y S P O N S O R E D לעילוי נשמת הש"ץ שלמה בן אברהם משה ז"ל לעילוי נשמת חנה בת אלעזר ע"ה

020 8349 0321 [email protected] www.ogrstockdenton.com

With best wishes

T H I S P A G E H A S B E E N K I N D L Y S P O N S O R E D

Yaakov awoke from his prophetic vision and made a vow, “and I will return in peace to my father’s house and Hashem will be a G-d to me.”

Rashi comments on this passuk that “His name will rest upon me from beginning to end.”

The Midrash states that HaKadosh Baruch Hu took the discussions of the Avos and transformed them into the key for the geulah of his children. Said Hakadosh Baruch Hu, “You (Yaakov) stated, “V’hayah Hashem li l’Elokim” “by your life all the tovos and brachos and nechamos that I give to your children, I will only give in this language…. And it will be on that day that the great shofar will be blown.”

The Sfas Emes offers a majestic explanation of this cryptic midrash. In reality any nechamah that is in the hands of mankind is not a true consolation since its main purpose it to ensure that the tzarah should be merely forgotten. Hashem, on the other hand, is the Baal Hanechamos. The reason for this is that in regards to Hashem, nechamah, consolation, is something radically different in that He is able to console the individual by holding up a mirror and showing retrospectively that there never was a tzarah in the first place. What appeared at the time as a tzarah was in fact for the individual's ultimate benefit this is a true nechamah. In the future when we usher in the Geulah Sheleimah, the final redemption, it will be revealed in the eyes of all of humanity that the catalogue of tragedies and persecution, our darkest moments that have beset our nation in exile over the course of the millennia, were in fact for our ultimate benefit. In the future it will be clarified for us that Hashem never left our side and all the tzaros which appeared as bad were in reality for our long term benefit.

Rav Gedaliah Schorr avers that this notion is hinted to in the very first word that Yaakov stated in his vow. The word ve’hayah, the root being “היה” refers to the past, yet with the letter vav preceding it, the word is transformed from past to the future. Therefore all the prophecies concerning the redemption are written in this form since at the time of the future redemption it will be revealed to us that the sorrow of galus was truly for our benefit.

With this remarkable insight we can understand the passuk in Devarim “ ki mi goy gadol asher lo elokim kerovim elav keHashem Elokenu bechol karenu elav - for which is a great nation that has a G-d close to it as is Hashem our G-d whenever we

call to Him.” In describing the close relationship enjoyed between Klal Yisrael and Hashem, the passuk employs the term Elokim which is middas hadin - the attribute of strict justice, thereby underscoring the fact that even when Hashem is forced to exercise His attribute of strict justice in relation to our people He is still close to us and we are close to Him. It is all performed for our ultimate benefit and underlying the attribute of justice is Hashem really acting in a compassionate and merciful manner towards us despite appearances to the contrary at the time we experience the hardship. For this reason we find it expressed in Tehillim that retrospectively at the time of the redemption we will see everything in the correct perspective and appreciate it was all for our benefit. Thus the idea that we suffered in exile will be reappraised and determined as “hayinu kecholmim” - it was like a dream something that is unreal that had no basis.

This principle to recognise that we are only seeing and experiencing one fragment in the cosmic picture being painted and cannot expect to comprehend the true chesed that Hashem performs in every aspect of our lives is reflected in an idea from Shmuel. The passuk says “Ein Tzur k’Elokeinu” – literally, “there is no rock like our G-d” Rashi famously commented “Ein Tzayer k’Elokeinu - there is no artist like Hashem.”

Rav Shraga Feivel Mendelovitz explained the idea of Hashem being an Artist by way of a mashal: There was once a king who commissioned the greatest artist alive to create a masterpiece for him. The artist agreed on condition that during the six months that he would be working no one was permitted to view the canvas. After two months the king became impatient and in the middle of the night the king secretly viewed the picture but to his shock and horror it looked a mess with smudges of paint across it .The next day, furious, he called in the artist and demanded an explanation. The artist explained that a true masterpiece has different shades and textures and one cannot appreciate it until it is completed. After six months the king was invited to a viewing and was amazed at its beauty. He now was able to see the colours in the correct perspective and appreciate that what had appeared earlier as smudges were in fact shadows from the beautiful sun shining down on the trees and that now he was able to see a true master piece in all its glory.

This is the meaning of Hashem being the ultimate Artist. We view during our lifetime one fragment of the masterpiece being created over 6000 years and like the king in the mashal we become frustrated at not understanding it.

May we be zocheh to experience the Geulah Sheleimah when we will truly appreciate that Hashem is the Baal Hanechamos.

SPONSOR THIS SPACE email [email protected] for details

North West London's Weekly Torah and Opinion SheetsNorth West London's Weekly Torah and Opinion Sheets

Celebrating our 1st Anniversary

For Questions on Divrei Torah or articles, to receive this via email or for sponsorship opportunities please email [email protected]

בס"ד

Now in Yerushalayim, Antwerp, Baltimore, Bet Shemesh, Borehamwood, Chile, Cyprus, Edgware, Elstree, Gibraltar, Hale, Holland, Hong Kong, Ilford, Johannesburg, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Manchester, Melbourne, Miami, New York, Petach Tikva, Philadelphia, Radlett, Toronto, Vienna, Zurich

21st November '15 ט' כסלו תשע"ו

פרשת ויצא

מוצש’’קLONDON: 4:59 pm

הדלקת נרותLONDON: 3.49 pm

We would like to thank all the writers who have helped the Oneg Shabbos reach this milestone!

Page 2: Oneg Vayetze  (1st Anniversary Edition)  

?? Quiz Time??Answers can be found on back page | http://livingwithmitzvos.com/

1. How could Yaakov marry two sisters, something that the Torah forbids?

S P O N S O R E D

לעילוי נשמתר' אליהו בן ר' אברהם הלוי ז"ל

ר' חיים יוסף בן ר' יהודה ליב ז"ל

מרת צפורה בת יעקב ע"ה

This page has been kindly sponsored by their children

2

PAR

SH

AHNOTHING BAD, COMES FROM A GOOD

DEED!

Rabbi Jonathan TawilDirector, TAL

A wise man once said, “You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother.” Looking around us, we have many questions in life. We try to get to grips with as much as we can, but do we really understand what’s happening around us?

One of the most frequent questions that arises is – are my good deeds really being counted? Is anyone really acknowledging what I am doing? How come I don’t see the reward for my generosity straight away?

Our parashah offers a wonderful insight.

Yaakov sets out on a long unknown journey to find a wife. At the outset he finds himself (initially unbeknown to him) in a holy place. He has a spiritual dream, envisaging a cryptic message of support from Hashem.

In the morning he awakes and asks Hashem to help and be with him along his journey.

“Yaakov made a vow, saying, “If G-d will be with me, and guards me on this path that I am going, and gives me bread to eat and clothing to wear; And if I return in peace to my father’s house, and HASHEM will be my G-d”. (BEREISHIT 28:20-21)

There is a discussion in the Midrash as to whether Yaakov was answered regarding his request of sustenance. The Rabbis in the Midrash (citing earlier pesukim as proof) explain that Yaakov was answered for every request, apart from sustenance.

Hashem stated that “I will be with you and I will guard you and I will return you.” There seems to be no passuk addressing Yaakov’s request of sustenance. Rav Assi seemingly disagrees and states that he was also answered for this request. He cites proof of this from the following passuk: Ki lo eezavcha - “For I (Hashem) will not leave you.”

Both opinions in the Midrash raise questions. According to the Rabbis, why did G-d not address this concern? According to Rav Assi, how do the words, “For I will not leave you”, address sustenance?

The Dubna Magid gives a fascinating answer with the following parable:

A father once sent his son off on a journey to a distant land. Along with the provisions, the father also added a bundle of money to pay for his son’s expenses. As they were planning the trip they found out that foreign soldiers were frequenting the roads they needed to use, making travel extremely dangerous.

The father did not want to leave his son alone under such dangerous circumstances and decided to join him on the trip. When they were on the wagon the son said to the father, “Where is the bundle of money you prepared me for expenses on the journey?” The father replied, “Am I not accompanying you? If you need anything just ask me and I will take care of it.”

The same is true for Yaakov Avinu. Once G-d promised him that He will not leave him, there is no need to directly relate to Yaakov’s material needs. Wherever he is, Yaakov eats of his Father’s food.

In fact Rav Assi and the Rabbis do not really argue. All agree that Hashem would provide. The Rabbis point out that the issue of sustenance is not directly related to, and Rav Assi explains that when G-d says He will

accompany Yaakov, He is implicitly telling him that all of his material needs are also taken care of.

G-d says to Yaakov, “I am always with you; whenever you call I will answer.”

Sometimes we feel that Hashem does not (chas veshalom) seem to be with us. We go through tough financial times. Is He noting our efforts? The answer is emphatically yes! Not only is He noticing, but He is helping carry us through the situation.

Yaakov married both Rachel and Leah. His main initial focus was Rachel, yet he was ‘cheated’ into marrying Leah. After a few years, Leah has six boys and Rachel is still to give birth. Leah falls pregnant for the seventh time.

There was a tradition that Yakov would have twelve righteous tribes descend from him. Leah merited having six already, and Rachel was yet to give birth to one.

What would we do if we were Leah? Perhaps praise Hashem for the fact that we are able to give birth to potentially the seventh tribe? What a zechut! Leah acts differently. She saw that even the handmaidens – Bilha and Zilpa - had sons from Yaakov, and the only one left out was Rachel.

She said: “Shall my sister Rachel not even be like one of the handmaidens?” Leah therefore prayed to G-d on behalf of her sister, entreating Him:

“Turn what is in my womb into a female, and do not prevent my sister from bearing a son.” G-d accepted her prayer and the foetus in her womb was transformed into a girl. Therefore the Torah states: “Afterwards she bore him a daughter,”- that is, after Leah’s prayer.

Rashi explains that the resulting baby of Leah – Dinah, was so called since Leah had rendered judgment (Danah Din) on herself. From her perspective she was giving up being the mother of an extra tribe. She had a lot to lose. She was performing an extraordinary act of kindness. She cared for her sister and prayed hard for her baby to be a girl. Her prayers were answered and she gave birth to a girl.

Was Hashem looking? Did He note her kindness? Was she instantly rewarded? It would seem not. Our Rabbis lend further insight.

We are not taught much about Dina’s life in the Torah, but one sad episode stands out. Later on in life, Dina was attacked by Shechem. The Midrash relates that she subsequently had a baby daughter called Osnat.

The Midrash relates that Osnat was given up for adoption. Then, by a curious twist of fate, Osnat ended up in Potiphar’s house in Egypt, and eventually married Yosef, her uncle! (MIDRASH – YALKUT SHIMONI 134)

Hashem was always watching.

Leah through her caring for her sister and desire to perform good, prayed and had changed her baby to be a girl, yet her actions didn’t go unnoticed. She was repaid many years later as Yosef married her granddaughter Osnat. Together they bore two children – Ephraim and Menashe, who later each became considered each as an individual tribe.

Leah was willing to lose a tribe for her sister’s honour. In the end Hashem repaid her by gaining an extra tribe. Hashem is constantly testing us, but we have stand strong amongst the storm and show our true colours.

