This week’s Parsha Preview is co-dedicated to the refuah of Menachem Mendel Ben Faigie Ruchel, Yocheved Bat Leah, Simcha Bat Mazel, Ofek Ben Tali, Shimon Ben Miriam, Sara Bat Hodda, Avraham Moshe Ben Miriam Tova, Baruch Kalman Ben Leiben Jacobs and Kyla Chaya Bat Sarah Polson may Hashem grant them all a complete recovery very soon.
This week’s Parsha Preview is also dedicated to my Paternal Grandmother “Mazal Bat Mordechai” on the occasion of her Yartzeit may her Neshema have an aliyah.
Join my blog @ http://parshapreview.blogspot.com or
http://apps.facebook.com/liveblog/entry/466625
Happy Birthday to my friends who will celebrate Birthday’s this coming week:
Happy Birthday to:
Michael Perez
Eve Potok
“Ad Meyah Vesrim Shannah”
Shemot
Exodus 1:1 - 6:1
Candle Lighting in Toronto 4:40 P.M.
Candle Lighting in Thornhill 4:40 P.M.
Shabbat Mevorchim (Blessing of The New Moon)
Molad for Shevat is Friday January 15, 2010 1:43 P.M. and 11 Chalakim Jerusalem Time. Rosh Chodesh Shevat will take place Saturday Night January 16 and Sunday January 17, 2010.
Welcome to the Book of Exodus-Shemot
Main characters of this week’s Parsha
Shifrah (This is an Egyptian alias for Jocheved)
Puah (This is an Egyptian alias for Miriam)
Amram
Bityah
Aaron
Pharaoh
Jethro
Zipporah
The Children of Israel proliferate in Egypt. Defenseless by their growing numbers, Pharaoh enslaves them and orders the Hebrew midwives, Shifrah and Puah, to execute all male babies at birth. When they do not comply, he commands his people to throw the Hebrew babies into the Nile.
A child is born to Jocheved (Yocheved), the daughter of Levi, and her husband, Amram, and placed in a basket on the river, while the baby's sister, Miriam, observes from afar. Pharaoh's daughter (Bityah) saves the boy, raises him as her son, and names him Moses.
As a young man, Moses leaves the palace and realizes the hardship of his brethren. He sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew and kills the Egyptian. The next day he sees two Hebrews fighting; when he admonishes them, they reveal his deed of the previous day, and Moses is forced to flee to Midian. There he rescues Jethro's (Yitro) daughters, marries one of them - Zipporah - and becomes a shepherd of his father-in-law's flocks.
G-d appears to Moses in a burning bush at the foot of Mount Sinai and instructs him to go to Pharaoh and demand: "Let My people go, so that they may serve Me." Moses' brother, Aaron, is appointed to serve as his spokesman. In Egypt, Moses and Aaron gather the elders of Israel to tell them that the time of their redemption has come. The people believe; but Pharaoh declines to let them go, and even increases the suffering The Children of Israel.
Moses returns to G-d to protest: "Why have You done evil to this people?" G-d promises that the redemption is close at hand.
Food for further thought……….
A man from the House of Levi had taken a daughter of Levi as his wife. (Exodos- (Shemot 2:1)
As the Talmud explains, the man from the House of Levi was Amram, the Torah leader of his generation, and the daughter of Levi had been none other than Jocheved (Yocheved), to whom he had been previously married. While married, they had given birth to Aaron and Miriam, but once Pharaoh decreed that all children born male were to be killed, Amram divorced his wife to avoid the issue altogether, and the rest of the men of is generation followed suit.
So, why did Amram remarry Jocheved (Yocheved), if Pharaoh’s decree had still remained intact?
Answer to last week’s question in weekly reading (parsha) Vayichi
This week's weekly reading (parsha), Vayechi, begins: "And Jacob (Yaakov) lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, and the days of Jacob (Yaakov) was, the years of his life, one hundred and forty seven years. [47:28]"
What is the significance of the 'days' and the 'years' of his 'life?' Furthermore, why does the passage (passuk) use the singular: "the days of Jacob (Yaakov) was" as opposed to the plural that "the days of Jacob (Yaakov) were?"
