Parashat
Tol’dot
3 Kislev
5777 / 2-3 December 2016
Torah Reading - Genesis 25:19 - 28:9
Haftarah: Malachi 1:1- 2:7
Torah Reading - Genesis 25:19 - 28:9
Haftarah: Malachi 1:1- 2:7
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Dedications
and Calendar of Events follow.
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free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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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 (17th 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
http://bethmeier.org
Blogging at: http://rav-rich.blogspot.com/
Visit me on Facebook
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
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).
Please let me know if there is anyone you would like to
add to this list or if there is anyone who may be removed from this list.
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