In Parshat Vayetze, Breisheet 31:38-40, Yaakov explains to Lavan: These 20 years that I was with you, your ewes and she-goats never miscarried, and I did not eat any rams of your flocks. I never brought you a mutilated animal. I took the blame for it. You demanded...
As we read about Yaakov and Rachel’s relationship in Parshat Vayetzei, this is a good opportunity to talk about Yaakov’s inner strength when he meets Rachel.The story of the first time that Yaakov sees Rachel is in Breisheet 29:9-12:While Yaakov was...
In Parshat Vayera, Yaakov leaves home, heading to Charan. On his way, he takes a break, falls asleep and has a dream where God appears to him.We then read in Breisheet 28: 16-17:Yaakov awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely God is present in this place, and I...
In Parshat Vayetzei (Breisheet 29:35), after Leah gave birth to her fourth son, she said, “‘This time, let me thank God (odeh at Hashem)’. Therefore she called him Yehuda…”Leah was the first person to express openly her feelings of...
In last week’s Parsha, Parshat Toldot, Breisheet 17:18, we read:Yitzchak returned and excavated the wells of water which were dug in the days of his father, Avraham, and were plugged by the Plishtim after Avraham’s death. He gave them the same names...
Parshat Chayei Sarah (Breisheet 24:59) ends with Rivka leaving her home in Padan Aram to marry Yizchak: “So they sent off their sister, Rivka and her nurse along with Avraham’s servant and his men.”At the end of Parsha Toldot (Breisheet 27:43-45)...
In Parhsat Vayetzei, after working for seven years in order to marry Rachel, Yaakov tells Lavan that his term has been completed and he is ready to get married. Lavan gathered all of the local people and made a wedding feast. In Breisheet 29:23,25 the trouble...
After Avram left Charan and arrived in the land of C’naan, he passed through Shechem and Elon Moreh. God appeared to him and said “To your descendents I will give this land.” Avram then built an altar and knew that he arrived in the right place....
At the end of Parshat Chayei Sarah we read about Rivka’s marriage to Yitzchak and in Parshat Vayetze we read about Yaakov’s marriage to Leah. In both of these stories we see practices that are still part of Jewish weddings today.When Avraham’s...
In Parshat Veyetzei, Breisheet 29:9 we read “…Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.” According to Ramban, Lavan did not have any other shepherds aside from Rachel, his daughter.” How did Rachel end...
In Parshat Vayetzei, when Yaakov sees Rachel for the first time, he finds the energy to lift a heavy rock that would normally take a group of shepherds to lift. Ramban uses the pasuk from Yishayahu 40:31 to explain that God gave Yaakov this extra energy:...
In Parshat Vayetzei, after Lavan asked Yaakov what his wages would be, Yaakov answered (Breisheet 29:18): “…I will work for you for seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.” Why did Yaakov obligate himself to work for seven...
In Memory of my Grandfather Harry (Tzvi) Dubrow z”l Who Passed Away this Past Friday Immediately after Yaakov woke up from his dream about the ladder with the angels going up and down we read in Parshat Vayetzei 28:17: “He was in awe and...
Dedicated in Honor of Shani Schwartz When you put together a contract, don’t leave any stone unturned. In Breisheet 19:18 we read: “And Yaakov loved Rachel; and said (to Lavan her father): I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger...
After each tribe was born, Yaakov did not get involved in naming the children. His wives were given the space to choose each child’s name and speak from the heart as they explained its significance:Leah’s first four sons:Reuven: “God has seen my...
IN MEMORY OF RABBI GAVRIEL & RIVKA HOLTZBERG, RABBI ARYEH LEIBISH TEITELBAUM, RABBI BEN TZION KRUMAN, NORMA SCHWARTZBLATT-RABINOWITZ, YOCHEVED ORPAZ WHO WERE MASSACRED IN MUMBAI In Parshat Veyetze (Breisheet 28:14) God tells Yaakov: “Your descendents...
When Jewish people throughout the world pray, they face towards Jerusalem. Those in Jerusalem pray towards the site of the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple). When the Beit HaMikdash stood, prayer was focused on the place of the ark, the "even shtiya" (foundation stone)...
In Parshat Vayetzei, Breisheet Chapter 29, Yaakov traveled to Aram to flee from his brother Esav as well as to look for a wife. When Yaakov arrived in Aram he saw a well. The Torah goes into a long description of how Yaakov couldn't understand why the shepherds...
Parshat Toldot ended with Esav saying in his heart (Breisheet 27:41): “The days of mourning for my father are approaching, I will then kill my brother, Yaakov.” Rashi explains that Rivka was informed of what Esav was planning through Ruach...