Back in last week's weekly reading (parsha), when Pharaoh saw Jacob (Yaakov), he exclaimed in surprise: "What are the days of the years of your life? [47:8]" Jacob (Yaakov) responded in a surprising, seemingly 'sullen' way. "The days of the years of my sojourn have been one hundred and thirty years. Few and deficient were the days of my life's years and they never reached the days of the years of my forefather's lives. [47:9]" Once again, 'days', 'years' and 'life' figure prominently.
The Malbim (Meir Leibush ben Yehiel Michel Weiser 1809-1879) offers a beautiful explanation. He writes that 'years of life' connote good, peaceful, successful years. Pharaoh, unaware of the nuance of his question, asked Jacob (Yaakov) about the years of his life--the years that he had the peace of mind to serve G-d (Hashem) in a fitting, wholesome way.
Jacob (Yaakov) responded, pointing out the difference between years of sojourn and years of life. "I've sojourned on this earth for one hundred and thirty years," he told Pharaoh, "but in terms of what I've actually accomplished, the years of my 'life', they've been few and deficient compared to my forefathers."
Rabbi Shimon (Simon) Schwab (December 30, 1908—February 13, 1995) builds on this theme in his explanation of our passage (passuk). “Jacob (Yaakov) lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years." Those years were alive. Not only were they alive, but they now allowed him to reflect back upon his life and see it from a totally new perspective. Reunited with his beloved Joseph (Yosef), seeing all of his sons living together in brotherly harmony, he understood that even the difficult years of his life, those years of sojourn, were true years of his life.
The Talmud (Pesachim 50A) teaches that in this world, when a good event occurs we pronounce the blessing of "Hatov umaitiv--He is good and does good." When a 'bad' event occurs we pronounce the blessing of "Dayan Emet--He is the true Judge." However, in the next world we will only pronounce the blessing of Hatov umaitiv--He is good and does good." We will recognize that every event was actually good.
That was the level that Yaakov reached in his final years. The "days of Jacob (Yaakov) was the years of his life", those days of travail where he thought he was distant from G-d (Hashem), he now understood that they were the days of his life. It was the composite of all his years that formed the tapestry of life.
The Ohr HaChaim (Chaim ben Moses ibn Attar was a Talmudist and kabbalist; born in Mequenez, Morocco, in 1696; died in Jerusalem July 7, 1743. He was one of the most prominent rabbis in Morocco) writes that the name Israel (Yisrael), as opposed to Jacob (Yaakov), was used when he was in a lofty, uplifted state. As such, once Jacob (Yaakov) reached this Olam Habah (World to Come-Garden of Eden) state in this world, "and the days of Jacob (Yaakov) was the years of his life," the next passage (passuk) tells us that "the days of Israel (Yisrael) were drawing close to death." He had reached the level of Israel (Yisrael).
Although that is a level that we will only attain with the advent of Moshiach (Messiah), Jacob (Yaakov) did reveal the key through which to reach that time.
"And Jacob (Yaakov) called his sons and told them: 'gather and I will tell you what will occur in the end of the days'. [49:1]" Rashi explains that Jacob (Yaakov) wanted to reveal the time when Messiah (Moshiach) would come but G-d (Hashem's) presence left him, rendering him unable to reveal that information. The Zohar writes that Jacob (Yaakov) did actually reveal that which needed to be revealed. Some explain this to mean that Jacob (Yaakov) told them to gather…
Become one group, have unity and then, the same way that that propelled me into a state of the World to Come, it will also propel you as a nation into the stage of heaven on earth--the coming of the Messiah (Moshiach).
If you would like to be added to my email list please reply to yvalloul@gmail.com with the words add in the subject line. Please forward this blog to your friends.
