Parshas Vayeishev
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum אלה תולדות יעקב יוסף (פרק לז פסוק ב) The Parsha introduces the story of Yosef and his brothers by stating “these are the chronicles (oroffspring, see Rashi) of Yaakov, Yosef etc.” Simply, the Pasuk is saying that Yaakov’s life story wasshaped through the following story regarding Yosef. The Chofetz […]
The Eternal Personal Lesson of Chanukah
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier The Medrash explains that the verse in , Genesis 1:2, “…with darkness upon the surface of the deep”, as referring to the darkest days of human history. This was, Chazal teach us, during the Greek occupation of Eretz Yisroel, during the era of Antiochus. Let us consider the situation […]
Parshas Vayishlach
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum וישלח יעקב מלאכים לפניו (פרק לב פסוק ד) The Parsha begins with Yaakov sending מלאכים to his brother Eisav, trying to preempt Eisav’s attack with a generous gift. Rashi immediately tells us that the usage of the term מלאכים here is literal, that Yaakov sent actual angels, as opposed […]
The Power Of Truth
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier After having taken his family across the “ford of Yabbok,” Yaakov Avinu “was left alone and he struggled with a being (the angel of Esau).” (Genesis 32:25) Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch explains in the following manner: “As he had already passed all his people and all his possessions to […]
Parshas Vayeitzei
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum ושבתי בשלום אל בית אבי והיה ה’ לי לאלקים (פרק כח פסוק כא) Yaakov runs away from Eisav’s vengeful wrath to his notorious uncle, Lavan. On the way he turns to Hashem and beseeches Him to deliver him whole and healthy, spiritually and physically, from Lavan’s house. He promises […]
Attaining Spiritual Greatness
By Rabbi Naftoly Bier Print PDF In פרק ל“א, פס‘ מ“ב it says, “If the G-d of my fathers, the G-d of Avraham and the ‘dread’ of Yitzchak had not been with me, you surely would have send me emptyhanded; G-d saw my wretchedness (or plight) and the toil of my hands, so He admonished […]
Unity
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier In פ’ תולדות, כה, כז, Genesis 25. 27, it states, “When the boys grew up, it came to pass that Essau was a man who understood hunting, a man of the field, and Yaakov, Jacob, an honest person, dwelling in tents.” The Torah does not state, ‘dwelling in a […]
Parshas toldos
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloime Lindenbaum הנה אנכי הולך למות ולמה זה לי בכורה (פרק כה פסוק לב) Eisav, exhausted from his day in the field, asks his brother Yaakov for a bowl of עדשים. Yaakov agrees inexchange for the בכורה, the firstborn rights, which Rashi explains would entitle Eisav to serve in the ביתהמקדש. […]
Appreciating Nature
Print PDF By Rabbi Naftoly Bier In פרק כ“ד:ס“ג , chapter 24 verse 63 it states: “ ויצא יצחק לשוח בשדה “ . The Talmud ברכות כו:י translates it to mean that יצחק , our patriarch Isaac went to pray ( שיח , to speak). רבינו בחיי , Rabbeinu Bachya (1255-1340) writes that the literal […]
Parshas Chayei Sara
Print PDF By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum ויהיו חיי שרה וכו’ (פרק כג פסוק א) The Parsha begins with the death of Sarah and Avraham’s subsequent search for a proper gravesite forhis late wife. Rabbeinu Yonah deems this to be the tenth and final test in which Hashem testedAvraham. He explains that although Avraham was promised […]