We should be confident and certain that when we perform good deeds, they will produce fruit. We never lose from doing a good deed!

Shabbat Shalom.

Page 3: Oneg Vayetze  (1st Anniversary Edition)  

?? Quiz Time??Answers can be found on back page | http://livingwithmitzvos.com/

2. How many daughters did Yaakov have?

07860 017 641SHAILATEXTDO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? ASK THE federation

T H I S P A G E I S K I N D L Y S P O N S O R E D B Y T H E F E D E R A T I O N

3

FED

ERA

TIO

NThis Page is kindly sponsored by the

FederationYAAKOV’S MARRIAGE TO LEAH: DECEPTION OR DESTINY?

Rabbi Doniel GrunewaldFederation

In our Sedra this week, we find the famous story of how Yaakov was cheated into marrying Leah instead of Rochel. Having already worked seven years for Rochel – and then being given Leah – he was then made to work another seven in order to be able to marry Rochel as well. In this connection, the Torah says )בראשית פרק כט, ל(

and Rashi explains that this is hinting to ,ויעבד עמו עוד שבע שנים אחרות

us that Yaakov worked as faithfully in these seven years as he had in the

first set of seven years.

Obviously, the intent here is to praise Yaakov. Moreover, the stories

of exalted character traits presented to us in Chumash are obviously

intended to be models for us to emulate. Given this, these details leave

us with a powerful question. Yaakov Avinu seems to have been the

victim of abuse, robbed initially of the wife he had rightfully earned, and

then manipulated into working yet another seven years to be allowed to

actually marry her!

Secondly, when first meeting Rochel, the posuk tells us that Yaakov

told her (בראשית פרק כט, יב) כי אחי אביה הוא. According to Rashi, quoting

Chazal, this meant that, whatever trickery Lovon would throw at him, he

would be able to match. Given what actually happened, Yaakov does not

seem to have lived up to that at all, and one wonders why the Torah even

preserves this claim that he had made?

It seems to me, however, that if we learn the story more thoroughly,

and more deeply, we will understand things in a different light and begin

to catch a glimpse of Yaakov’s true greatness.

As explained by Seforno on 29:18, Yaakov’s initial agreement to

give Lovon seven years of work was in keeping with standard practice

in those times, that a Chosson would rightfully pay his father-in-law-to-

be a payment known as ‘mohar habesulos’ for providing him his Kalla.

Knowing Lovon’s slippery character, Yaakov carefully specified his terms

with the famous phrase “b’Rochel bitcho hak’tana”, and worked faithfully

to fulfil his side of the bargain.

Then, when the first set of seven years was over, Yaakov was given

Leah instead of Rochel. However, this was not because he was

outwitted by Lovon. Rather, as explained by Rashi on 29:25, Yaakov

was misled only because Rochel, fearful for her sister’s humiliation, had

disclosed to her signals that she and Yaakov had pre-arranged.

It is also worth noting that, according to the Ohr HaChaim (29:19),

Lovon had tried to subtly redefine the terms of the arrangement, in a

manner intended to undermine Yaakov’s claim to Rochel, in that very

first conversation. Likewise, after Yaakov had married Leah, Lovon glibly

contended that local norms had compelled him to substitute the older

sister for the younger (see Ohr HaChaim’s further comments on 29:26).

Notwithstanding all this, however, Lovon never dared to openly present

Leah to Yaakov in Rochel’s place. The implication is that he himself knew

that, given how clearly Yaakov had stated his terms, his arguments would

never have prevailed.

With all this in mind, we can now consider Yaakov’s perspective the

next day, once he realises he has been given Leah instead of Rochel. If

our analysis is correct, Yaakov knows that – if this comes to any sort of

arbitration – he has the upper hand, and could take the wife that his is

“owed”. But there is a crucial additional point – if he does push his

rights, what will become of Leah?

It is at this point that Yaakov shows his true greatness. It is true that

he planned carefully to ensure that this would not happen. But once it

does, he is able to quickly accept that this is the way the hashgocho has

directed events, and that Leah, as well as Rochel, is to be his partner in

building Klal Yisroel1.

With all this in mind, we now understand Yaakov’s greatness when he

works the second set of seven years for Rochel. Once he has decided that

he will keep Leah as a wife, he must, to the best of his ability, value her

and treasure her as such. For this reason, he now designates those first

seven years to have been appropriate payment for Leah. In fact, if he is

willingly keeping her, he may even owe that additional ‘mohar’ to Lovon

as payment for her. Therefore, he now happily undertakes – with perfect

faithfulness – another seven years of work for Rochel.

And we can now appreciate that, far from being the victim of abuse

in this story, Yaakov is a giant of the spirit, who builds the mighty

foundations of our people through his whole-hearted and utterly

consistent submission to the hashgocho of Hashem.

1 Indeed, with the additional benefit we have of Torah Sheba’al Peh along with some glimpses into the Hidden Torah, we certainly see this to have been the case. See, for example, Sfas Emes on Vayeitzei 5647 and R’ Dessler, Michtav Mei’Eliyohu 2:118. It appears that Yaakov Avinu developed a sort of dual mission in life, and that each of Rochel and Leah was the partner for one of these two roles.

Page 4: Oneg Vayetze  (1st Anniversary Edition)  

?? Quiz Time??Answers can be found on back page | http://livingwithmitzvos.com/

3. Where is the source of Sheva Brachos from Parshas Vayetzei?

S P O N S O R E D

Sponsor this box! See back page for details. R12 Month £5000 R6 Months £3000 R1 Month £800 R1 Week £250

4

PAR

SH

AHREACHING HEIGHTS

Rabbi Alex NadlerYouth Rabbi of South Manchester Synagogue, Bowdon

And Yaakov went out from Be’er Sheva, and he went to Charan (GENESIS 28:10)

Why the need to mention the place from which Yaakov left? Rashi draws

attention to the impact a tzaddik’s presence has on his surroundings. ‘A

tzaddik’s departure makes an impression, for as long as a tzaddik dwells

in the city, he intensifies its glory, splendour and beauty… as he departs,

the glory, splendour and beauty vanish’. Why is this related specifically

to Yaakov and not the other Avos? Only in his case was there anyone on

such a sufficient level to feel this void – his father, Yitzchak.

The story of Yaakov’s journey to Charan is the story that relates to

the soul’s descent from the spiritual to the physical world. Leaving Be’er

Sheva, literally translated as the ‘The Well of Seven’, referring to the seven

levels of divine attributes or the ‘sefirot’ from where the soul is derived.

This place must have been a paradise of spirituality, a place where one

can connect fairly simply with Hashem. The destination that is Charan

translates to that of ‘Wrath’, seemingly a place of lies, deception and

hardships. A place that obscures the clarity of why one is going in the

first place.

With this being said, Yaakov doesn’t establish the nations of Israel, as

expected, in the comforts of the Holy Land, rather he marries and raises

11 of the 12 Shevatim, tribes, from Charan within the company of the

deceiver, Lavan. Yaakov was a scholar, and incredibly pious. Perhaps if

he had remained in Be’er Sheva, surrounded by the well-springs of Torah

learning, his significance as one of the Avos to B’nei Yisroel may have

gone unnoticed.

The neshamah endures its significance also from its descent to

‘Charan’ – olam hazeh – only as a physical being, invested within a

physical form inhabiting a physical environment can it fulfil its purpose,

to build a dwelling for Hashem’s presence in the physical world.

And he encountered the place (Ibid. 11)

“Vayifga ba’makom” - We know that the place that Yaakov rested

on was Mount Moriah, the place which would become the Makom

Hamikdash. Rashi offers two explanations of ‘Vayifga’, a meaning

of prayer which alludes the fact that this is where Yaakov institutes

Maariv and Mount Moriah was miraculously moved to Yaakov. The Sfas

Emes views both explanations as thematically related. Even in times of

spiritual darkness when one does not sense the light of Hashem, he can

still bring Godliness into his life through heartfelt prayer. If one craves

God’s closeness, his prayer will pierce the darkness and allow the light

to shine through.

The ladder, sulam, that appeared in Yaakov’s dream shows the point

of contact between heaven and earth. The word also has the same

numerical value as money, mamon, this is because in reality ‘its top

reaches heavenward’ for it is among the most effective tools to advancing

a spiritual agenda. Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin explains the Mishnah in Avos,

‘Know what is above you’, homiletically to mean that one must know that

whatever occurs in the Heavenly spheres is a result of the actions on

earth. If we use what we have to spread Torah and do Hashem’s Will then

we are giving much nachas ruach to Hashem on high.

G-d is neither spiritual nor physical and He created both realms, and

is equally present in both. He provides avenues of connection to His

higher truth in both venues: prayer is a spiritual path of connection to

G-d, while giving charity is a physical path. And He provides us with a

guide - our rational mind - with which to navigate both areas of life.

A ladder stood on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven;

(Ibid. 12)

A lesson that comes from this parshah was taught to me from a Rebbe

in my Yeshivah and is one that I remember every day of my life. The

ladder rose to Heaven - that is where one should be reaching for, there is

no limit to where one can master. The important point to recognise is that

the ladder also had its base firmly on the earth – wherever we may reach

for, we have to remind ourselves to keep our feet on the ground at the

same time as recognising the amazing lofty heights that we are attaining.

Wishing a tremendous Yasher Koach and Mazel Tov on the anniversary

of this wonderful Oneg Shabbos. May those involved be zoche to much

hatzlachah and brachah in spreading the Torah Hakedoshah for many

more years to come.

Page 5: Oneg Vayetze  (1st Anniversary Edition)  

?? Quiz Time??Answers can be found on back page | http://livingwithmitzvos.com/

4. Who named the Shevatim?

S P O N S O R E D

This page has been kindly sponsored by the

RACHEL CHARITABLE TRUST

5

PAR

SH

AHA SHORTCUT TO THE BEIS HAMIKDASH

Rabbi Elchonon FeldmanBelmont United Synagogue

This past week was the first Yahrzeit of my paternal grandmother Berta bas Betzalel, a”h. To mark the occasion my New York-based family made a siyum on Mishnayos Kodshim. I wanted to be part of this significant event, so I ‘Skyped in’ and was able to watch the siyum and listen to Kaddish in real time.

Such an innovation - to be thousands of miles away and yet still very

much present - seems to be a 21st century phenomenon, but in truth

the Torah in this week’s sedrah provides us with an example of this

experience which has far-reaching applications.

Yaakov is on a journey to Charan to find a wife. The Gemarah in

Chulin tells us that en route he inadvertently passes by Har Hamoriah,

the future site of the Beis HaMikdash and the place where his father

and grandfather had previously prayed. When he realises his mistake he

says, “Is it possible that I passed the place where my fathers prayed and I

neglected to pray there?” This intense longing is so sincere and heartfelt

that Hashem provides a miracle and “the place jumps toward him” so he

can have another chance to pray there. This concept of distances of travel

miraculously shortening is referred to by our Rabbis as kveitzas haderech,

or shortened travel. However, Rav Moshe Feinstein points out that this is

an unusual form of such an occurrence. Normally with kveitzas haderech

it takes less time for a person to arrive at a location, over here the location

came to him. A Skype session of sorts in the ancient world!