If you need a place for Shabbat Meals or you would like to experience a more traditional Shabbat experience please do not hesitate to call. 416-829-1761.
Shabbat Shalom Umevorach-A peaceful and Blessed Shabbat
Yitzchak Alloul
This week’s Parsha Preview is also dedicated to my Paternal Grandmother “Mazal Bat Mordechai” on the occasion of her Yartzeit may her Neshema have an aliyah.
Join my blog @ http://parshapreview.blogspot.com or
http://apps.facebook.com/liveblog/entry/466625
Happy Birthday to my friends who will celebrate Birthday’s this coming week:
Happy Birthday to:
Michael Perez
Eve Potok
“Ad Meyah Vesrim Shannah”
Shemot
Exodus 1:1 - 6:1
Candle Lighting in Toronto 4:40 P.M.
Candle Lighting in Thornhill 4:40 P.M.
Shabbat Mevorchim (Blessing of The New Moon)
Molad for Shevat is Friday January 15, 2010 1:43 P.M. and 11 Chalakim Jerusalem Time. Rosh Chodesh Shevat will take place Saturday Night January 16 and Sunday January 17, 2010.
Welcome to the Book of Exodus-Shemot
Main characters of this week’s Parsha
Shifrah (This is an Egyptian alias for Jocheved)
Puah (This is an Egyptian alias for Miriam)
Amram
Bityah
Aaron
Pharaoh
Jethro
Zipporah
The Children of Israel proliferate in Egypt. Defenseless by their growing numbers, Pharaoh enslaves them and orders the Hebrew midwives, Shifrah and Puah, to execute all male babies at birth. When they do not comply, he commands his people to throw the Hebrew babies into the Nile.
A child is born to Jocheved (Yocheved), the daughter of Levi, and her husband, Amram, and placed in a basket on the river, while the baby's sister, Miriam, observes from afar. Pharaoh's daughter (Bityah) saves the boy, raises him as her son, and names him Moses.
As a young man, Moses leaves the palace and realizes the hardship of his brethren. He sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew and kills the Egyptian. The next day he sees two Hebrews fighting; when he admonishes them, they reveal his deed of the previous day, and Moses is forced to flee to Midian. There he rescues Jethro's (Yitro) daughters, marries one of them - Zipporah - and becomes a shepherd of his father-in-law's flocks.
G-d appears to Moses in a burning bush at the foot of Mount Sinai and instructs him to go to Pharaoh and demand: "Let My people go, so that they may serve Me." Moses' brother, Aaron, is appointed to serve as his spokesman. In Egypt, Moses and Aaron gather the elders of Israel to tell them that the time of their redemption has come. The people believe; but Pharaoh declines to let them go, and even increases the suffering The Children of Israel.
Moses returns to G-d to protest: "Why have You done evil to this people?" G-d promises that the redemption is close at hand.
Food for further thought……….
A man from the House of Levi had taken a daughter of Levi as his wife. (Exodos- (Shemot 2:1)
As the Talmud explains, the man from the House of Levi was Amram, the Torah leader of his generation, and the daughter of Levi had been none other than Jocheved (Yocheved), to whom he had been previously married. While married, they had given birth to Aaron and Miriam, but once Pharaoh decreed that all children born male were to be killed, Amram divorced his wife to avoid the issue altogether, and the rest of the men of is generation followed suit.
So, why did Amram remarry Jocheved (Yocheved), if Pharaoh’s decree had still remained intact?
Answer to last week’s question in weekly reading (parsha) Vayichi
This week's weekly reading (parsha), Vayechi, begins: "And Jacob (Yaakov) lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, and the days of Jacob (Yaakov) was, the years of his life, one hundred and forty seven years. [47:28]"
What is the significance of the 'days' and the 'years' of his 'life?' Furthermore, why does the passage (passuk) use the singular: "the days of Jacob (Yaakov) was" as opposed to the plural that "the days of Jacob (Yaakov) were?"
