Video Study for Parsha Vayetzei

[muman613]

Shalom JTF Members,

This week has gone by so quickly. Today I took the day off for a dentist visit and feel a lot better now. It has been a busy week and yet I strive to start studying the weekly portion by Wednesday (although it is the custom to learn an aliyah each day during the week).

This week's portion contains many memorable events including the dream of Jacob, of the angels descending and ascending on a ladder into the heavens. The story of the duplicity and trickery employed by the wicked Laban, tricking Jacob into marrying Leah when he worked for seven years to marry Rachel. He was then required to work another seven years to marry his true love, Rachel. This entire episode teaches us about our relationship with the women in our lives, our wives.

The story of the development of the 12 tribes of Jacob, who will be renamed Israel by the angel which he wrestled with. The story of the birth of Joseph is important in the furthering of Jewish history.


Chabad's Parsha in a Nutshell :

http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/3191/jewish/Vayeitzei-in-a-Nutshell.htm

Jacob leaves his hometown of Beersheba and journeys to Charan. On the way, he encounters “the place” and sleeps there, dreaming of a ladder connecting heaven and earth, with angels climbing and descending on it; G‑d appears and promises that the land upon which he lies will be given to his descendants. In the morning, Jacob raises the stone on which he laid his head as an altar and monument, pledging that it will be made the house of G‑d.

In Haran, Jacob stays with and works for his uncle Laban, tending Laban’s sheep. Laban agrees to give him his younger daughter, Rachel—whom Jacob loves—in marriage, in return for seven years’ labor. But on the wedding night, Laban gives him his elder daughter, Leah, instead—a deception Jacob discovers only in the morning. Jacob marries Rachel, too, a week later, after agreeing to work another seven years for Laban.

Leah gives birth to six sons—Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun—and a daughter, Dinah, while Rachel remains barren. Rachel gives Jacob her handmaid, Bilhah, as a wife to bear children in her stead, and two more sons, Dan and Naphtali, are born. Leah does the same with her handmaid, Zilpah, who gives birth to Gad and Asher. Finally, Rachel’s prayers are answered and she gives birth to Joseph.

Jacob has now been in Charan for fourteen years, and wishes to return home. But Laban persuades him to remain, now offering him sheep in return for his labor. Jacob prospers, despite Laban’s repeated attempts to swindle him. After six years, Jacob leaves Charan in stealth, fearing that Laban would prevent him from leaving with the family and property for which he labored. Laban pursues Jacob, but is warned by G‑d in a dream not to harm him. Laban and Jacob make a pact on Mount Gal-Ed, attested to by a pile of stones, and Jacob proceeds to the Holy Land, where he is met by angels.

Let us start with a new video posted by Rabbi Finkelstein of Congregation Anshe Sefard Beth El Emet...

[muman613]

Now let us hear Rabbi Richman's talk on this portion:

[muman613]

I love to hear what Rabbi Machlis in Jerusalem says on the Torah portion.

[muman613]

Our honorable leader of JTF, Chaim Ben Pesach's incredible dvar Torah on Vayetzei...

[muman613]

Rabbi Shlomo Katz has been giving a lecture on the weekly portion for WebYeshiva... Here is his latest posting.

[muman613]

Rabbi Yaakov Nagen on the portion:

[muman613]

Rabbi Odze gives some insights into the portion of Vayetzei...

[muman613]

Rabbi Isaacson from Naaleh.org gives a talk about our portion.

[muman613]

Rabbi Shafier gives a short 4min shmuz on a topic in the parsha.

[muman613]

Shalom & Shavuah Tov,

Ari Lesser composed this 'rap' with the intention of the prayer of Jacob, our forefather. When Hashem blessed Jacob he made a vow to Hashem...

Chapter 28
18. And Jacob arose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had placed at his head, and he set it up as a monument, and he poured oil on top of it.
19. And he named the place Beth El, but Luz was orignally the name of the city.
20. And Jacob uttered a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and He will guard me on this way, upon which I am going, and He will give me bread to eat and a garment to wear;
21. And if I return in peace to my father's house, and the Lord will be my God;
22. Then this stone, which I have placed as a monument, shall be a house of God, and everything that You give me, I will surely tithe to You.

[muman613]

This animated parsha is pretty basic (although I disagree with calling the episode of the deceit of Jacob 'Stealing')...

