This week’s Parsha Preview is co-dedicated to the refuah of the following people:
Men
Dov Ber Ben Yehudit, Reuven Mordechai Ben Chana Batya, Menachem Mendel Ben Faigie Ruchel, Gilon Chaim Ben Yonit, Ofek Ben Tali, Shimon Ben Miriam, Avraham Moshe Ben Miriam Tova, Baruch Kalman Ben Leiben Jacobs, Mendel Ber Ben Sarah, Aharon Ben Tamar, Shmuel Baruch Ben Golda.
Women
Meira Bat Sarah, Natalie Bat Sarah. Sarah Bat Channah, Chana Leah Bat Esther, Kreindel Bat Esther, Kreynah Leah Bat Rachel, Simcha Bat Mazel, Sara Bat Hodda, Kyla Chaya Bat Sarah Polson, Leiba Bat Devorah Esther, Tova Rochel Bat Chaya and Yocheved Yaakovite bat Leah.
May Hashem grant them all a speedy recovery and a complete healing.
Daven for the release of Gilad Shalit-Gilad Ben Aviva-may Hashem bring him home safe and sound. If you asked to have someone put on the refuah list please update me on how these people are doing. If you would like to add someone to the list please send me an e-mail parshapreview@gmail.com
Once again, you can have this Parshah Preview dedicated in honour or memory of a loved one, you can ask for a refuah or simply acknowledge a milestone. It does not cost a thing all you have to do is ask. There is a tremendous zechut (benefit/reward) to have someone learn on your behalf.
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Happy Birthday to:
Shaun Goodman, Thursday, November 18
Isaac Oziel, Saturday, November 20
Eldan Kahan, Saturday, November 20
“Ad Meyah Vesrim Shannah”
Parshah Vayishlach - Genesis 32:4-36:43
Torah Reading for Week of November 14-20, 2010 - Kislev 7-13 5771 Candle Lighting for Toronto is 4:30 P.M.
Candle Lighting for Thornhill is 4:30 P.M.
Number Of Mitzvot in Parshat Vayishlach : 0
0 Mitzvot Aseh (Positive Commandments)
0 Mitzvot Lo Taaseh (Negative Commandments-Prohibitions)
Haftora: (Additional portion, from Prophets, which is read after the Parsha) Amos 2:6-3:8
New Torah Webinar
Every Wednesday evening starting at 8:00 P.M. via Skype-Torah direct to you in the comfort of your home. The shiur is ½ hour long I will be looking at the Parsha of the week, some Mussar (Jewish Ethical Teachings) and the halochot (Jewish Law) pertaining to Shabbat.. If you would like to participate please email me with your Skype contact details and I will add you as a contact and call you for the seminar @ parshapreview@gmail.com or add me on Skype @ Yitz007 or “Yitzchak Alloul”.
Talking Dog
A guy gets a new dog, a nice Jewish dog. So he calls him Irving. He can't wait to show him off to his neighbor, so when the neighbor finally comes over, the guy calls Irving into the house, bragging about how smart he is.
The dog quickly comes running and stands looking up at his master, tail wagging excitedly, mouth open, tongue hanging out, eyes bright with anticipation.
The guy points to the newspaper by the door and commands "Okay, Irving, Fetch!"
Immediately, the dog climbs on to the couch and sits, his tail wagging furiously. Then all of a sudden, he stops. His doggie smile disappears. He starts to frown and puts on a sour face.
Looking up at his master, he whines, "You think this is easy, wagging my tail all the time? Oy ... This constant wagging of the tail puts me in such pain, you should only know! And you think it's easy eating that junk you call designer dog food. Forget it...it's too salty and it gives me gas. And also the runs, but what do you care? Why don't you try it if you think it's so good? You try it. Junk I say! Then you push me out the door to take care of my business, twice a day. It's disgusting I tell you! And when was the last time you took me for a nice long walk? I can't remember when!"
The neighbor is absolutely amazed ... stunned. In astonishment, he says, "I can't believe it. Irving can speak. Your dog actually talks.
Here he is sitting on the sofa talking to us."
"I know, I know." says the owner. "He's not yet fully trained yet. He thought I said, 'Kvetch'."
Parsha Summary – Parshah Vayishlach
It is the year 2205 and Yakov is 97 years old. He sends messengers to greet Eisav and is informed that Eisav is approaching, prepared to do battle. He applies a three pronged strategy in preparation for the confrontation: a) Tefilah - prayer b) diplomacy c) war. Prior to the actual confrontation, Yakov bests Eisav in a spiritual battle with Eisav's Angel, and earns the name "Yisrael." Due to the wound he sustained in the battle, G-d prohibits Yakov and his family from eating the Gid Hanashe - the sciatic nerve. Yakov and Eisav meet after 34 years.
Yakov and Eisav agree to separate peacefully. Eisav returns to his kingdom of Seir, and Yakov settles outside of the city of Shechem.
Dina is abducted and raped by Shechem the son of Chamor, and Shimon and Levi devise a strategy for successfully killing the entire male population of Shechem. According to Chazal, Shimon and Levi were 13 years old. Hashem (G-d) instructs Yakov to move to Beth El. Rivka's nurse Devora dies, and Hashem confirms the name Yisrael upon Yakov.
Rachel dies while giving birth to Binyamin and Yakov buries her in Beis Lechem. Following Rachel's death, Reuven switches the bed of Yakov from Bilha's tent to Leah's tent. Although Yitzchak will live another 21 years, the Torah relates his death at the age of 180 (2228). The remainder of Vayishlach lists Eisav's descendants as well as the specific Kings of Seir who ruled prior to King Saul - the first king of Israel. (2882)
Parshah Vayishlach
'Yosef' is the Antidote for 'Eisav'
The Ramba"n writes in his introduction to Parshas Vayishlach that this parsha is the prime example of a theme that recurs throughout the book of Bereshit: Everything that happened to the Patriarchs foreshadows that which will happen to their children (ma'aseh Avot siman l'banim). In particular, this portion gives us guidance how to deal with Eisav, the classic soneh Yisrael (hater of Israel).