Rav Moshe explains that rather than this simply being an unusual

example of quick travel, we can learn a beautiful lesson from this

experience. Let me explain with a reflection. My maternal grandmother

Rebbetzin Feige Bendelstein, amu’sh, only merited to visit Eretz Yisrael

for the first time in her late 70s. I once asked her naively how she and so

many of her generation managed to stay so loyal to Torah and Jewish

law without a regular infusion of spirituality from the Holy Land. She

responded to me that Torah was given to us in a desert (maymad Har

Sinai) to teach us that Torah can survive and even thrive in a spiritual

desert. She was teaching me that each and every single Jew has an

obligation to make the place where they are holy and not to focus on the

potential spiritual hardships in any given location.

Rav Moshe Feinstein explained that Yaakov, the quintessential

Yeshiva student, had reached a level in his relationship and dedication

to his spiritual growth that he was able to make the environment where

he was holy. He was able to take an irreligious place like Charan and

turn it into the Beis Hamikdash. In this sense the makom HaMikdash,

the ultimate place of holiness, came to him, rather than he having to

go to it. This degree of personal elevation allowed Yaakov to eventually

leave his father-in-law’s home with his morals, holiness and exactitude

to Torah observance completely intact and declare in next week’s sedra

to his brother Esav that he kept all 613 mitzvos while residing in Lavan’s

house. Rabbi Yissocher Frand explains that it because of this that Yaakov

in this week’s sedra can refer to the Beis HaMikdash as the “house of

G-d”. Because to him the holy place was home. It was part of his world

and it was in its metaphorical four walls that he lived his life.

Many of us have merited to learn in great Yeshivas and Seminaries.

When leaving these environments and going into the real world it is

hard to stay motivated and positive. Naturally we feel at a disadvantage

to continue our religious growth and high standards. Our forefather

Yaakov is the patriarch of exile. He inspired himself, his children and

grandchildren to not only survive in the Diaspora but to make it holy.

We too can draw strength from his example and know that if we are

committed enough then we can bring the Shechinah into our own lives

and retain our ideals going from strength to strength.

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5. Rashi (28:11) brings that Yaakov did not sleep for 14 years while learning in the Yeshiva of Shem v’Ever. How is this possible as the Gemara Nedarim (15a) says that someone who swears not to sleep for three days gets lashes immediately since it is impossible to do?

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AHCOMMON SENSE IS NOT SO COMMON

AFTER ALL!

Rabbi Chanoch RobertsKiruv Rov, Educator and Therapist, Kehilla Kedosha Gibraltar

Imagine you write a book. In the introduction you simply state, “there is nothing I’m about to write, that you don’t already know...” What are your chances that this goes on to be a best seller? I’d humbly suggest your chances are pretty thin.Well, this is exactly what the Ramchal writes in his introduction to his magnum opus, the Mesilas Yesharim. I think it’s safe to say it did go on to be very well received indeed. So, what was the secret of his success?

Well, he actually writes the answer. He contends that such is the nature of Man, that the more common or obvious any fact is to mankind, in exactly that same proportion, will be his efforts to ignore that truth. Therefore he is writing this book only to serve as a reminder. Ultimately, the true value of this gem of a Mussar Sefer, is to revisit it again and again and again.

I think we see so much evidence of that principle in practice today.

How many people eat unhealthily knowing full well that a more balanced diet would do them the world of good? A recent World Health Organisation study came out with the amazing fact that a staggering percentage of deaths would be avoided if society paid more attention to diet and moderate exercise. The dangers of smoking are no secret, yet still today, more than 43 million American adults still smoke! I think everyone would agree that we are far more likely to get a positive result in our interactions with others if we speak kindly to them and use means of encouragement, yet still, most parents readily agree that they bark orders and shout at their children regularly.

There are so many more examples one could use...

Common sense, not being so common.

As a therapist I am all too often confronted with these facts. I was recently in contact with someone (not from my current home town) who was involved in a rather difficult and deeply painful family breakup and he commented to me, “I threw away a perfectly good life in the lure of something fake and illusive, and now I have nothing. If only I would have learned to appreciate my family and my former life more when I had it.”

Perhaps this insight is precisely the gauntlet the Torah sets down right from the very beginning. Hashem created the world ‘Bereishis’, Rashi explains, Bishvil Hatorah... U’bishvil Yisroel.... i.e. our very existence is only to fulfil our spiritual mission in this world. As the Ramchal puts it, all else is mere distraction set up by the Yetzer Hara.

Perhaps we can see this alluded to in our Parshah too? One of the only two Parshiyos in the entire Torah not to have a chapter-dividing Peh or Samech in them. (The other being Parshas Mikketz). What could possibly be the reason for this anomaly, and what is the connection between these two Parshiyos?

In both these Parshiyos we witness Yaakov and Yosef respectively, setting out and seeking to fulfil their mission in this world.

The Gemara in Shabbos (31a) informs us that each and every neshamah will be asked by a heavenly tribunal upon leaving this world, “Did you attempt to raise a family? Were you honest in your business dealings? Did you set aside time to learn Torah?”

Yaakov does all three. He certainly sets aside time to learn Torah, demonstrates to us how to deal honestly in business even in the most trying of circumstances with a highly deceptive business partner, and marries in an attempt to raise a family.

Yosef too, does all three. He works incredibly honestly in a very corrupt Egyptian society, marries and has children and clearly guides them in the Torah path, so much so, that we model our blessings to our children on them.

Both Parshiyos have no breaks in them perhaps to convey the most important of all life’s messages. In order to succeed in life we must not get distracted from what our main goal of living really is. The way to achieve this is, like the Ramchal suggests, is to revisit these values again and again. No Peh’s. No Sameach’s. No breaks from the tunnel vision that clarity of mission provides. Only someone who is unclear what life is really about, can throw it all away for a mere moment of fleeting pleasure.

We are the nation of eternal optimists, living in a cynical, materialistic and corrupt world that seeks to destroy us.

I am reminded of the story of a young boy who is distraught to find that many starfish had been washed up on the beach by the tide, and were all now marooned and would surely die. This young boy, feeling their plight, slowly and painstakingly begins digging them up, one by one, and throws them back into the sea. An older gentleman observes and mocks the child’s actions, telling him that he’s wasting his time. He observes, “look how many thousands of starfish there are along this beach... you’ll never be able to make a real

difference here.” To which the boy replies with the most powerful of responses. He simply bends down, digs out one more starfish, throws it back into the water and simply replies, “there you go! I made a difference to that one.”

He had his mission clear. He was undeterred by the cynicism around him. He was absolute about one thing..... Every single effort makes a difference. It might even save a life.

Chaya (Clara) Hammer, a”h, was a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday when she passed away about 5 years ago. She was once in a butcher shop in her local neighbourhood in Jerusalem and observed a young child being given a large bag of scraps. She commented to the butcher how strange that was. What did that child need with all that waste? He told her, they couldn’t afford meat for Shabbos, so he would gather the bones and skins and the family would make a soup out of that.

She was distraught at the plight of that family. She had very little in the way of extra funds herself, but she informed the butcher never to let that happen again. “The next time that child comes in, you give them enough chicken for their family, and I’ll pay for it”. She quickly went to her neighbours and friends and asked them if they would be able to contribute to this tzedakah cause. They all agreed. This simple, heartfelt mission snowballed into a huge, weekly chessed drive. She continued to find support and learned of more poverty stricken families. This went on until she was supplying approximately $10,000 a week in meat to needy Jerusalem families! She oversaw this project practically up until her death, and now this amazing cause is being run by her family.

She was affectionately dubbed ‘The Chicken Lady’.

Clear about her mission? Single minded? Undeterred? In no doubt that a little effort might go a very long way? I have no doubt about that at all.

Perhaps a more common response would have been to sigh, think how sad the poverty situation is and move on... Not Clara Hammer.

There’s a lot to learn from this kind of attitude and single-mindedness.

We should be clear about our mission too. After all, that’s all we’ve been put here to do.

Every mitzvah. Every word of Torah. Every effort to improve ourselves and the lives of those around us, is simply an eternity in itself. We must revisit this thought constantly to stay inspired and ultimately maintain our mission statement firmly in our sights. Our raison d’être hasn’t changed since the beginning of time, and it never will...

We must never lose sight of that.

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6. What lies behind the name Levi?

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AHVAYETZEI: DESPERATE DEPARTURES

Rabbi Shimshon SilkinChazon UK

The horrific attacks in Paris last week brought the debate surrounding immigration into even sharper focus with many conservative commentators arguing that opening one’s borders invites vulnerability.

This beginning of week’s Parsha concentrates on the impact of

not immigration but emigration, the effect on a country when people

leave - not ordinary migrants, rather those of elevated stature. “Vayetzei

Yaakov miBe’er-shova vayelech Charonah, Yaakov left (emigrated from)

Beersheva and travelled (immigrated) to Charan.” Rashi asks why it is

necessary for the Torah to record Yaakov’s departure from Be’ersheva

when it need only have told us of his destination, Charan. Famously

he explains: ‘Sheyetzias tzaddik min hamakom oseh roshem - the

departure of a righteous person from a place leaves an impression’

(RASHI TO BEREISHIS 28:10, SEE MAHARSHAL). Here Rashi directs our attention

to the ‘net contribution’ of a tzaddik’s departure rather than arrival.

However this idea itself demands an explanation: surely the presence

of a tzaddik in a location is what makes the impression rather than his

sudden absence? Is it not the tzaddik’s evident behaviour and conduct

that establish him as a role model for others to emulate? What is the

nature of the impact he creates by leaving?

Perhaps we can find an answer based on Shlomo Hamelech’s directive

in Koheles: “It is better to attend a house of mourning than attend a house

of feasting (for that is the end of man) and the living should take it to

heart” (7:2). The first understanding is that this is due to the incredible

kindness involved in comforting the mourners and the deceased. The

Gemarah relates: “A certain man died in the neighbourhood of Rabbi

Yehudah. As there were no mourners to be comforted, Rabbi Yehudah

assembled ten men every day and they sat in his place. After seven

days, the deceased appeared to Rabbi Yehudah in a dream and said

to him, ‘May your mind be at rest, for you have set my mind at rest’”

(SHABBOS 152B). However there is a third party, aside from the aveilim

and the departed neshamah, that stands to gain from visiting such

a sombre affair: the visitor himself (SEE RASHI AND IBN EZRA AD LOC.

SEE FURTHER MIDRASH RABBAH KOHELES 7:1). Attending a funeral and shiva

of a great person whose values and accomplishments are extolled and

praised can be a profound character-building exercise. These individuals

who have lived in greatness leave behind a void. In turn, the visitor is left

with an urgent desire to fill that void, or at least introspect about what it is

they are doing in their own lives so that their eventual departure leaves a

similar void. This is the impact made by the departure of a tzaddik. Those

left bereft find themselves inspired to accomplish more. It is therefore not

so much their presence that stimulates these self-improvement thoughts

but their sudden absence.

