CAN YOU DIG IT?

Parashat Tol’dot
Kislev 2, 5783 / November 25-26, 2022
Torah Reading - Genesis 25:19 - 28:9
Haftarah: Malachi 1:1- 2:7
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This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Chanah Bella bat Kreina and Devorah bat Feigel.

This d'var torah is offered in honor of my sister, Lorrie Flom Goodman, whose birthday falls on Tuesday, November 29. Yom Huledet Sameach!

This d'var torah is offered in honor of our son, Robert Flom, whose birthday falls on Thursday, December 1. Yom Huledet Sameach!
 
Lunch and Learn meets Tuesdays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. We're continuing to read and discuss the Midrashic collection Ein Ya'akov. 
 
On November 22, we'll be at BT Shabbat 30b - page 120 of Ein Ya'akov Volume 1 - "... :אמר רב יהודה בריה דרב שמואל בר שילת משמיה דרב" - "Rab Judah son of R. Samuel b. Shilath said in Rab's name:…”
 
Ein Ya'akov is available for on-line reading or as a downloadable PDF at: 
https://hebrewbooks.org/9630 
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Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read at: 
https://rebjasonblog.wordpress.com/blog/ 
Dr. Steve Pearlman writes up the "Midrashim of the Week", which you should read at: 
https://midrashsrp.wordpress.com 
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Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
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If you would like to add a bit of holiness to your Thanksgiving holiday, check out the following resources provided by the Rabbinical Assembly: 
https://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/story/resources-and-prayers-thanksgiving  
 
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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CAN YOU DIG IT?

"And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, that the Philistines had stopped up after the death of Abraham; and he called them by the same names that his father had called them." Genesis 26:18

Isaac, Lover of Peace - Providence Lithogaph Co., 1906

Our rabbis taught that water is a metaphor for Torah. Both are necessary for life itself. The body cannot survive without water, and the Jewish people cannot survive without Torah.

Bunim of Worka was asked by the people of his town to be their new rebbe. He sought the blessing of Rebbe Yankele of Radzimin. R. Yankele said to him, "I knew your grandfather, and I heard of your father, but what about you?" Bunim replied, "We find that Abraham dug wells and that Isaac did the same, but there is no mention of Jacob digging any wells. The reason is that after Abraham and Isaac had dug their wells and found pure water, their descendant was already able to draw water directly from the spring." R. Yankele put out his hand and said, "Shalom aleikhem, Rebbe of Worka!"

R. Bunim's answer is a bit of a rebuke. Just as Jacob had to do no digging in order to drink deeply, R. Bunim should not have had to prove himself, thanks to the high quality of Torah learning which he had received from his father and grandfather, of which R. Yankele was obviously aware. R. Bunim's sharp reply nevertheless demonstrates his learning.

If we are to have any hope that our children and grandchildren will speak this way of us; if we want our children and grandchildren to drink directly from the wellspring of Judaism, then we need to dig those wells now. Our learning, attitudes, practices and examples will determine whether our descendants will survive in a parched and thirsty land.

Happy Thanksgiving! Hodu l'Adonai ki tov; ki l'olam chasdo - Give thanks to the Lord Who is good, Whose lovingkindness is eternal. Psalm 136.
 
Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Rabbi Emeritus
Temple B’nai Hayim/Congregation Beth Meier
.אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם? הַלוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1
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