Yeshiva
Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bereshit
- Vayigash
The Torah study is dedicatedin the memory of
Robert Chai ben Myriam
The hero who emerges from the narrative in the parsha is Yehuda. He now takes responsibility for not only Binyamin and his return to his father but indirectly for the selling of Yosef into slavery as well. "I am the guarantor of Binyamin’s safety," he told his father and now that the moment of crisis and payment has arrived he lives up to his responsibility. It is this sense of responsibility that is recognized by Yaakov when he entrusts the monarchy and leadership of the Jewish people into the hands of Yehuda and his tribe and descendants. The first requirement of leadership is accepting responsibility for one’s actions, policies and words. Wisdom, tact, political skills are all necessary ingredients for successful leadership. Nevertheless, without the overriding characteristic of personal responsibility being present, all of the above ingredients will not suffice to create positive leadership. Yehuda explains to Yosef why he, out of all of the brothers, is stepping forth on behalf of the defense of Binyamin. "I am his guarantor," he tells Yosef. "I pledged myself to safeguard his welfare and return him to his father. I am the responsible party." Only when one develops such a sense of responsibility is one entitled to aspire to roles of command and leadership. In truth, we all occupy such roles in our families, communities, institutions and societies. We cannot avoid the challenge of always being responsible people, answerable to others and to our Creator. That is the essence of one of the great values of Judaism and Jewish life.
Rabbis in Midrash
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Various Events FOR WHOM NOT TO VOTE
Rav Zvi Yehuda Kook stressed that Israeli politics is G-dly, so I have no problem answering this common question on a Torani blog. Also, Free-Will is a G-d-given right and obligation, to "destine one's fate" (R. Soloveichik, Kol Dodi Dofek, 67), so I obviously don't tell others how to vote. But once not a few (especially young) have already asked, a couple of personal words from experience and thoughts from chazal & Rav Kook which may be of help to others, mainly for whom NOT to vote.
P'ninat Mishpat Fallout from Failure to Install Elevator – part II
based on ruling 85007 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
