Parashat
Tol’dot
Kislev 5, 5784 / November 18, 2023
Torah Reading - Genesis 25:19 - 28:9
Haftarah: Malachi 1:1- 2:7
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This d'var torah is offered in honor of Lev Buchnik, who is celebrating becoming a bar mitzvah this Shabbat. Mazal Tov!
This d'var torah is offered in memory of Lynn's grandfather, Gabriel Stern, whose yahrzeit falls on Thursday, Kislev 10. Y'hi zikhro liv'rakhah - his memory is a blessing.
This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have
been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists,
as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.
This
d'var torah is offered in memory of all the victims of Hamas, Islamic Jihad,
and Hezbollah. Y’hi zikhronam liv’rakhah – May their memories be a blessing.
And may the memory of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah and all their
supporters be forever erased.
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Lunch
and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and
Facebook Live. Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, we will not meet on
November 21 or November 28. On Monday, December 4, we'll be at BT Shabbat 119a,
page 190 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 1 – "...רבי אבא זבן" - "R.
Abba was accustomed to buy meat…”
Ein
Ya'akov (Glick edition) is available for on-line reading or as a
downloadable PDF at:
A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination is available at
Sefaria:
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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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Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read at:
Dr. Steve Pearlman writes up the "Midrashim of the Week", which
you should read at:
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Please feel 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 Eybeschutz (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. Eybeschutz 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.
Isaac Blessing Jacob - Jusepe de Ribera (1591-1652)
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 often see 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?
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
הַלּוֹמֵד
מִכָּל אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ
חָכָם
Who
is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben
Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1
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