The Slonimer Rebbe quotes the Zohar (3:29A) who equates the talmid

chacham with Shabbos. Indeed the departure of Shabbos similarly leaves

an imprint on our souls. Having spent more than 24 hours in the presence

of Shabbos HaMalkah, engaged in and infused by the holiness of the day,

we suddenly find ourselves up against the dark and ‘angry’ days of the

week. This was certainly Yaakov’s experience in this week’s parshah:

The words “vayifgah bamakam, he encountered the place” (BEREISHIS 2:11)

are rendered by Chazal to mean that Yaakov, having just left the hallowed

environs of Yeshivas Shem v’Ever, abruptly found himself up against

a brick wall of materialism (MIDRASH RABBOH AD LOC.). Likewise, each

week, we sense the sudden loss of Shabbos and ask ourselves the same

question Yaakov posited then: how do we fill the void? How do we borrow

from the lessons of this special time and invest them into the mundane

and tedious days ahead?

The disappearance of too many Gedolim in recent years solicits this

same thinking: aside from celebrating the contribution they made when

they were amongst us, it behoves us to ask what it is we are doing to fill

the space they left behind?

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7. Who were the parents of Bilha and Zilpa?

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AHPARSHAS VAYEITZEI

Rabbi Aron LitwinJerusalem Kollel - R’ Yitzchak Berkovits

My Rebbe Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits recently made an interesting point. He claimed that many of us begin to learn the weekly Torah portion as children and we digest the stories from our childhood perspective.

Even as we grow older we fail to deepen our understanding of these mystical and profound stories and instead choose to view them as fairytales of old.

One such example occurs in this week’s sedra with the chapter of Yaakov’s dream. Every child comes home from playgroup with a model of a man sleeping and a ladder made of two barbeque sticks protruding from a paper plate. As adults I am sure that we can appreciate that something far deeper was taking place here, something angelical was happening as the upper and lower worlds collided by form of a ladder with angles descending upon it. So let us attempt to discover the secrets within this story together…

Who was Yaakov? What was Yaakov? If you look at any Aron Kodesh where someone attempted to depict Yaakov in a drawing or model, you will see that they all draw the same picture… a ladder. Why does this dream define Yaakov Avinu? Personally, I would put a gemora and shtender as we are taught Yaakov was a man of the tent (of study).

If we skip to just a few verses after the dream we stumble across an idea that Yaakov pioneered, the concept of ma’aser (tithing). What lies beneath this idea of ma’aser? Money is the ultimate symbol of materialistic value, Yaakov was the first one to take money, which symbolises gashmius (materialism) and elevate it to a spiritual level.

Yaakov had a unique ability to elevate the mundane.

The commentaries teach us that when Yaakov was dreaming something far deeper was going on. Yaakov was sleeping on the ground, on Olam Hazeh, the world of physicality and the ladder reached up to the Heavens, Olam Habah. The realm of spirituality, Yaakov was expressing his innate, unique ability to connect this world with the one above. Hence, sulam the Hebrew word for ladder has the same gematria (numerical value) of both mammon (money) and Sinai (where the torah was given).

Yaakov was famous for saying ‘Im Lavan Garti’ (I lodged with Lavan). Rashi explains that he was giving a deeper message, that even from the midst of a life of materialism that Lavan personified he was able to keep the Torah to its full extent.

The message for us is that no physical artefact is to be seen as a mundane item alone, it can be elevated to a higher level.

The following story was first seen on Torah.org in the name of Rav Frand.

There was once a Jew in Vilna who took a great interest in local history. In the course of his research, he would often go out to the old cemetery and read the inscriptions on the tombstones. He was able to gather a surprising amount of information in this fashion.

One day, he came across two adjacent graves. According to the inscriptions, the two men were brothers, both Torah scholars, both extraordinary baalei tzedakah, philanthropists. Strangely, the two tombstones shared an inscription from Eishes Chayil, the last chapter of Mishlei (31:20). The inscription began on one tombstone with “she extended her palm (kappah) to the poor” and was completed on the other with “and she stretched out her hand (yadeha) to the pauper.”

The man was puzzled. First of all, he had never seen an inscription shared by two tombstones. Second, inscriptions from Eishes Chayil were used almost exclusively for women. There was obviously a story behind all this, and by all appearances, an interesting story. The man sought out one of the oldest men in the Vilna community and asked him about the inscription. The old man indeed had a story to tell.

These two brothers were Torah scholars of the highest order, and they were also wealthy and extremely generous in their charities. They were much respected and admired in the community.

Suddenly, their fortunes took a turn for the worse. Some of their businesses failed. Their investments stagnated. People began to wonder and whisper. Why would such a thing happen to such sterling people?

The Rabbinical Court of Vilna also heard the stories and took the matter under advisement. “How can this be,” declared one of the judges, “that two such exemplary talmidei chachamim should be going bankrupt? It is a chillul Hashem! We have to do something about it.”

“But what can we do about it?” asked another judge. “Should we give them a loan?”

“No, of course not,” said the first judge. “We have to get to the bottom of this and correct it.”

“But how?” said the second judge.

“There is a simple way,” offered a third judge. “We have to summon the brothers to court and interrogate them about everything they’ve done for the past few years. I have no doubt they will answer our questions truthfully.”

The Rabbinical Court questioned the brothers for hours and discovered only one instance of wrongdoing. The halachah demands (KESUBOS 50A) that a person should not give away more than a fifth of his wealth to charity, but the brothers often exceeded this limit. Their only crime was that they gave too much charity!

What was to be done about this? The Rabbinical Court decided that the brothers could not be trusted to stay within the prescribed limits. Therefore, they themselves took control of the finances and decreed that anyone approaching the brothers for charitable donations should come to the Rabbinical Court’s appointed administrator of the brothers’ accounts.

The poor appeared on the doorstep of the brothers, and they duly directed them to the court-appointed administrator of their accounts.

“We’ve been to him already,” they protested, “and he is not nearly as generous as you’ve always been. We’ll never feed our children on what the administrator gives us.”

The brothers’ hearts melted, but what could they do? They didn’t have control of their money. So they began to give away the silver in their cabinets to the poor. Eventually, this trove was also depleted, and they were left with one silver spoon between them.

The next day, when a beggar approached each of the brothers, they broke the last spoon in half. One took the spoon part and gave it to a beggar, and the other took the handle and gave it to a beggar.

This wonderful act of charity was memorialized on their tombstones, relying on a wordplay. The beginning of the verse, “She extended her palm (kappah) to the poor” - kappah also meaning “her spoon” - appeared on the first tombstone since he gave the ladle part of the spoon. The completion of the verse, “And she stretched out her hand (yadeha) to the pauper” - yadeha also meaning “her handle” - appeared on the other.

These brothers understood the true meaning of gashmius!

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9 BIBLE PERSONALITIES FROM "PEOPLE OF THE BOOK" (2007: TARGUM)

Osher Chaim LeveneOrah

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AH

Yaakov: The Whole TruthThe last and “choice” of the Jewish nation’s illustrious patriarchs, all of Yaakov’s children were righteous.1 And as a man suffused with holiness,2 he fathered the 12 Tribes of Israel – that would form the Chosen People, to be called the am hakadosh, “a holy nation”.3

Where the physical and spiritual dimensions so perfectly and harmoniously blended, such that the corporeal realm mirrors the celestial spheres, this is the state of kedushah, holiness.4

Yitzchak had hoped that his twin sons, Eisav and Yaakov, would work as a team to unite the physical and spiritual worlds. Alas, Eisav turned his eye exclusively to this world.5 Thus, his intended role had to be usurped by his younger twin.6

Accordingly, Yaakov himself engaged in the integration of the two worlds. His ability to turn the natural world into a vehicle of holiness is encrypted into his name “Yaakov”: yud the first letter of his name, is associated with spirituality,7 followed by ekev - the heel – the lowest part of the human body.8

This dynamic is expressed in many other aspects of Yaakov’s life. Yaakov dreamed of a ladder planted on the ground , but stretching up to Heaven, as he slept on a plot of land destined to become the Temple, where heaven

1 See Shabbos 146a.2 “Yaakov is absolute holiness” (Midrash Socher Tov 81). The first three

blessings of the Amidah correspond to the three Patriarchs. The third, “You are Holy and your Name is holy…” is parallel to Yaakov.

3 See e.g. Devarim 26:19. See also “Our Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel” (Yeshaya 47:4); “They sanctify the Holy One of Yaakov” (Yeshaya 29:23).

4 This pristine state existed in the Garden of Eden before the primeval sin. Yaakov’s beauty bears some semblance to that of Adam (Bava Metzia 84a). See our essay Adam: In the Image of G-d.

5 See our essay on Eisav: The Red Man.6 This explains why Yaakov now had to marry Leah, the woman originally

designated as Eisav’s bride.7 Yud symbolises the world-to-come (Menachos 29b), and its numerical

value of ten alludes to holiness. 8 See Shem MiShmuel, Vayetze 5674. In contrast to Yaakov, Eisav would fail

to draw the spiritual realm into the physical world.

and earth would meet. He was able to vanquish both human opponents (Eisav and Lavan) and heavenly adversaries (Eisav’s angel).9

Yisrael, Yaakov’s other name, can be read yasher k-El, “straight one of G-d” indicating how all of this patriarch’s efforts were exclusively directed toward serving G-d. For this reason, Yaakov is described as an ish tam, “a wholesome man”.10 Therefore, the Torah remarks how Yaakov arrived at his destination “whole, intact”11 – in the sense that he was complete in body, spirit, family and assets.12 Even his bed is colloquially depicted as “complete,”13 in the sense that none of his seed went to waste.14

Thus, Yaakov’s credo was “I have everything”15 in the acknowledgement that all of his possessions were sanctified and precious. So much so that he risked his life to go back across the stream in the dead of night to retrieve some small pitchers.16

But nothing less could be expected of Yaakov who was, after all, the personification of truth, as in the verse “Give truth unto Yaakov”.17 Truth depicts unswerving fidelity to one’s Source.18 The divine insignia itself is truth,19 expressing G-d as the Root of all Reality.20 And the heavens themselves are referred to as “the world of truth”.

Yaakov exercised this quality of truth in his life. Even when deceiving Yitzchak to procure the blessings intended for Eisav, his responses could be construed in a truthful manner.21 He

9 Bereishis 32:29.10 Bereishis 25:27. See Zohar 1 194.11 Bereishis 33:18.12 See Bereishis Rabbah 79:5.13 Vayikra Rabbah 36:5, Safra Bechokosei 2:8. 14 See Yevamos 76a.15 Bereishis 33:11.16 Chullin 91a; see Rashi, Bereishis 32:25.17 Michah 7:20.18 Truth is where there is consistency and continuity from beginning to end.

The permanence of truth is expressed in the word emes: this starts with the first letter in the alphabet, aleph, progresses through the middle letter mem and ends with tav, the last letter. Indeed, the solid and permanent base of emes is symbolized in the configuration of its balanced, firmly set letters. This contrasts with the letters of sheker, falsehood (shin, kuf and reish), which are unstable (Shabbos 104a).

19 Shabbos 55b.20 G-d’s Ineffable Name attests that “He was (past), He is (present), and

He will be (future)”; nothing has, can or will exist independently of His Oneness that fills the universe. This beautifully explains why the divine insignia is that of emes, for permanent and enduring truth creates the unified, consolidated picture. An infinite number of falsehoods are possible, but there can only be one truth. See Maharal, Nesivos Olam, Nesiv HaEmes Ch.1.

