Vayishlach Text message

Parahsat Vayishlach (and Jacob sent)

In this section we find many interesting stories.

One of them is the story about Jacob wrestling with an angel.

Pop culture teaches us that there always (or almost always) should be a winner, and therefore… a loser.

The most popular American sports do not have the possibility of a tie.

In American Football (we can argue about this one, but it is really not common), Baseball, Basketball, Hockey, Tennis, Volleyball, etc. games there is always a winner and a loser.

What was the result of Jacobs wrestle with the angel? A tie.

Jacob got hurt, but also he got a blessing from the angel.

The Torah teaches us that a tie is also an option and I would like to add: “Be selective in your battles. Sometimes peace is better than being right”.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Vayetze Text message

Parashat Vayetze (And he [Jacob] left)

Jacob leaves his parents’ home and goes to Haran, where his uncle lives.

He will have to work a lot in order to get married to Leah and Rachel. The story is well known. Laban, Jacob’s uncle, tricks Jacob and changes Leah for Rachel, therefore he will have to work longer in order to marry Rachel.

Genesis 29:20: “Jacob worked for Rachel for seven years, but it seemed in his eyes like a few days because he loved her.”

Maybe the time passed in Jacob’s body - he work hard, he grew older - but the time did not pass in his eyes. He was able to “see” that, when you are in love, “time never passes”.

Love can be such a powerful blessing that those who love each other may consider a long time just a blink of the eyes.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Chayei Sarah

Parashat Chayei Sarah (the life of Sarah)

Words in the Torah always have a special meaning.

In this section, Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac.

It is important to mention that the Torah frequently uses the word “servant” and never calls him by his name, even though we all know the Torah is talking about Eliezer.

Here lies a very important lesson. Eliezer could have presumed or faked his trip. He could have gone to a different place or even taken a shorter trip and returned later just to tell Abraham that he failed and therefore Eliezer himself would become Abraham’s heir.

But he didn’t.

We have so many “anonymous” people in our society that serve us with loyalty and devotion.

Police officers, firefighters, nurses, trash collectors… You name them…

This Shabbat let’s think of them and remember their devoted work

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Vayera Text message

Parashat Vayera (Hashem appeared)

This section opens with the messengers (angels) visiting Abraham.
According to Rashi, each of them had a task to perform. “One to bring the news [of Isaac’s birth] to Sarah, and one to overturn Sodom, and one to heal Abraham, for one angel does not perform two errands (Gen. Rabbah 50:2).”
Why it is necessary to remark that one angel does not perform two tasks? At the end of the day, they were angels, and one would have been enough. We may assume an angel could multitask…
It seems like neither angels nor human beings are very good at multitasking.
It is always better to perform one task correctly than many incorrectly.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Text message Lech Lecha

Parashat Lech Lecha (Go for yourself)

The Torah doesn’t like to “waste” words. Every single word has an important meaning and we need to learn from each of them, especially when there is repetition within the same verse or the same idea is being expressed.

Genesis 12:10 tells us: “And there was a famine in the land. And Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was grievous in the land.” Why it is necessary to repeat that there was a famine?

An interesting interpretation is that there were two types of famine: one a physical famine and the other, a spiritual famine.

One of the most common mistakes we make in modern times is to provide a material answer to a spiritual problem.

Let us think seriously about what type of famine we are facing and how we are going to respond to it.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Noah Text message

Parashat Noah

This week’s section starts with an introduction of Noah and then the following verse: (Genesis 6:10) “And Noah begot three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.”

We all know the story of the flood, the ark, and the dove with the olive branch.

After the flood was over, we find the following verse: (Genesis 9:18) “ And the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth…”

It may seem that these words do not add a lot of information. Maybe the Torah is telling us that Noah didn’t have more kids in the ark. Or maybe the Torah is trying to tell us: The names are the same names but the people are different people.

They experienced “something” that changed their lives. Even though we know their names, they are different people. In fact, the verse ends telling us: “And Ham is the father of Canaan”.

It is not just about them themselves now, it’s about continuity and taking advantage of the experiences that change lives.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Bereshit Text Message

Parashat Bereshit (Genesis)

The first parasha of the Torah ends with a very interesting verse. It is a prelude to what we will be reading in the following parasha, Noah.

It is written (Genesis 6:8) “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord”; in Hebrew, ונח מצא חן בעיני ה"

If you carefully read the Hebrew, Noach was able to find his opposite; in Hebrew, “favor” is “Noach” written backwards. He is the only character in the Bible who found his “opposite.”

Think for a minute who or what is your exact opposite, your “rival”.

If you found your opposite, now find favor in his/her eyes and you may save the whole world.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L