Divrei Torah
An Attitude of Gratitude
Once a year in America we have a special day set aside when we are asked to pause and give thanks for all the blessings we have experienced. The tradition of a Thanksgiving day feast is often attributed to the Pilgrims celebrating a successful harvest year in 1621. In the times of the Temple in Jerusalem, those who wanted to express
The Pesach Parsha
If it is the middle of the month of Kislev, and if we are reading Parshat Vayeitzei, it is obvious that we need to discuss the holiday of Pesach. This is owing to an occurrence at the end of the parsha. Yaakov and his family are returning to Eretz Canaan with Lavan in pursuit. The night before Lavan catches them, Hashem appears to Lavan,
Remote, Not Removed
Understanding Yaakov Avinu’s frame of mind in Parshat Vayeitzei offers an enlightening insight as to how to best navigate in a time of ambiguity and grave uncertainty.
The last two pesukim of the parsha state:
“And Yaakov went on his way, and angels of God
How the Avot Returned the World to Adam HaRishon Before the Sin
If we study the essence and lives of the three Avot, it can be suggested that they brought the world to a state of Adam HaRishon before the sin. Breaking down Adam’s sin, we find three elements: One a lack of heeding God’s command; second, a fall from kedusha; and third, a new existential battle between good and bad. When we look to the
Bigger, Better Picture
Yaakov is on the run from his big bro Eisav, and interestingly enough, this escape drama affects the way the text of the Torah looks. Typically, parshiyot have paragraph breaks, but Vayeitzei surprisingly has none. Baal Haturim quotes those who explain that the reason why the text of this week’s parsha is “closed” (meaning, there are
Fulfilling Our Birthright
Last year, Parshas Toldos was the occasion of the pidyon haben (redeeming the firstborn) of the older of our twin grandsons. For my own family, this was a brand-new mitzvah, as our oldest children were twin girls. The firstborn rights play a prominent role in Parshas Toldos, where Yaakov purchases Eisav’s birthright.
I Will Choose Free Will
The world of religious ideas was steadily coalescing. Gradually, God introduced humanity to fundamental principles of religion. The horrific flood demonstrated the rule of moral “cause and effect”: if humans descended into moral chaos, the world would literally collapse. Subsequently, the selection of Avraham confirmed that a
‘Letz’ Think About It
“These are the offsprings of Yitzchak the son of Avraham; Avraham bore Yitzchak.” If Yitzchak is the son of Avraham, it seems redundant to then say “Avraham bore Yitzchak.” The Siftei Chachamim based on the Gemara (Bava Metzia 87a) explains the back story. Upon Yitzchak’s birth [which was certainly a profound miracle that
Tranquil Triumphs
There is something to be said for revolutionaries. For founders. For the people who have the foresight and the daring to chart a course untrodden. Revolutionaries put their ideals to the test by living the principles they believe can transform the world around them, and history will always be enamored by such people. Avraham was a
Chancing to Find a Designated Shidduch
It was last year in the week of Parshas Chayei Sarah that my older brother, Binyamin, got married to Sarah Miriam Kaplan. Both had been single for many years and never married. They planned for a small wedding, with more friends coming for dancing and a buffet at the end. To their surprise, when they walked down the aisle, every seat was
Living With God
Avraham’s revolution had begun to gain traction. He traversed the promised land, participating both in wars as well as in diplomacy, all the while disseminating awareness about a one God. Though his message radiated throughout the Land of Israel, it still hadn’t infiltrated cultures outside the land of God. His only previous
Hashem Will Provide
I recently received a phone call from an out-of-town friend of mine. His young adult daughter had been dating a yeshiva-oriented young man and it looked as if this might lead to an engagement. The young man wanted to study Torah and possibly pursue a career in chinuch (teaching) after several years. However, he had given no serious thought