21 See Rashi, Bereishis 27:19 how his statement “It is I, Eisav your firstborn” means “It is I – who am here; however Eisav is your firstborn”.

acted with impeccable honesty when dealing with Lavan, his devious uncle. He sanctified his belongings so that they would remain “truthful” to their heavenly source. And he remained a tent-dweller – in-other-words, one who lived within the tents of Toras emes, “the Torah of truth”.22

Additionally, Yaakov was the personification of “the whole truth” – the ability to unify diverse elements (and specifically the Twelve Tribes) into one integrated unit, something that encompassed “everything”. Hence on his deathbed, the Children of Israel proclaimed in unison the first verse of Shema Yisrael. With this, they affirmed their unity through Yaakov – and the Jewish people’s ultimate goal: declaring the Oneness of G-d “everywhere”.23

The fact that Yaakov was the third of the patriarchs24 highlights how his accomplishments would be eternal; the number three establishes a pattern, such that when something is repeated on three occasions, its existence becomes constant.25 It can no longer be classified as an isolated event, but part of a set reality.

Yaakov, the third Patriarch, harmonized his father and grandfather’s spiritual energies, thus “sealing” the Jewish people’s destiny, for “a three-ply rope is not speedily cut”.26

Yaakov’s qualities of truth and holiness comprise the cornerstone of the Jewish people’s mission in the victory against Eisav and his brood.27 In this way, Yaakov continues to live – or as our Sages state, “Yaakov, our forefather, did not die”.28

22 Bereishis 25:27. See Yalkut Shimoni, Toldos 116 how Yaakov was involved in Torah all of his life.

23 Pesachim 56a24 It was destined that there only be “three” Forefathers (Berachos 16b).25 This also refers to the methodology of dealing with legal questions

resulting from doubtful situations by preserving the prior legal status until proof is presented to demonstrate that this scenario has changed. When an ox gores on “three” separate occasions, it forms a pattern. Thereafter it cannot be viewed as a coincidence for it has now established a name as a shor moad, “forewarned ox” making it liable to full indemnity. See Bava Metzia 85a how “three” generations of Torah scholars has the assurance that Torah will not depart from their lineage.

26 Koheles 4:12.27 The historic fight against evil, of course, had its origins in the Tree of

Knowledge of Good and Evil. Interestingly, the two Trees placed at the center of Gan Eden (which were derived from the same root) find their parallel in Rivkah’s twins. Yaakov corresponds to the Tree of Life, while Eisav corresponds to the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Yaakov and his descendants try to rectify the world to regain the existence of life before the eating from the Tree of Knowledge, and to partake of the Tree of Life (Shem MiShmuel, Vayetze 5679). Their lives are dedicated to leading mankind and the world back to the utopian, beautiful state of Adam.

28 Ta’anis 5b. See also Zohar 2 151b.

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AHVAYEITZEI – YA’ACOV AS A BUILDER OF

“THE HOUSE”

Rabbi Shmuel KimcheRabbi at Yeshivat Reishit Yerushalayim

A QUESTION

”Rabbi Elazar said: What is the meaning of “Many nations shall

come and say ‘Let us ascend to the Mountain of Hashem, to the

house of The G-d of Yaakov’” (YESHAYA CH. 2) – The G-d of Yaakov

and not The G-d of Avraham and Yitzchak? – Rather; Not like

Avraham who called it a mountain (as it is written….), Nor like

Yitzchak who called it a field (as it is written…) Rather like Yaakov

who called it a house (as it is written….)” (PESACHIM 88A)

Yaakov’s first encounter with the Makom HaMikdash is the powerful

dream, where upon awaking, Yaakov realises that this is “Sha’ar

HaShamayim” and that this is the Beis Elokim – the house of Hashem.

Looking a little closer at this seemingly irrelevant statement of Chazal, we

notice a definite pattern – where the Beis Hamikdash is transformed from

a mountain to field to house. This progression is certainly one (I think) of

increasing human involvement in the Har HaBayis; a mountain needs no

human endeavour, it simply and naturally exists; a field needs the human

to partner with Hashem in ploughing, sowing, reaping; a house needs

100% human investment.

I sense though yet another progression: containment. A Mountain

is inspirational because it towers above, and defies the ‘smallness’ of

man – it is true expanse. A Field too has the similar expansiveness, yet is

limited by borders and boundaries. The House, is totally limited – we only

consider it a house if it is truly protective and has a clearly defined area.

What is perplexing, but leads us to deeper understanding of Yaakov

and his life – is the following Gemara [Shabbos 118a]: “Rabbi Yochanan

said in the name of Rabbi Yosi: ‘Anyone who takes delight in Shabbos

is given a boundless inheritance as it says [concerning Shabbos]…”and

I shall feed you the inheritance of Yaakov your father.”(Yeshaya 58). Not

like Avraham about whom is written “Arise and traverse the land to its

width and length”, nor like Yitzchak to whom is written “for to you and

your descendants I shall give all these lands”. Rather like Yaakov to

whom is written “And you will spread out powerfully to the west, east,

north and south…””

In the earlier Gemara, we see Yaakov as the man who builds the

‘house’ – the most contained! Yet here, it is the very reverse – Avraham

and Yitzchak represent a limited and contained Klal Yisrael, yet Yaakov

represents “Ufaratzta yama vakedma…” spreading beyond all boundary!?!

STONES

Yaakov Avinu calls himself “Even Yisrael” – the Stone of Israel

(Bereishis 49:24), and a closer look at the Parsha indicates that stones

play a central part in Yaakov Avinu’s “Galus” from Eretz Yisrael:

“And he took from the stones of the place, and he placed them around

his head…. And Yaakov awoke in the morning and he took the stone

which he placed around his head, and he set it up as a monument…”

(28:11, 18)

“And he saw there was a well in the field…and [there was] a large stone

across the mouth of the well” (29:2)

“And Yaakov lifted a stone and placed it as a monument. Yaakov said

to his sons ‘collect stones’ and they took stones and piled them up… ‘let

this heap (gal) be a witness (Eid) between me and you..’” (31:46, 48)

The stone is a building block – with it, the midrash Tanchuma teaches,

Yaakov was able to successfully “keep out the animals of the field”. The

success of the House over the field – is that through containment, and

through willing to stake out clear boundaries, Yaakov is able to build

safety for the future. “Beis Yaakov”. The 12 rocks joining to become 1

(Rashi at the start of the Parsha), represent the solidification of the

component stones to make a single “House”.

The story is told of the king who takes pity on a hard-working peasant.

He takes out four pegs and drives the first into the ground, and tells the

pauper, “This peg is the first corner of your property – walk as far as

you want and drive the next peg/corner into the ground, etc, the area in

between is a royal gift to you.” As legend has it, the pauper is still walking.

Sometimes we get hooked on “potential” – ‘we could get more for our

money’ – ‘let’s wait it out’. Building comes from knowing how, through

the limitation of “Bayis”, to actually create “Ufaratzta” – spread out. A

jack-of-all-trades wants to know a little something about so much – that

eventually he knows nothing about everything. Sometimes we have to

stop, assess, drive the flag into the ground – and watch as we slowly

grow internally and ultimately “Ufaratzta” – become an “Or LaGoyim”.

Good Shabbos.

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AHTHE PATH TO ALTRUISM

Rabbi Avrohom ZeidmanSenior Educator, Gift

‘And behold the angels of God were ascending and descending on it’ (28:12)

What does this mean?

One idea presented by Rav Dessler (Michtav M’Eliyahu 4 p129) is as

follows.

The ideal service of Hashem is meant to be ‘lishma’ –‘for its own sake’.

To put it another way, we should be altruistic. Our service should not be

tainted by ‘what’s the payback?’ or ‘what’s in it for me?’ but rather ‘what

is the right thing to do?’. This level of altruism is exceedingly hard to

achieve.

However, the way to achieve altruism is via non altruistic means

(mitoch shelo lishma - bah lishma). To attempt to serve Hashem (or any

undertaking for that matter) without any self-motivation is incredibly

hard or perhaps impossible. The start of all journeys must begin with

some ‘sweetener’ of self-gain. After some time, one can reduce the focus

on self-gain bit by bit until ultimately the undertaking will be entirely

altruistic (lishma).

To give an example:

To get out of bed early in the morning to learn Torah is no easy task.

To only focus on the fact that it is ‘the right thing to do’ doesn’t speak

nearly as loud as the warm bed coaxing me back to sleep.

For some, the ‘sweetener’ of heaven may arouse them. (A very lofty

non-altruistic pursuit). For me- it doesn’t do the trick. I try to focus on the

creamy, two sugar, Nespresso waiting for me - only if I get up to learn.

These non-altruistic motivators encourage us to do what’s right. After

some time, one is meant to wean themselves off the external motivators

and ultimately perform the mitzvah with pure altruism i.e. doing the

mitzvah for no other reason than the mitzvah itself.

So, is it a mitzvah for me to focus on the Nespresso?

Yes! Not only is it a mitzvah, but I also elevate the Nespresso coffee,

turning it into a tool used for the service of God.

But what about a scenario where I have surpassed the need to be

motivated by coffee. Let’s say theoretically that I am able to be motivated

by Heaven, or even better, motivated by nothing other than the mitzvah

itself (i.e. pure altruism). Would it now be correct for me to use coffee as

a motivator to waking up?

No! I have ‘outgrown’ the coffee.

What was once a mitzvah on a lower spiritual level, is no longer a

mitzvah on a higher level.

(There is no issue in drinking the coffee, the only issue is whether the

coffee should be used as a motivator)

For every stage in life, there is a ‘non-altruistic’ tool. Some tools are

more ‘non-altruistic’ than others. Let’s take an example: You come home

to find that your children have painted all over the table, walls and ceiling.

You are ‘tempted’ to get annoyed…

Low motivation: Treat yourself to a chocolate if you don’t get

annoyed

Higher motivation: Focus on the horrible aftermath once you lose

your temper (i.e. kid’s tantrum)

Higher motivation: Focus on how guilty you will feel once you have

lost your temper

Higher motivation: Focus on the piece of heaven you will receive for

controlling yourself

Higher motivation: Focus on your children’s pain when they are

shouted at

Highest motivation: Be kind to them because you are kind

When Yaakov was embarking on his next stage of life, he dreamed of a

ladder. Angels going up and angels going down. What is the significance

to this?

At the start of Yaakov’s journey, he required ‘low level* non-altruistic

tools’ to assist him. These ‘tools’ are represented by ‘angels’ (angels

are synonymous with intermediaries). When Yaacov was ready for the

next stage of life, he had ‘outgrown’ his ‘lower level tools’. He no longer

needed a ‘Nespresso’ to motivate him. This is represented by the angels

going up and leaving him.

However, new angels came down. These angels represented a higher,

more refined form of non-altruism that suited his current level.

Yaakov, left his ‘lower motivations’ and replaced them with ‘higher

motivations’.

Much later in life, Yaakov leaves Lavan with great wealth and meets

up with his brother Eisav. Rashi (46:6) tells us that Yaakov gave all this

wealth to Eisav claiming ‘this property is not fitting for me’.

This means, that once again, Yaacov surpasses his non-altruistic

tools. This time however he reaches the ultimate level of altruism.

