Yeshiva
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bereshit
- Vayetze
It is interesting to note that the rabbis of the Mishna listed ten tests and challenges that our father Avraham faced and overcame in his lifetime. They made no such list nor did they mention explicitly the many tests and challenges that our father Yaakov faced. In this week’s parsha alone Yaakov complains that Lavan cheated him ten times regarding his wages. The incident of the substitution of Leah for Rachel, Rachel’s barrenness and her tragic death, the necessity to flee from his home because of his brother Eisav, and the further necessity to flee from the house of Lavan are but some of the factors and occurrences that could be listed if we were to record Yaakov’s challenges in life. And over the next few parshiyot of the Torah other challenges, tests and seeming tragedies in the life of Yaakov will be listed and described to us. None of the serenity that was apparent in the life of Avraham, in spite of his ten tests, was present in the life of Yaakov. Even when he wished to live in security and peace those ideals were never achieved. That is the source of our restlessness and uncertainty in the Exile. Would that we would be able to shed those feelings here in Israel when he have finally arrived at our menucha v’nachala! I think that once we realize that our future here in our land is God’s gift to us we will emerge triumphant from this parsha of Vayeitzei in Jewish history and life.
Rabbis in Midrash
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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