Back in last week's weekly reading (parsha), when Pharaoh saw Jacob (Yaakov), he exclaimed in surprise: "What are the days of the years of your life? [47:8]" Jacob (Yaakov) responded in a surprising, seemingly 'sullen' way. "The days of the years of my sojourn have been one hundred and thirty years. Few and deficient were the days of my life's years and they never reached the days of the years of my forefather's lives. [47:9]" Once again, 'days', 'years' and 'life' figure prominently.
The Malbim (Meir Leibush ben Yehiel Michel Weiser 1809-1879) offers a beautiful explanation. He writes that 'years of life' connote good, peaceful, successful years. Pharaoh, unaware of the nuance of his question, asked Jacob (Yaakov) about the years of his life--the years that he had the peace of mind to serve G-d (Hashem) in a fitting, wholesome way.
Jacob (Yaakov) responded, pointing out the difference between years of sojourn and years of life. "I've sojourned on this earth for one hundred and thirty years," he told Pharaoh, "but in terms of what I've actually accomplished, the years of my 'life', they've been few and deficient compared to my forefathers."
Rabbi Shimon (Simon) Schwab (December 30, 1908—February 13, 1995) builds on this theme in his explanation of our passage (passuk). “Jacob (Yaakov) lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years." Those years were alive. Not only were they alive, but they now allowed him to reflect back upon his life and see it from a totally new perspective. Reunited with his beloved Joseph (Yosef), seeing all of his sons living together in brotherly harmony, he understood that even the difficult years of his life, those years of sojourn, were true years of his life.
The Talmud (Pesachim 50A) teaches that in this world, when a good event occurs we pronounce the blessing of "Hatov umaitiv--He is good and does good." When a 'bad' event occurs we pronounce the blessing of "Dayan Emet--He is the true Judge." However, in the next world we will only pronounce the blessing of Hatov umaitiv--He is good and does good." We will recognize that every event was actually good.
That was the level that Yaakov reached in his final years. The "days of Jacob (Yaakov) was the years of his life", those days of travail where he thought he was distant from G-d (Hashem), he now understood that they were the days of his life. It was the composite of all his years that formed the tapestry of life.
The Ohr HaChaim (Chaim ben Moses ibn Attar was a Talmudist and kabbalist; born in Mequenez, Morocco, in 1696; died in Jerusalem July 7, 1743. He was one of the most prominent rabbis in Morocco) writes that the name Israel (Yisrael), as opposed to Jacob (Yaakov), was used when he was in a lofty, uplifted state. As such, once Jacob (Yaakov) reached this Olam Habah (World to Come-Garden of Eden) state in this world, "and the days of Jacob (Yaakov) was the years of his life," the next passage (passuk) tells us that "the days of Israel (Yisrael) were drawing close to death." He had reached the level of Israel (Yisrael).
Although that is a level that we will only attain with the advent of Moshiach (Messiah), Jacob (Yaakov) did reveal the key through which to reach that time.
"And Jacob (Yaakov) called his sons and told them: 'gather and I will tell you what will occur in the end of the days'. [49:1]" Rashi explains that Jacob (Yaakov) wanted to reveal the time when Messiah (Moshiach) would come but G-d (Hashem's) presence left him, rendering him unable to reveal that information. The Zohar writes that Jacob (Yaakov) did actually reveal that which needed to be revealed. Some explain this to mean that Jacob (Yaakov) told them to gather…
Become one group, have unity and then, the same way that that propelled me into a state of the World to Come, it will also propel you as a nation into the stage of heaven on earth--the coming of the Messiah (Moshiach).
If you would like to be added to my email list please reply to yvalloul@gmail.com with the words add in the subject line. Please forward this blog to your friends.
If you need a place for Shabbat Meals or you would like to experience a more traditional Shabbat experience please do not hesitate to call. 416-829-1761.
Shabbat Shalom Umevorach-A peaceful and Blessed Shabbat
Yitzchak Alloul
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