We need to be real with ourselves and know what level of motivation

we need to do what’s right. If we don’t need the lower level of motivation,

we should not use it. Little by little, we should push our boundaries

higher and higher with more lofty motivations until, ultimately, it is the

truth alone that motivates us - because it’s the truth.

* Yaakov’s ‘low level’ would be an ‘astronomically high level’ for us!

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AHPARSHAS VAYEITZEI

Rabbi Michoel JablinowitzRosh Yeshiva Ateret Yerushalayim

The Midrash Rabbah in this week’s parsha begins by quoting the passuk from Mishlei (CHAPTER 3, PASUK 23), “Az

teileich lavetach darkecha, Then you will go on your road securely.” The Midrash explains that this is referring to Yaakov Avinu when he left home and travelled to Charan on account of his brother Eisav. According to the Midrash, his journey from Eisav was a safe and secure one.

This tranquil description of Yaakov’s fleeing his brother is puzzling.

He was running away from Eisav who wanted to kill him. And this

description is very different than that of the Midrash Tanchuma which

compares Yaakov’s journey to that of one who kills b’shogeg running away

to an ir miklat. Why does the Midrash Rabbah bring a passuk expressing

safety and security when the actual situation was one of turmoil?

The Sfas Emes teaches that the Midrash derives this from the fact that

even though Yaakov Avinu was running away from his brother, the Torah

doesn’t use the term Vayivrach Yaakov, and Yaakov ran away. Rather the

terms used in Yaakov’s leaving are Vayeitzei and Vayelech. We don’t get

the impression of Yaakov leaving in the middle of the night to escape his

brother. Instead we get the feeling of a safe and secure journey, based on

trust in Hashem.

The Sfas Emes explains that this is the midah of Hishtavus Hanefesh,

equilibrium of the soul. This concept is similar to the term used to describe

Yaakov Avinu in last week’s parshah (CHAPTER 25, PASUK 27), V’Yaakov Ish

Tam. The word tam indicates a certain consistency, as Rashi explains

regarding Yaakov, Piv v’libo shavin. The way he spoke was consistent

with what he felt. The Sfas Emes teaches that this is also what we see

from the first pasuk in our parshah. Despite the fact that Yaakov was

running away from his brother, the Torah describes his leaving in terms

typical of a mundane journey. This indicates a secure trust and faith in

Hashem. And throughout his life he maintained a consistent and elevated

standard regardless of outside pressure or fear. This is why the Midrash

applies the passuk from Mishlei to describe Yaakov’s journey as a safe

and secure one.

This was a trait he inherited from his grandmother Sarah. The Midrash

Rabbah (58:1) on the first passuk in Chayei Sarah, quotes the passuk from

Tehillim (CHAPTER 37, Passuk 18), Yode’a Hashem Yemei Temimim and

applies it to Sarah Imeinu. Mah heim temimim, af yemeihem temimim, bas

kuf k’bas chaf l’cheit, u’bas chaf k’bas zayin l’yofi. The Midrash here, which

Rashi quotes, is teaching that Sarah lived a totally consistent life. Her

adherence to the mitzvos and refraining from aveiros continued despite

different life situations. Whether she was more exposed or less exposed

to sin, whether the temptation to sin increased or decreased, her actions

were always devoted to doing the will of Hashem. Her days were always

the same. This is the concept of Hishtavus Hanefesh.

This concept of individuals who are tam and temimim applies to time

as well. The days between Pesach and Shavuos, the days of Sefirah, are

described as (VAYIKRA, CHAPTER 23, passuk 15), Sheva Shabasos tmimos.

Here again, the days between Yetzias Mitzrayim and Matan Torah are

described as being consistent in that our focus needs to be in doing the

will of Hashem. And this was the trait of the Avos, as indicated here by

Yaakov and earlier by Sarah, of always doing the will of G-d. And this

is our imperative as well; to be consistent in our actions and despite

different challenges and changes in our life to always be focused on our

goal of Avodas Hashem. This explains how Yaakov was able to leave

in peace and tranquility and bitachon despite being chased out by his

brother. Vayeitzei Yaakov M’Be’er Sheva.

Good Shabbos.

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EasyG

iving – פתוח תפתח את ידך

tzedakah book cov katz meyer Mar14 COVER SPREADS v10.indd 1

11/04/2014 16:18

NO FONE FURSDAY!Not touching your phone throughout Shacharis on Thursday mornings.Can you handheld that? 0800-613-HANDLE-IT?

13 A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE HALACHOS OF COMMUNAL OBLIGATIONS, MITZVAS TZEDAKAH AND MA’ASER KESAFIMExcerpts from the sefer Easy Giving / פתח תפתח את ידך (which includes extensive notes and comprehensive halachic sources), authored by Eli Katz and Emanuel Meyer and available from sefarim shops in NW London. H

ALA

CH

AH

C

HA

RIT

Y

In Section A, we clarified the obligation to support the essential communal infrastructure and its precedence over mitzvas tzedakah. In Section B, we focused on the mitzvah min hatorah of tzedakah, its exclusive purpose to financially support aniyim / poor people and the prohibitions related to tzedakah including the obligation not to ignore the requests of an oni. In Section C, we discuss the laws relating to the custom of ma’aser kesafim - donating 10%-20% of your income, starting with the two primary sources and the ma’aser kesafim calculations.

Section C - Ma’aser Kesafim Chapter 3 - Income and Profits

A. EARNINGS.1. All earnings, salary, bonuses, dividends, share of partnership

profit, pensions (see C), business profits, interest, capital gains and investment income (see G) are liable to ma’aser kesafim.

2. Funds received from all sources including, for example, inheritance (even where ma’aser kesafim was contributed by the deceased), monetary gifts (see E), finds and lottery wins, are all liable for ma’aser kesafim.

3. Some opinions also include the repayment of those loans which you had previously despaired of recovering.

B. BENEFITS-IN-KIND.1. Income which is liable for ma’aser includes benefits-in-kind such

as private medical insurance, company car benefit, the value of an interest-free loan from your employer, and assets provided to you by your employer.

2. You need only include in your ma’aser kesafim calculations those benefits which you would have personally purchased even if the company would not have provided them to you. This means that if you usually buy a car or private medical insurance and your employer offers to pay these expenses for you as a benefit-in-kind, then the amount that is paid by the employer, or what you would have paid, if less, is liable to ma’aser. If, however, you would never have spent money on buying a car or private medical insurance, and your employer offers it to you anyway, the benefit is not liable to ma’aser.

C PENSION.1. All pension contributions paid by your employer are not considered

income liable to your ma’aser kesafim calculation.

2. Employee pension contributions are an allowable deduction from your ma’aser kesafim net earnings calculation.

3. As you have excluded your pension contributions from your ma’aser kesafim earnings calculation, on retirement your actual pension income is liable to ma’aser kesafim.

D SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS.1. Social security benefits are usually liable to ma’aser. However,

anyone receiving income support, tax credits or housing benefit

should ask their rav whether in their particular circumstances, their own basic living requirements take precedence over giving ma’aser to others.

E CASH GIFTS1. When you receive a cash gift, for example, a wedding gift, from a

relative or friend, it is liable to ma’aser.

2. According to many opinions, a child would not have to give ma’aser kesafim on a cash gift received from their parents if:

a. the money is given for the sole purpose of supporting the child, and

b. it is understood that the parent does not permit the child to donate ma’aser kesafim on this gift.

3. However, if the child is allowed by the parent to spend this money without any restriction, then he is liable for ma’aser kesafim on these amounts.

4. For example, if a father gives the child cash to buy a flat or a car and he states that the purpose of the gift is specifically for this purpose, then no ma’aser is due. If no specific purpose was mentioned at the time of the gift, it is liable to ma’aser.

F NON-CASH GIFTS.1. Where non-cash gifts are received, for example, pots and pans for a

wedding present, they are not liable to ma’aser unless they are sold for cash, at which point one must take ma’aser kesafim on the cash income.

G INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL GAINS.1. The proceeds of the disposal of assets, property or investments,

minus any costs incurred in purchasing, enhancing, renovating or maintaining the asset, are liable to ma’aser kesafim. Some poskim state that a deduction for an inflationary increase in the cost of the asset can be subtracted from the capital gain. These poskim also hold that any investment income received which is less than the inflation rate is not liable to ma’aser.

2. Where you are selling your home and buying a new one, you do not need to take ma’aser on the capital gain.

To Be Continued ....

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AHPARSHAS VAYEITZEI - WERE ALL THE THE

IMAHOS NEVIOS ?

Boruch Kahan

It would seem that the answer to the above question is an obvious yes,

after all Rashi tells us quite clearly in this week’s parshah “because all of

the Imahos were Nevios.” However, this seems to be a contradiction to a

well known Gemara in Megillah 14 which lists the seven Nevios as being

Sarah, Miriam, Devorah, Chanah, Avigayil, Huldah and Esther. How can

we reconcile this with what Rashi has told us?

The answer appears to be that Rashi has a separate source for his

Pirush, a Midrash Rabbah in last week’s Parsha, that says quite clearly

the following, “Rabbi Chagai in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak, the Imahos

were Nevios,” with no differentiation between Sarah and the other three.

It would appear that Rashi prefers to use this source, rather than the

Gemara, possibly since this is the closest to the pshat, as there are a

number of references to a nevuah of sorts with the other Imahos and this

is the easiest way to understand it.

However the question remains: why did the Gemara miss out the

other three and not follow the Midrash?

There are, it seems, quite a number of ways to explain this, and we will

explore four of them.

The Maharal in Gur Aryeh explains that with Sarah, her nevuah is

written explicitly in the passuk. We see this at the end of Parshas Noach

where she is referred to as Yiska, “because she saw with ruach hakodesh”

and again in Parshas Vayerah where the passuk clearly tells us that Sarah

was a Neviah. “Kol asher tomar Sarah, shema bekolah – everything which

Sarah tells you, listen to her voice.” However, with the three other Imahos

there is no clear mention in the Torah that they were nevios.

The Sifsei Chachomim brings, in the name of the Maharshal, that the

other three Imahos were only able to give a nevuoh on what was going

to happen to themselves and not for others, as opposed to the Nevios on

the list in the Gemara (including Sarah( who could prophesy about other

people.

The Sfas Emes brings in his pirush on Shas that Sarah is included

in the seven Nevios because she was greater than Avraham and was

able to prophesy in her own right yet the ability of the other Imahos to

have nevuah only came from their husbands, so there is a fundamental

difference in the strength of their nevuah.

Finally it is interesting to note that the Maharshoh in his pirush on

Shas has a completely different approach. He bases it on a premise that

ultimately the Gemara in Megillah is correct and any mention of nevuah

with the other Imahos can be explained in the following way. There are in

fact two degrees of nevuah - the “fully-fledged, top of the range” nevuah

that the seven Nevios (including Sarah) merited to attain, and then a

secondary level whereby each time Rivka, Rochel and Leah prophesied

“they did not know what they were prophesying” borrowing an expression

that is mentioned by Chazal in connection to Paroh in Parshas Shemos

and this is why they are not included with the others in the Gemara in

Megillah.

