Torah Thoughts, Stories, and Inspiration on the weekly Parsha
Shabbos Chanukah typically falls out on Parshas Miketz. In Miketz we read about Pharaoh’s dream of the weakly, thin cows that devour the strong, healthy cows. Yet, astoundingly, the weak cows didn’t look different. They didn’t gain any physical weight. This unique phenomenon is symbolic of Chanukah. Rav Yitzchok Fingerer explains that the “weak” Jews…
“And it was the end of two years …” (41:1) The opening verse in this week’s Parsha Vayehi Mikeitz Shenasayim Yamim literally means, “And it was the end of two years.” However, according to the R’ Shraga Yair of Bialovzeg, it can also mean: Mikeitz, at the end of days, Shenasayim, years, Yomim, will turn…
“And so it was – just as she coaxed Yosef day after day…” (39:10) The Torah says that Yosef Hatzadik was tested Yom Yom, each and every day, by Potiphar’s wife. It was a daily challenge that Yosef confronted. Yosef was able to conquer his Yetzer Hara (Evil inclination). Yosef was awarded with a unique…
“And Yaakov was left alone…” (32:25) In this week’s Parsha we are told that Jews are forbidden to eat the Gid HaNashe (Sciatic Nerve) The Chizkuni writes that this is so because Yaakov’s children left him alone. They should have accompanied and sought to protect their father. They are blamed for the injury that Yaakov incurred. Rav Yitzchok…
“And he arrived at the place…” (28:11) In this week’s Parsha, we are told that our patriarch Yaakov was traveling. He laid down to go to sleep and he had a dream. When Yaakov awoke from his dream he was immediately spurred to action. He recognized the holiness of the place and the importance of…
And the children struggled within her…” (25:22) Rashi cites the sages who say that when Rivkah passed by the Torah study halls of Shaim, and Aiver, Yaakov tried to come out. When she passed by places of idol worship Eisav tried to get out. The question arises: We can understand why Eisav tried to go to…
“Now Avraham was old, he came with his days”(24:1) “Now Avraham was old, he came with his days” (24:1) There is an idea here expressed by many commentaries that when the verse says that Avraham came with all his days, we learn that not one day in Avraham’s life was wasted. Each and every day he accomplished something. (Maayanah Shel…
“Hashem appeared to him in the plains of Mamre…” (18:1) Rashi cites the Medrash that Hashem appeared to Avraham on the territory of Mamre because Mamre gave Avraham the advice to perform the circumcision. Rav Yeruchim Levovitz zt”l stated that from here we see the great merit of giving people good advice. When Hashem commanded Avraham to…
…לך-לך מארצך “Go forth from your land…” (12:1) There is a tremendous anomaly in the first Pasuk in this week’s Parsha. It contains six final Chof letters (ך), almost in succession. What is the deeper message? I heard from Rav Yitzchok Fingerer shlit”a that the gematria (numerical value) of a Chof is 20. The total…
מן הבהמה “Of the pure animal, and of the animal that is not pure.” (7:8) The Gemara (Pesachim 3) learns from this passuk that the Torah is particular to choose only untainted words. When Noach was commanded to take two of each type of non-clean animal into the ark, Hashem used five words, “u’min habeheimah…
