Yeshiva
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bereshit
- Vayetze
existence. and accomplishments. No other people or group of immigrants has ever done so much for its host nation as have the Jews. Yet in the main their efforts and achievements have been unrewarded if not even resented. This phenomenon of ingratitude is Lavan's inheritance bequeathed in full measure to the non-Jewish world generally. The Jew may be elevated, exploited, rewarded or persecuted but rarely if ever is he truly appreciated. The world has a mental block against truly appreciating the role of the Jew in the progress of civilization. And in our current world that mental block has been extended to focus mainly on the Jewish state of Israel.
The secret of Yaakov's ability to overcome Lavan and to succeed in preserving the heritage of Avaraham and Yitzchak lies in his constant recollection of the great dream that he dreamt at the beginning of his sojourn in exule. God's presence in the house of Yaakov was a palpable one. He always felt God's presence over him and thus his vision of the long game that he is to play triumphed over the near sighted short game that Lavan always plays. Yaakov, who is aware and confident in God's promise that "I will be with you." realizes that reversals and even tragedies are still only temporary events in the march of Jewish history. It is the constant recollection of his great vision and dream that fuels Yaakov's great strength and sense of purpose. Lavan's vision from Heaven is merely a warning not to further harm Yaakov. But he lacks any grander visions - no ladders that can ascend heavenward and no sense of eternity. In this respect Lavan and Eisav resemble each other acutely.They are all about "now" - the additonal pot of lentils and labor that can be squeezed out of the weak and defenseless with no thought about the ultimate future and the consequences of their behavior. Yaakov states that "tomorrow I will come into my reward" - Jews are concerned about their ultimate tomorrow and not just their today. He who is concerned about tomorrow also is successful in today.
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Hosha'ana Rabba FLYDUBAI & HOSHANA RABBA- ANI VAHU HOSHIA NA- I & HIM SAVE US
"Ani vaHu Hoshia Na", "I and Him, Save Us". We don't just pray to Him, but we also pray to and for ourselves that we should emulate and educate our children to have that instinctive altruism with which He created the world. President Trump seemed amused about Yaniv Hayon, our PLUMBER who confidently worked with G-d like Superman (he learned from a pilot on a TV show!) to save 174 lives on the Dubai hijacking, but we in Israel are totally accustomed already 78 years to our plumbers, teachers, garbage-men, rabbis, farmers & doctors being Hashem's shlichim! This is what Zionism is about.
Moreshet Shaul Hashem Is your Shadow – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 420 – an address from 1941