Ramba"n cites a Medrash that before Rabbi Yannai would meet with the Roman authorities, he would read Parshas Vayishlach. This parsha instructs us how to deal with Eisav on two levels-- on a spiritual level and on a physical level.
How do we deal with Eisav on a spiritual level? In last week's parsha, after Yosef was born, Yaakov tells his wife Rachel that this was the opportune moment to return to Eretz Yisrael and face Eisav. Rashi comments on the implication that until Yosef was born, Yaakov could not face Eisav, but with Yosef's birth, he was able to face Eisav.
He relates this insight to a verse in our Haftorah: "And the House of Yaakov will be a (spark of) fire and the House of Yosef with be a flame and the House of Eisav will be as straw (that will be consumed by this flame)..." [Ovadiah 1:18]. Rashi comments that Yaakov is only a spark, he is unable to deal with Eisav by himself. But when Yosef, the flame, is born then Yaakov can deal with him.
There is a famous Chazal: The descendants of Eisav will only be given over to the descendants of Rachel.
What is it about Yosef that can overcome the peril of Eisav? The Shem MiShmuel answers by pointing out that names in Tanach are meaningful. They are not arbitrary labels. Names define the essence of the person. Eisav, he says, comes from the word 'asui' (fully done). When Eisav was born, he didn't look like an infant; he was like a complete individual.
The spiritual threat that Eisav provides is a threat called 'asui' -- I'm finished. One who feels that he is perfect and has no room to improve -- that is what an Eisav is about. "I am fine. My Midot are fine. My character is fine. There is no room for improvement. I am OK. I am more than OK -- I'm perfect."
This is the spiritual danger that Eisav provides, the complacency that one is totally fine, with no need to improve.
The opposite end of that spectrum is Yosef. He represents the constant need to add on to (mosif) and grow from where one is today.
Any person who thinks he can remain still and stagnant will eventually descend. The antidote to the philosophy of being an 'asui' (complete) is Yosef -- one must always add on. There is no such thing in this world as standing still. One either ascends, or he automatically descends.
I once heard the following example: Life is like trying to go 'up' a 'down' escalator. If one tries to stay the same, he will go down. The only way to go up is to exert oneself. Recognizing the need to put out a maximum effort to get anyplace is the only way to ascend.
This is the spiritual antidote to the philosophy of Eisav. The descendants of Eisav will only be given over to the descendants of Rachel.
Halacha of the Week
Please note that the Halachot discussed here are according to Sephardic Tradition as outlined by The Maran Shulchan Aruch. This is just a summary and in no way deemed as a Halachic ruling. Please contact your local Orthodox Rabbi for help.
I will be reviewing the laws concerning Shabbat observance.
Cutting Vegetables for a Salad on Shabbat
One of the thirty-nine Melachot (categories of forbidden activity) that apply on shabbat is the prohibition of “Tohen,” grinding. In light of this prohibition, the question arises as to whether one may cut vegetables into small pieces for a salad on shabbat. For example, many people prepare “Israeli salad” by cutting fine pieces of cucumbers and tomatoes. Would this be permissible on shabbat, or does this violate the prohibition of “Tohen”?
The Shulhan Aruch writes, “It is forbidden to cut vegetables very fine.” According to the Shulhan Aruch, it seems, there is no basis for allowing the slicing of vegetables into small pieces on shabbat, and one must make the pieces bigger than he normally does when cutting vegetables on shabbat.
However, in his Bet Yosef, Maran (author of the Shulhan Aruch) cites the ruling of the Rashba (Rabbi Shelomo Ben Aderet or Barcelona, 1235-1310) that one may slice vegetables into small pieces shortly before the meal in which they will be served. The Rashba draws a comparison between the prohibition of “Tohen” and the prohibition of “Borer” (separating undesirable items from desirable items). He writes that just as Halacha permits separating undesirable food from desirable food in preparation for a meal that will soon be served, similarly, one may slice vegetables in close proximity to the meal. Maran, after citing this ruling, notes that no authorities disputed the Rashba’s position. One might therefore argue that when the Shulhan Aruch codified the prohibition against finely cutting vegetables on shabbat, he relied on his comments in the Bet Yosef permitting doing so shortly before the meal. He forbade cutting small pieces only when one cuts them for later on shabbat, but allowed cutting small pieces while preparing for a meal that will soon be served, within a half-hour or so of the meal. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) observed that the prevalent practice in Baghdad followed this lenient reading of the Shulhan Aruch’s ruling.
Hacham Ben Tzion Abba Shaul (Israel, 1923-1998), however, disagreed with this reading. In his work Or Le’sion (both in vol. 1 and in vol. 2), he contended that since the Shulhan Aruch made no mention of this stipulation, we must assume that he forbade finely slicing vegetables on shabbat under all circumstances, even just prior to the meal. According to Hacham Ben Sion, one who wants to cut vegetables into small pieces on shabbat may do so only if he deviates from his normal manner of slicing. For example, if he normally cuts vegetables on a cutting board, he should cut them on shabbat directly on the counter.
As for the final Halacha, Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in his work Halichot Olam, follows the lenient position, and allows one to cut vegetables into small pieces on shabbat shortly before the meal at which they will be served. He adds that one who wishes to act stringently to satisfy all opinions “is worthy of blessing,” but those who wish to be lenient certainly have a legitimate Halachic basis on which to rely.
Shabbat Shalom Umevorach-A peaceful and Blessed Shabbat
Yitzchak Alloul
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