[Israel Chai]

http://www.divineinformation.com/parashat-va-yetze-2/

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

http://www.divineinformation.com/parashat-va-yetze-2/

Woow, he goes after Breslev, against amulats and such non-sense very well. Also about Iran-U.S. etc.
 I like this one except about the "gilgulim" parts, its not part of the Torah or Gemarah (Talmudh).

[muman613]

So you just pick and choose what you listen to when a Rabbi is talking. You like this, but you don't like that... I think that is not the way to learn Torah... How can you listen to anything a rabbi says if he talks about gilgulim?

I also suppose Tag does not put a mezzuzah on his door (obviously I know you do this but I am being facetious) , despite it being a commandment of the Torah, which acts as an 'amulet' according to the Torah and the Talmud. The Mezzuzah, it is promised, will lengthen the days of the person who affixes one to his or her door.

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/316875/jewish/From-the-Words-of-the-Lubavitcher-Rebbe.htm

A. Immediately following the command to affix a mezuzah, “...And thou shalt inscribe them [these words] on the mezuzoth (the doorposts) of thy house, and upon thy gates,” 1 the Torah informs us of the reward for the mitzvah: “…that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children.” 2 The Code of Jewish Law 3 states, “Whoever is careful in it [mezuzah], his days and the days of his children will be lengthened.”4

That Torah explicitly states the reward for mezuzah is something it shares with various other mitzvoth, such as honoring one’s parents5 and others6. Peculiar to this particular mitzvah, however, the Sages7 say that through man’s affixing a mezuzah scroll on the entrance to his house, the Almighty guards the house (“...a human king dwells within and his servants guard him from outside, while you sleep upon your beds and the Holy One, Blessed be He, guards you from outside”8). This protection is not a form of reward, but rather, as the commentator Bayit Chadash (BaCh)9 explains, a “benefit and profit derived from the actual mitzvah itself ... in addition to its reward.” The Tur states that this protection is “greater than” the reward “...that your days may be multiplied, etc.”10 The Bach suggests that this results from its being a benefit “of the actual mitzvah itself.” This protection, further, is not an auxiliary “profit” of the mitzvah but rather a central, essential element. In the words of Tosafoth: “L’shimor avid (its purpose is protection).”11

I am not going to go into the argument again about the support for the belief in gilgulim. I am sure it is falling on deaf ears..

[muman613]

Tractate Avodah Zarah 11

Onkelos, the brilliant nephew of the Roman Emperor Titus, converted to Judaism and became a disciple of the Sages. Hearing this, Titus sent a brigade of soldiers to bring him back to Rome. But when Onkelos engaged the soldiers in discussion and showed them the beauty of Torah, they converted to Judaism.

Titus then sent another brigade, instructing them not to speak to Onkelos. But after listening without even speaking, they too converted to Judaism. Finally Titus sent a third brigade and instructed them not even to listen to Onkelos. When they were leading him away, Onkelos placed his hand on the mezuza and inquisitively inquired, “What is that?”

“You tell us,” the soldiers said. He replied, “Normally, a human king sits inside and his servants stand outside and guard him. But, for the Holy One Blessed be He, His servants are inside and He guards them from outside.” They too converted. Titus sent no more soldiers.

[muman613]

I have hear Rabbi Mizrachi speak against Rabbis who give Segulahs, etc.... I can understand this because it leads to a lot of problems. I don't believe in asking Rabbis for segulahs... So I agree with him for the most part. But there have been Rabbis who have given segulahs which have worked... It doesn't mean segulahs are not real.

[muman613]

Tag,

Are you aware (I suspect you are) that Rabbi Mizrachi refers to the Zohar as 'The Holy Zohar'? That he believes it is a part of the Jewish oral tradition? I would think you couldn't listen to him because of this.... Yet you still do... Very interesting..

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

So you just pick and choose what you listen to when a Rabbi is talking. You like this, but you don't like that... I think that is not the way to learn Torah... How can you listen to anything a rabbi says if he talks about gilgulim?

I also suppose Tag does not put a mezzuzah on his door, despite it being a commandment of the Torah, which acts as an 'amulet' according to the Torah and the Talmud. The Mezzuzah, it is promised, will lengthen the days of the person who affixes one to his or her door.

 -Excuse? The question is on you- soo you follow a Rabbi (or any person) no matter what they say and if they do or say something factually wrong you are supposed to blindly follow him?

 Also you said you listen to him, listen to that lecture as well he smashed Breslov very nicely and amulets as well. Something you seem to promote both of.

- Idiotic yet again! Making the sin of false accusations. I do have Mezuzot and NOT for an "amulet". I have it because it is a Misswah from the Torah to have it. It's "protection" is the reminder it gives to me and others hat see it and are reminded of Hashem and the Torah.