The Sfas Emes expresses great difficulty with this approach, as he

says that the Maharshoh seems to have totally ignored the fact that the

Midrash that we quoted earlier states in unequivocal terms that all the

Imohos were Nevios and does not seem differentiate between the two

different levels, completely contrary to the approach the Maharshoh has

used, and is amazed that the Maharshoh makes no reference at all to this

Midrash.

“Perhaps you can understand the Maharshoh’s opinion that he feels

the Gemara is “superior” to that of the Medrash since the Gemara also

mentions that there were 48 Nevi’im and does not proceed to list them

leaving the Pirushim such aas Rashi,Rabeinu Chananel and the GRA

to enumerate who they were whereas when it comes to the 7 Nevios it

unequivocally mentions their names leaving no room for discussion ie

these 7 only no others”

RIDDLE PARSHAS VAYEITZEI

Q. Why is the Metzora the odd one out in Parshas Vayetzei?

(answer on back page)

The answer to the riddle is not just from the text of the Pessukim, but can

also include Rashi, Meforshim, Gemoros, Medroshim

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AHVAYEITZEH – NEVER GIVE UP

ON A GOOD THING

Rabbi Mashiach KelatyRabbi of Stanmore United Synagogue Sephardi Kehilla

Rachel said, “Mighty struggles I have struggled regarding my sister, and I have succeeded,” and she named him Naftali. (30:8)

This week we are introduced to the 12 Tribes. Rachel Imeinu’s

maidservant Bilha has just given birth to Naftali. Rashi interprets this

passuk: “I was persistent, and I adjured with many adjurations and

turnings to Hashem to be equal with my sister.”

Rachel Imeinu was confronted with what appeared to be an

insurmountable challenge. When it came to having children, she was

definitely in the slow lane. Despite her zero birthrate, she beseeched

Hashem. Repeatedly. And she did not give up. Rachel persevered and

kept surging forward. She was not going to be left out of the building of

Klal Yisrael - not if she had anything to do about it. Rav Shimshon Pincus,

z”l, derives from here that when it involves ruchniyos, spirituality, nothing

should stand in one’s way. One must be stubborn and persevere, not

giving in or giving up. Rachel Imeinu saw that Heaven was preventing

her from conceiving. Every door that she approached was closed. A lesser

person would have thrown in the towel. It just was not bashert, destined

to occur. Not our Matriarch, Rachel. She huffed and she puffed, and she

blew the doors down. This was not about being refused a material object.

This was about Klal Yisrael and being a part of establishing another tribe,

another component in the infrastructure of the Jewish nation. It was not

a time for complacency, for passivity, or acceptance. It was a time for

action. In the end, she prevailed.

It all depends on what you consider worth fighting for.

Rav Shimshon posits that when someone notices obstacles standing

in his quest for spiritual ascendency, he is to persevere and do everything

within his ability to overcome these challenges. On his way to the epoch

test of his life, the Akeidas Yitzchak, our Patriarch, Avraham Avinu, was

challenged by Satan every step of the way by raging rivers, wild animals

and other such impediments. With determination and self-sacrifice, he

trudged on and reached Har HaMoriah.

Throughout history, Klal Yisrael has been blessed with a standard of

leadership that never took “no” for an answer. Nothing was impossible.

If the door was closed - they broke it down. Many were roshei yeshivah,

and rabbanim, spiritual leaders of the highest calibre, who contended

those who blocked the way for Klal Yisrael’s spiritual and physical

development. Their opponents were assorted: secular leaders who were

bent on destroying the Jewish People, and insecure leaders from within

the fold, whose desire to appease the secular political leadership was

more important than the lives of their own people. These spiritual giants

were assisted by lay leaders whose devotion to Klal Yisrael was without

peer, and who maintained an unyielding adherence to the bidding of the

gedolei Yisrael.

Rav Yosef Kahaneman and Rav Moshe Sherer are iconic examples of

the spirit one has to posess when it comes to achieving the seemingly

impossible. Ein davar omeid lifnei haratzon – nothing stands in front of

the desire to do the right thing.

Our problem is, we get caught up in this thing called ‘hishtadlut’

(effort). We are conditioned to only put in as much effort as is necessary,

and then give up, saying ‘it’s just not meant to be. Hashem said no”.

Whilst this is certainly a good attitude when it comes to material things, it

certainly should not be the case with spiritual matters. One must simply

not give up. Hishtadlut has no limits with ruchniyut. How sad when we

pray incessantly for a new car, a new house, etc. but when it comes to

getting our children into the right school, or starting (and sticking) to a

new seder of learning, our efforts are finite, to say the least.

Never give up. Scream and shout and let it all out (within reason).

Be prepared to pitch a tent and rough it (I’m not talking about outside

Harrods in early Jan). Don’t worry about making a nuisance of yourself.

Do what has to be done for your People, and your Creator.

Don’t you think He deserves some nachas, too?

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Quiz

Tim

e An

swer

s 1 The Ramban answers that they only kept the whole Torah in Eretz Yisrael while he remained married to two sisters only outside of Eretz Yisrael (as Rochel died on the way). The Maharal says that before the Torah was given the Avos could decide to do prohibited things based on spiritual calculations and this was no longer allowed after the Torah was given.

2 From what is stated explicitly in the possuk it appears Yakov only had one daughter, Dena (30:21). However, the possuk says (37:35) that when Yakov saw Yosef’s torn turncoat he refused to be comforted by his daughters (plural)

implying he had more daughters. Rashi brings that according to R’ Yehuda with each of the twelve tribes a twin girl was born whom they married. Rashi (35:17) brings that with the birth of Binyomin another twin girl was born. According to all this Yaakov had 14 daughters!

3 (29:28) When Yaakov got married to Leah and was told he would also be given Rochel to marry, he first waited seven days of sheva brachos for Leah before marrying Rochel.

4 The pesukim imply that the mothers got to name their sons with the exception of Levi (29:34) and (the renamed) Binyomin named by Yakov (35:18).

5 Perhaps it is like the Gemara in Sukkah (53a) that Yaakov never tasted a full sleep going to bed but rather only dozed off for short time periods.

6 The Chizkuni (29:34) explains that until now there were two children so that Leah could hold one with each hand. However, with the third child she would now require how husband to escort her (lashon levaya) and assist with the third child!

7 They were also the daughters of Lavan from a different wife making them half sisters of Rochel and Leah.

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TOLDOS - DID YITZCHAK NOT KNOW ABOUT THE TRUE NATURE OF EISAV?Rabbi Shmuel KimcheRabbi at Yeshivat Reishit Yershalayim

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T H I S P A G E H A S B E E N K I N D L Y S P O N S O R E D

Did he? In the entire episode of Eisav and Yaakov growing up in the house of Yitzchak Avinu culminating in the brachos ‘taken’ by Yaakov – nothing is more perplexing than the passuk:

“And Yitzchak loved Eisav for ‘game’ was in his mouth, and Rivkah loved Yaakov.”Was Yitzchak really in the dark over who Eisav was? According to the Midrash, Eisav was involved in Gilui Arayos, Shefichus Damim and Avoda Zarah (see Rashi and Midrash on 25:29) – he was an unmitigated rasha! Why did Yitzchak wish to convey the brachos of Avraham his father to Eisav? Why didn’t Rivkah give her husband a ‘reality check’ – she seems to have known the truth.

We find many approaches in Chazal to these questions, and what I find amazing about the lives of the Avos, is that each approach to probing a little beneath the superficial gives us (or at least me) tremendous insight into human nature.

Rashi – “Kedushah of Yitzchak”“Ki tzayid bepiv” ‘Game was in his mouth’ – Midrash Tanchuma Toldos #8 (quoted by Rashi): “Eisav would come back from the field and ask his father ‘How does one take ma’aser for salt’. It seems from this, that Yitzchak was beguiled by Eisav’s pretense of being ‘holier than

necessary’. The fact that Eisav excelled in the mitzvah of Kibud Av (Bava Metzia 87a), only helps us to see that in fact Yitzchak may have been misled by Yitzchak. (Which is undone when Yitzchak realises ultimately that the rightful brachos went to Yaakov – see 27:33, and midrash quoted by The Stone Chumash.)“And when Yitzchak became old, his eyes were dimmed… (27:1)” – ‘Rashi: The tears of the malachim at the Akeidah fell into Yitzchak’s eyes and dimmed them (paraphrase).’ Clearly, this midrash is not literal for a host of reasons (some brought to attention by members of the shul!) – and is to be understood that through the Akeidah, Yitzchak reached a level of total kedushah which semi-detatched him from this world. “The ashes of Yitzchak still remain atop the mountain” (Rashi 22:14). This made it impossible for Yitzchak to identify Eisav’s true nature.

Netziv – (HA’AMEK DAVAR 24:65) – “Awesome Relationships”

“And Rivkah lifted her Eyes, and she saw Yitzchak, and she fell off her camel…and she took her veil and covered herself”. The Netziv understands the entire ‘first encounter’ between Yitzchak and Rivkah (at the end of Chayei Sarah), was purely to lay ground for the brachos to be directed towards Yaakov: “From this moment on [Rivkah] was in awe of [Yitzchak], and her relationship with Yitzchak was not like that of Avraham and Sarah, or Rachel with Yaakov – where whenever they had some disagreement they would speak freely and with passion – this would never be the case with Rivakah [and Yitzchak]…. Rivkah never had the heart to confront Yitzchak and share her opinion about Eisav, where she understood the truth about “Ki tzayid bepiv”. This was all hashgachah so that things would turn out the way Hashem wanted them to….”Here too, the Netsiv understands that Yitzchak was never privy to Eisav’s true nature – and only because the relationship between Yitzchak and Rivkah was one of awe,

rather than camaraderie. I find this to be incredible; that the Avos had different forms of relationship with each other!

Sfas Emes – “Yissachar and Zevulun”“The original plan was for Eisav to tend to material matters in an honest and scrupulous fashion, while Yaakov would tend to spiritual matters. They would enjoy a partnership akin to that of Yissachar and Zevulun in which each would be supportive of the other, and a world leader in his own right. Only once Eisav abandoned his responsibilities was Yaakov saddled with both sets of responsibility.”Yitzchak knew only too well that Yaakov was the “Dweller of Tents”, and that he would be a true continuation of the mesorah of Avraham Avinu – yet what about Eisav? Yitzchak would give him the brachah of “Mital hashamayim u’mishmanei ha’aretz”, that Eisav should combine his natural tendancies of “aretz” and focus them towards spiritual ends “Shamayim” [Famously, The Vilna Gaon in Aderes Eliyahu Beraishis 1:1 shows that “eretz” comes from the word “ratz” (to run), and “Shamayim” comes from the word “sham” (there) – that all ‘earthly’ objects are “means” (running towards something), and all ‘Heavenly’ objects are the “ends” (there)]. Here Yitzchak is blessing the person he believes to be Eisav “From the dew of the Shamayim, and from the fats of the eretz” – hoping that he bring eretz to Shamayim.] But of course, Yitzchak doesn’t realise how far gone Eisav really is….

Ultimately – whether Yitzchak knew Eisav’s true nature, we will never know – but what we do gain from these understandings is (a) Yitzchak’s life in this world as totally removed, unlike Avraham or Yaakov (b) Yitzchak and Rivkah’s relationship as different to the other Avos and Imahos (c) The ideal is “Bechol derachecha da’eihu” – to use our unique abilities for the sake of Klal Yisrael. Good Shabbos.

