The Strength of His Actions He Told to His Nation

Harav Shaul Yisraeli – from Siach Shaul, pp. 6-8

Harav Shaul Yisraeli – from Siach Shaul, pp. 6-8

Not Leaving the Fathers by Themselves

With a trembling of happiness and pain, we open this conference with the words of Yaakov Avinu from this week’s parasha – “I am small in relation to all of the kindnesses … now I make up two encampments” (Bereishit 32:11)

From the End to the Beginning

The Power of the Ox

Clothes Like a Lantern

From Siach Shaul, p. 8

From Siach Shaul, p. 8

The Jewish Way is Not Noach’s Way

Behind Every Great World Leader …

The midrash (Bereishit Rabba 30:9) says on “in his generations” (Bereishit 6:9) that according to Rabbi Yehuda, if Noach would have been in the generation of Moshe or of Shmuel, he would not have been considered a tzaddik. According to Rabbi Nechemia, in those generations it would have been even clearer that he would have been a tzaddik. Let us explain the matter by looking more closely at the comparison to Moshe and Shmuel. The approach of these two great men was very different from that of Noach. Noach’s whole generation was corrupt, and he and his whole family remained on a high spiritual level, as we see that all of them received a prophetic message (see Bereishit 9:8). In contrast, Moshe and Shmuel sacrificed themselves for their nation, but Shmuel’s sons did not follow his path (Shmuel 8:3) and Moshe’s sons did not come close to his level. The midrash [editor- we did not find the exact source] attributes the failure of Shmuel’s sons to the fact that Shmuel was so occupied with the needs of the public, and it is likely that the same is true of Moshe’s sons. Thus, we are talking about a sacrifice of leaving one’s children largely “unattended” in order to save the generation. In the case of Noach, while

A G-d Who Cares for Others

In Paroh’s dream, he was standing on top of the Nile (Bereishit 41:1). Chazal stressed that this is a hint at the phenomenon that the evil exist “on top of their gods” (Bereishit Rabba 69:3). The Nile is the god of Egypt because it gives them life, turning the river course, found in the midst of a scorching desert, into a flourishing pearl of growth and sustenance. An Egyptian god is a god to the extent that it “produces results,” providing needs and desires. The idol of a defeated nation stops being their idol. Egypt knew that they developed because of the Nile and knew how to value the provider of food and water. They knew, in their eyes, how to provide treats and tributes for the Nile. If one sacrifices before a god, it is based on the assumption that it will provide the one who offered it a net gain.

Belief Solely in the Merciful G-d

The Midrash (Bereishit Rabba 63:2) says on the Pasuk, “So said Hashem to the house of Yaakov, who redeemed Avraham” (Yeshaya 29:22) that Avraham was saved from the furnace into which he was thrown in the merit of Yaakov. What makes Yaakov so great?

People for Avraham and Angels for Lot

The same beings that are described, when visiting Avraham, as anashim (people) (Bereishit 18:2) are described, when visiting Lot, as malachim (angels) (Bereishit 19:1). In the previous parasha, in the context of Avraham’s involvement in the war between the four kings and the five kings, the latter placed the victorious Avraham on a throne and said to him: “Rule over us; you are a god for us.” Avraham responded: “Let the world not be deprived of its King” (Bereishit Rabba 41:3).

Learning and Dreaming

Yaakov had two preparations for his life with Lavan – 14 years of study in the yeshiva of Shem and Ever, and the dream of the ladder. These helped him survive the period successfully. Although Yaakov already obtained the berachot that ensured his ultimate success, including financially, he was not satisfied. After all, fortune can cause its owner’s downfall (Kohelet 5:12). For a meaningful life of activity, he needed to be a talmid chacham, who could study in his free time in a significant way. He entered a life of intensive study in the ancient yeshiva. The beracha Yaakov received from his father was literally, “from the dew of the heaven and the fats of the land, and a multitude of grain and wine.” However, he understood it like the midrash – referring, respectively, to Tanach, Mishna, Talmud, and aggada (Bereishit Rabba 66:3). When Yaakov put in long hours on Lavan’s flock (see Bereishit 31:40), he contemplated Torah ideas while at work.

The Left Hand Should Push Away and the Right Draw Close

As the two brothers, Yaakov and Eisav, were born and developed, Israel’s constant tension vis a vis Eisav’s descendants was set for generations. The struggle began with the prophecy before their birth that “one nation will overcome the other nation” (Bereishit 25:23).Let’s look at Hashem’s part in all of this. Rivka was barren and needed a miracle to conceive. Why did the miracle include a twin brother, who anyway is not part of the Chosen Nation?

Don’t Lower Your Guard

After completing last parasha with a quick rundown of the genealogy and early history of Eisav’s family/kingdom, the Torah embarks on a much longer discussion of the emergence of Yaakov’s family into nationhood. Rashi (Bereishit 37:1) says that the discrepancy in length is due to Hashem’s special regard for our nation. Actually, it is not just the length of the discussion that is different but the fact that Eisav gets settled in his land and seems to effortlessly have a large, structured family with a leadership hierarchy, whereas Yaakov and family undergo many difficulties before becoming settled in their land.

“For Me, G-d” – in Eretz Yisrael

Better Late … Period!

The Talmud begins with a discussion of night (regarding Kri’at Shema). Creation started at night (Bereishit 1:5). Night precedes day. There are two philosophies in this matter: the Jewish and the non-Jewish. Whatever includes more complexity requires more preparatory time. Whoever is preparing for a more important position must work longer for it. We find, in terms of different periods, that the world we live in is like the night (Pesachim 2b), in which we prepare for the world to come, which is like the day. “It is for us to do [the mitzvot] today and receive their reward tomorrow (in the next world)” (Eiruvin 22a).

Individual Stones and Communal Stones

The Torah Writes: “To me”

Who’s on Top?

The Road from Beit El to Egypt

Four Stages of Liberation