•Mezuzah: Protective Amulet or Religious Symbol? (PDF)
 http://www.mesora.org/mezuza-gordon.pdf

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

Tag,

Are you aware (I suspect you are) that Rabbi Mizrachi refers to the Zohar as 'The Holy Zohar'? That he believes it is a part of the Jewish oral tradition? I would think you couldn't listen to him because of this.... Yet you still do... Very interesting..

1) Your premise is completely wrong, who says to whom I can or cannot listen to? I can listen to who'm I like as I do 2) You assume I listen to him because I commented on 1 video 3) You show that you listen(ed) to him because you comment that he calls the Zohar what not, 4) Since you listen to him by your own admission you have to then accept what he said (not because it is truthful but because you listened to him) what he said AGAINST both amulets and against Breslov.

[Ephraim Ben Noach]

Tag, do you believe in the Lamed-Vav?

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

Tag, do you believe in the Lamed-Vav?

 you mean in the 36 Tzaddikim? Meaning their are 36 Tzaddikim that in who's merit the world stands. Is that what you mean?

 Perhaps, not necessarily though. Could be because of less. For example Rabbi Shimon said at his time that the world exists all due to him and his son. Soo it was 2 and not 36. Either way I didn't think about this concept, where it comes from or anything. Its not really relevant.

[Ephraim Ben Noach]

you mean in the 36 Tzaddikim? Meaning their are 36 Tzaddikim that in who's merit the world stands. Is that what you mean?

 Perhaps, not necessarily though. Could be because of less. For example Rabbi Shimon said at his time that the world exists all due to him and his son. Soo it was 2 and not 36. Either way I didn't think about this concept, where it comes from or anything. Its not really relevant.

I was just curious. It just seems like you're against mysticism, and I don't understand why...

[muman613]

Tag,

I listen to Rabbis and try to reconcile what they say without saying one is right and the other is wrong.

In many cases there can be two ways to look at an issue. Things are not always black and white, and the Talmud is rife full of disagreements where it is  agreed that both opinions are correct.

I do not believe everything every Rabbi says as being 100% truth... But I do believe that when you listen to enough Rabbis you can learn what the general consensus is. I believe that there is a lot of truth in 99% of what the Rabbis I post say.

It seems to me that you like Rabbis who say 'I am right and everyone else is wrong' and I have a lot of difficulty accepting any Rabbi who denigrates other Jewish sects. I detect that you find it easy to despise other Jews, although I may be wrong.

[muman613]

I have heard many Rabbis opinion on Breslev and most accept it and cherish the teachings of Rabbi Nachman (Zt'l)...

[muman613]

Nobody suggests that a mezzuzah has special powers of its own. It is not magic, and I don't know any Jew who has one who believes in magic. But it is an example of how a physical object can bring us protection from evil. To say that amulets are not discussed in the Talmud is false, they are most certainly discussed...

See this discussion from the Yeshiva Ohr.edu...


http://ohr.edu/ask_db/ask_main.php/214/Q3/

Dear Rabbi,
I am intrigued by the age-old use of kemiot (amulets), particularly ones with the human hand. Apparently the Persian Jews especially used to employ quite a variety of kemiot for protection in marriage, childbirth etc. What is the halachic and rabbinical positions on these?

Dear Helen Block,

Amulets or kemiot are mentioned in the Talmud in many places and are not forbidden as superstitious. The amulets mentioned in the Talmud were parchments with prayers in them written by pious scholars, and they are like continuous prayers. An amulet which is just a symbol or hand, while not forbidden, does not have the same impact. Nevertheless they can serve to remind a person of Divine Protection and Providence (the 'Hand of G-d') and to focus on G-d. As Maimonides states in the Guide for the Perplexed, "The degree of Divine Providence is directly proportional to the degree of attachment of the person to the Divine."

It's said that the towering sage Rabbi Akiva Eiger once wrote a very effective amulet. Curious about what mystical letter permutations or Kabbalistic incantations lay within, someone opened the scroll. What did he find? A single paragraph of Tosefos's logical, straightforward commentary to the Talmud! The amulet was "powered" simply by the merit of Rabbi Eiger's sincere Torah study.

See also : http://www.oztorah.com/2007/07/amulets-the-evil-eye-ask-the-rabbi/

Rambam on moving an amulet on Shabbat : http://limudtorah.jewishweb.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=221&Itemid=30