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בס"ד

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14th November '15 ב' כסלו תשע"ו

פרשת תולדות

מוצש’’קLONDON: 5.07pm

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1. What letter was added to both Avram’s and Soro’s name and why particularly

this letter?

THE SHEVA BERACHOT OF LECH LECHA

Chief Rabbi Ephraim MirvisChief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth

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T H I S P A G E H A S B E E N K I N D L Y S P O N S O R E D

After instructing Avraham Avinu to embark on his

momentous “Lech Lecha” from Haran, Hashem

promised seven significant brachot: I will make

you into a great nation; I will bless you; I will

make your name great; you shall be a blessing; I

will bless those who bless you; I will curse those

who curse you; through you all the families on

earth shall be blessed (BEREISHIT 12: 2,3).

When celebrating their marriage, a chatan and kallah embark

on their own special “Lech Lecha” when they leave their parents’

home (some even leave their country and the place of their birth

as well). As such, the seven brachot promised to Avraham and

Sarah are very relevant to them as well. It is our hope that many

will descend from them, that Hashem will shower bracha and

simcha upon them, that they will have a good name and reputation

and will be a blessing for their surroundings. We pray that all

others will assist, encourage and bless them and not the converse

and that all will be inspired and enriched through coming into

contact with them.

In anticipation of their chuppah, a chatan and kallah look

forward to their married life as “the Promised Land” of their

dreams. Fascinatingly, there is another important “Lech Lecha”.

The second is in Parshat Vayera, where Hashem instructs Avraham

to take Yitzchak to the Akeda: “And go (Lech Lecha) to the land of

Moriah” (BEREISHIT 22:2). Avraham and Sarah made a double aliyah:

they first physically entered into Eretz Yisrael and, once they were

there, they embarked on a second pilgrimage, which took them

to Moriah, explained by Chazal to mean the source of Hora’ah

(teaching) for the Jewish people, as it states, “For out of Zion shall

the Torah go forth and the word of Hashem from Jerusalem”.

Our physical relocation to Israel is only stage one of our ultimate

aliyah. In stage two, we are required within Israel to devote

ourselves to the study of Torah and the attainment of spiritual goals.

Similarly, marriage provides an opportunity for two “Lech Lechas”.

The first is a physical union as described in Bereishit: “Therefore,

shall a man leave his father and his mother and he shall cleave to his

wife and they shall become one flesh” (2:24). Within that relationship,

it is incumbent upon the couple to embark on a second exciting

and fulfilling “Lech Lecha”, by establishing and maintaining a

Jewish home which is filled with spirituality, learning and middot

tovot, with the presence of Hashem being constantly felt.

The most crucial vehicle for achieving this goal is Shabbat. Ot

hi leolam - a weekly true and authentic Shabbat experience infuses

our homes with meaning and joy and provides a visible sigh

of kedushah and taharah.

Baruch Hashem, on this Shabbat Parshat Lech Lecha, Shabbat

UK is bringing the beauty, relevance and life-enhancing properties

of Shabbat to larger numbers of Jews throughout the UK than ever

before. May we all bezocheh to make the most of Shabbat UK as an

opportunity to encourage as many Jewish people in the country as

possible to achieve a double Lech Lecha – by establishing Jewish

homes and through being committed to Torah and mitzvot.

May we all become like Avraham and Sarah, from whom Jewish

continuity flowed to all the generations that followed.

PAR

SH

AH

OnegShabbosNorth West London's Weekly Torah and Opinion Sheets

For Questions on Divrei Torah or articles, to receive this via email or for sponsorship opportunities please email [email protected]

בס"ד

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24th October '15 י"א חשון תשע"ופרשת לך לך

shabbos ends London: 6.40 PM מוצש’’קMotsei Shabbos :Move clock back one hour to G.M.T.

shabbos starts London: 5.36 PM הדלקת נרות

?? Quiz Time?? Answers can be found on back page

6. Avraham’s zeal going to the Akeida precedes an enemy of the Jews who does

the same. Who?

S P O N S O R E D

נא להתפלל עבור

נתנאל יהושוע בן צירללרפואה שלמה בקרוב בתוך שאר חולי ישראל

6 MY WEEKLY HALACHIC QUESTION

Rabbi Avi WiesenfeldRosh Kollel, Yerushalayim and Rav at Kav Halachah Beis Horaah H

ALA

CH

AH

Squeezing Fruits on ShabbosIt will often happen that when I give a class

to a group of Russian boys who are still fresh in

their Yiddishkeit about the beauty of the halachos

of Shabbos, one of them will inevitably call out:

“Rabbi, do you really have to tell us all this? Just

don’t tell us all these details and we won’t know

about them, making our lives a lot easier!” The

truth is, the opposite is true! Many people have

the idea that with hilchos Shabbos, the more

one knows, the more ‘becomes’ forbidden. In

my experience of teaching (even a group of older

ladies!) they were pleasantly surprised to find out

that many things they thought to be forbidden

actually turned out to be allowed. Allow me to

share with you a few practical halachos on

Shabbos.

One of the 39 prohibited melachos on Shabbos

is Dosh - literally to thresh1. This prohibition

includes any type of removing an item from its

natural casing or shell. In the mishkan this was

accomplished by the removal of the kernel from

its husk. One of the Toldos of this melachah is

S’chita – squeezing.2 This is because squeezing

a fruit is the removal of the liquid from its natural

shell.

1. SQUEEZING FRUITS

Q. Is it permitted to squeeze fruits on

Shabbos?

A. There are three separate categories of

fruit in regard to this halachah:

a. Fruits that are primarily for their juice,

b. Fruits that are commonly squeezed for

their juice,

c. Fruits that are not squeezed for their

juice.

CATEGORY A: Fruits that are primarily for

squeezing.

It is forbidden to squeeze a fruit that is

primarily used for squeezing it for its

juice. The only two fruits that fit into

this category are grapes and olives.

Consequently, squeezing these fruits for

any reason is forbidden by the Torah3.

Although some poskim include oranges

1 מתנ' שבת עג. ובגמ' עה.2 מתנ' שבת קמג:

3 גמ' שבת קמה. והרמב"ם פ"ח ה"י.

and grapefruits in this list as they are

also very commonly squeezed, the final

halachah is that only grapes and olives

fit into this category4.

CATEGORY B: Fruits that people squeeze

for their juice.

It is forbidden to squeeze on Shabbos

any fruit that is commonly squeezed for

its juice. This is a Rabbinic prohibition.5

Q. What is included in fruits ‘commonly

squeezed’?

A. Any fruit that is commonly squeezed in

that place for its juice is included in this

category.6 Similarly, if it is not squeezed in

that place, but is commonly squeezed in

other countries in the world, 7 or the drink is

imported into the country and sold there, it

is now forbidden to squeeze those types of

fruits in that place.8

Examples of fruit/vegetables that fit

into this category: Orange, grapefruit,

apple, pear, peach, plum, apricot, cherry,

pineapple, mango, banana, strawberry,

kiwi, pomegranate, tomato.

CATEGORY C: Fruits that no-one squeezes.

It is permitted to squeeze any fruit or

vegetable that is never squeezed for its

juice even for its juice.9

Examples of fruit/vegetables that fit

into this category are: Melon, peppers,

watermelon, onion, celery.

Q. Is it permitted to cut fruits that are

forbidden to squeeze [category A and B]

if some juice will inevitably come out due

to the pressure of the cutting?

A. Yes, even grapes may be cut normally on

Shabbos10. This is because when one uses

a sharp knife it is not definite that any juice

will be squeezed, and even when some juice

4 שו"ע סי' שכ ס"א. 5 ברייתא שבת קמד:.

6 רמ"א סי' שכ ס"א בדעת המג"א ס"ק א, בה"ל ד"ה ובמקום.

7 מג"א ס"ק א, דלא כהרמ"א שמיקל בזה שבאותו מקום מותר.

8 זה לפי המג"א, אבל המ"ב ס"ק ח' מחמיר אפי' בלא תנאי זה.

9 ברייתא שם קמד. וכ"פ השו"ע ס"א, מג"א ס"ק ט, מ"ב ס"ק ז, ערוה"ש סי"א.

וכ"כ הגר"ז בס"א שהעיקר להקל בזה.

10 דאינו מתכוון לסחטו ולא ניחא ליה שמשקה יוצא, ב. אינו עוסק כלל בסחיטה

ורק במעשה אכילה. וכן שמעתי מהגר"ע אוירבאך שליט"א.

does come out, it is completely unintentional. Furthermore, one may even use the juice that seeped out from any fruit in category B or C for the fruit salad11. A blunt knife should not be

used as this will definitely produce liquid

from the fruit.

Q. Is it permitted to place a lemon into

tea?

A. Yes [It should only be placed into a kli

shlishi]. One must be careful not to squeeze

the lemon even with a spoon whilst it is

inside the tea whilst stirring it.12

Eating Grapefruit

One may slice a grapefruit in half as usual and

eat it normally – with a spoon – even though

some juice will inevitably be squeezed during

the process13. This includes even scraping out

any leftover pieces of fruit at the bottom even

though a substantial amount of juice will be

squeezed out in the process14. Furthermore,

the leftover juice may be drunk afterwards15.

One may not, however, squeeze out any of the

remaining fruit after eating it, either by actual

squeezing or even by pressing the spoon on

the bottom of the grapefruit16. Any juice that

overflowed from the grapefruit onto the plate

underneath may be consumed17.

For Halachic Questions:

[email protected]

11 שאין סחטן מדעת ואינו מכוון לסחיטה. וכיון שרוצה לאכול הפרי, המשקין

שזבו מותרין באכילה. ואפי' את"ל שזה פ"ר, א. זה לא ניחא ליה שאבד המשקה

מהפרי, וב. הוי כמו סחיטה לגופן שהמשקה שזב מותרת. 12 שש"כ פ"ה ס"ב.

13 שש"כ פ"ה הע' מט בשם הגרש"ז זצ"ל. 14 הגרפ"א פאלק שליט"א.

15 כיון שהסחיטה נעשה לצורך גופן של פרי והפרי עומד לאכילה כיון שלקח

האשכולית להדיא כדי לאוכלו, אין על המשקה הזו דין משקין שזבו ומותר

לכתחילה לשתות. הגרח"פ שיינברג זצ"ל בס' אוצרות השבת עמ' תסב.

16 כיון שזה סחיטה בשביל המשקה ולא לאוכל, קצוה"ש סי' קכו ס"ק יד.

17 שודאי בזה אינו ניחא במשקה, א"כ לא שייך כאן הגזירה של משקין שזבו כיון שהפרי מיוחד לאכילה.

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ANSWER TO RIDDLE ON P14: The Gemara in Nedarim tells us four people are considered as if they are dead even if they are actually alive. Three of those four are referred to in the sedra: a) Not having children Rochel is clearly mentioned in the passuk. b) Being poor Rashi brings that Yaakov was like that since he gave all his possessions to Elifaz the son of Esov so that Elifaz could say that he had killed Yaakov since he had no possessions left. c) Blind Rashi refers to Yitzchok being considered dead since he was blind. However no mention of the Metzora being the fourth considered dead that is why it is the odd one out.