DISEASE OF THE HEART

Parashat Tol’dot

3 Kislev 5777 / 2-3 December 2016
Torah Reading - Genesis 25:19 - 28:9
Haftarah: Malachi 1:1- 2:7

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DISEASE OF THE HEART

“And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing that his father had blessed upon (Jacob); and Esau said in his heart, ‘The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.’” Genesis 27:41

Rabbi Jonathan Eibeschutz (17^th century) teaches that when a rabbi tells a butcher that a particular animal was improperly slaughtered and therefore not kosher, the butcher accepts the ruling, even though it costs him money. But when two men bring a monetary dispute before a rabbi, the loser will be angry and argue with the rabbi. R. Eibeschutz says that in the case of the butcher, nobody benefits from the ruling, but in the case of the dispute, the winner is awarded money – he gains a benefit. The loser resents the fact of the winner winning more than he resents his loss.

As between Esau and Jacob, he says that Esau is not angry because he lost the blessing from his father, because Esau didn’t want it. He actually got what he wanted – “by your sword shall you live.” Rather, he hated Jacob because Jacob also received something of value from their father.

This idea that we resent those who benefit more than we resent not benefitting is a difficult one to acknowledge, but it is all around us. We see often it in our political and “civil” discourse, couched in the language of racism or class warfare.

“Do not hate your fellow in your heart.” Leviticus 19:17. Failure to follow that simple rule can create a chasm that can never be bridged. Will we ever learn?

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

Congregation Beth Meier

Studio City, CA

http://bethmeier.org

Blogging at: http://rav-rich.blogspot.com/

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Twitter: @DrahcirMolf

"שתיקה כהודאה דמיא"

"Silence in the face of wrongdoing is consent.”

BT Yevamot 87b

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Candle lighting: 4:25 pm

Friday – DEADLINE for RSVP for Shabbat Dinner on 12/9. Please your reservation by noon. Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 pm

Saturday – Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush lunch follows services. 

Sunday - Religious School – 9:30 am. Adult Hebrew class – 10:00 am.

Tuesday – Lunch and Learn – 12:00 noon.

Friday, 12/9 – Early Family Shabbat Evening Service at 6:00 pm, followed by catered Shabbat Dinner at 7:00. RSVP no later than Friday, December 2.

Saturday, 12/10 – Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush lunch follows services. 

This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Avi Shmuel Yosef Hakohen ben Bella, HaRav Yisrael Shimon ben Liebah Breina, Yaakov Rani Ben Margalit, Sarah bat Devorah, Zehavah B’rakhah bat Leah, Susan Arbetman, Ken Bitticks, Elsbet Brosky, Jerry Daniels, Maya Fersht (Maya bat Esther), Dr. Samuel Fersht (Shmuel Natan ben Gittel), Leonard Foint (Eliezer Moshe ben Esther), Jerry Forman, Myra Goodman, Simon Hartman, Fouad Kay (Yehoshua ben Salima), Philip Kovac, Tonya Kronzek, Toni Linder, Roy Miller, Deborah Schugar Strauss (Devorah bat Chaya Feiga), Helen Schugar (Chaya Feiga bat Kreina), Hedy Woolf, and Naomi Zimmermann (Naomi bat Yorma).

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