Sefer Bereishis

In describing the creation of the world, the Torah in Parshat Bereishit uses
the words "and G-d saw that it is good" a total of six times, all within the
first 31 verses. Normally this wouldn't be strange, but knowing that G-d
just created these different aspects of the world, wouldn't it seem obvious
that what He created was good? Also, the sixth "it was good" phrase is more
emphatic, where G-d proclaims that after seeing all that He created, it was
"very good" (1:31).

In order to explain these phrases, it's important to research what was
"good". G-d proclaims that "it is good" after separating darkness and light
(1:4), trees and vegetation with its own kind (1:11), the sun and moon
(1:18), the fish with their own kind (1:21), the animals with their own kind
(1:25), and finally when G-d saw everything that He made, it was VERY good.
When G-d "sees" something, he doesn't just see it in the present, but sees
the history of whatever it is He's looking at. So G-d proclaiming that
something's good is endorsing it for eternity. So what did G-d see that was
so good? G-d saw the SEPARATION of his creations as being good. As long as
everyone in the world carries out their specific task or duty, G-d proclaims
it to be "good". When, then, is it ever "very good"? When we "ALL" work
together, each doing our part, toward a common goal! The Torah is clearly
delineating a formula for making a difference in the world. use a strength
you have for the good of your society, religion or the world, and G-d will
make sure that the results will be "very good"!

Parshat Noach has G-d proclaiming Noach as being both a "Tzaddik"
(righteous), and "Tamim" (perfect). What's tricky about that is that the
term "Tzaddik" denotes a person that's been accused of something and has
been proclaimed righteous, while the term "Tamim" describes a person that
required no defense or exoneration. So which one was Noach?

In "Darash Moshe", Rav Moshe Feinstein explains that if you're an individual, working on yourself and no one else, your goal should be to be perfect in your actions and in using the guidelines of the Torah to achieve that perfection. However, if you're a leader, or in a position to influence others, many times that involves saying or doing things that insight allegations and accusations. For this reason, many people would rather stay away from communal affairs, and lead a quiet life. However, G-d directly told Noach and us that although Noach could have kept to himself and become perfect, He prefers that we stand up for the Torah even if it means facing opponents because of it. The biggest scholars of our past weren't known as Tamim, but as Tzaddikim (righteous people), because they stood for something! And the best way for us to achieve this goal is to find ONE Mitzvah (consult Kitzur for entire list of commandments) that we're willing to embrace and stand up for. By becoming a "mini-Tzaddik" in this one aspect, may we grow in rank, and one day become "perfect" Jews!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The answer is that for G-d to do that for Avraham WOULD have been justice! Because Avraham did more then he had to in hosting guests and being kind to strangers, G-d then had to act the same way towards Avraham, and grant him more than he normally would have (although his argument wasn't strong enough for Sedom in the end, Avraham’s argument was still valid, and was good enough to save Lot and his daughters). The same applies to us! The Torah is full of rules of equality...do onto others what you would have done to you...love your neighbor as you love yourself.... the rules of giving charity to those less fortunate.... even the rules of paying back things you stole are based on restoring equality (by taking embarrassment into account). The same rules apply to our relationship with G-d. We can do what we have to do, and get the reward we deserve. OR, we can look for ways to do MORE, and get reward far beyond that which we merely deserve. In every relationship, finding a way to do more is what shows our love and builds the relationship, and our relationship with G-d deserves no less!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Parshat Chayei Sarah by Shlomo Ressler

Parshat Chaye Sarah includes an interesting story line of Avraham's slave,
Eliezer, being instructed to go out and find a wife for Yitzchak, Avraham's
son. The Torah tells us that Eliezer asked G-d to help him recognize who he
should choose as a wife for Yitzchak. However, when Eliezer finally did find
Rivka, he gave her jewelry (that he got from Avraham) before he ever knew
who she was. Eliezer also refused to eat until he talked to Rivka's family
about taking her, and he also refused to stay at her house too long. Why did
Eliezer do all these peculiar things?

The book "Madregat Ha'adam" asks these questions, and offers the following
explanation: The Midrash tells us that Eliezer wanted Yitzchak to marry his
daughter, and was torn between his responsibilities to his master, and his
wishes for his daughter. Eliezer felt that if he stalls or created doubt in
his mind, his mind would find a way to justify not finding anyone for
Yitzchak. That's why he refused to stay too long, refused to eat before he
fulfilled his mission, and why he gave Rivka presents right away. This can
prove as a valuable lesson for us in overcoming our desires, and in avoiding
them altogether. How many times were we in situations that we KNEW were bad, yet did nothing about them? Or worse, we justified being there, and even giving in! Eliezer represents not only overcoming our temptations when we're confronted with them, but learning to avoid them! May we have the strength to stop hitting the "snooze" button of life, and wake up and live it!

The Torah states, "And Avraham was old, he came with his days" (Genesis 24:1). What does the Torah mean when it tells us that Avraham came with his days?

He came with ALL of his days. Not one day in his life was wasted. Each and every day he accomplished something.

Each day ask yourself, "What can I accomplish today?" And at the end of each day ask, "What have I accomplished today?" One never stays the same in life; you either go forward or backward. Accomplishing something each days keeps you growing and going forward!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Woman's Intuition-Parshat Toldos
by Rabbi Tzvi Pittinsky

The key to understanding Parshat Toldot is an incident that occurs at the end of Chayei Sara. Rivka is returning with Eliezer to Yitzchok. She sees a man (Yitzchok but she does not yet know this) davening in the field. She falls off of the camel. She asks, "Who is this man walking in the field to greet us?" Eliezer responds that it is Yitzchok and Rivka covers herself up.

The first time Rivka sees Yitzchok she falls off of her camel. Why? The Neztiv explains in Hamek Davar that Rivka saw this Tzadik davening in the field and she was in awe. Her natural reaction was to fall off her camel out of shock. We must remember that Rivka although she was a Tzadeket grew up amongst Rishaim. This was the first time she ever saw a great Tzadik and at the moment she saw him he was davening to Hashem. To Rivka, Yiztchok looked like a Malach surrounded by the Shechina.

How does this story relate to Parshas Toldos. The Netziv points out that this incident set the tone of the relationship between Rivka and Yizchok. Rivka was in awe of her husband. She had very different type of relationship with Yizchok than Avaraham had with Sara.

When Sara felt that something needed to be done, she told Avraham directly. For example, when Yishmael was becoming a bad influence for her son Yitzchok, she told Avraham to send him away. Originally, Avraham objected because it was not in his nature to do such a thing. After Hashem sided with Sara, proving that Sara had the greater intuition about what was best for their son, Avraham relented and sent Yishmael away.

Rivka, on the other hand, handles a very similar situation quite differently. In our Parsha, it is Rivka who recognizes Esav's true nature. Only she realizes that Esav can receive no Bracha above Yaakov because only Yaakov is worthy to continue the Mesora of Avraham and Yitzchok. However, Rivka never directly confronts Yizchok with her thoughts. Rivka feels she cannot directly tell such a holy man as Yitzchok that he is wrong. For this reason, Rivka has to show Yitzchok that he is wrong.

Rivka shows Yiztchok that even the mild mannered Yaakov can trick him. When Yitzchok sees that Yaakov tricked him into giving him the Bracha Yitzchok's yese open up. He now recognizes that if Yaakov, the Ish Tam, can fool him then the crafty Esav has been fooling him about his true nature all along. This is why when Esav returns to Yizchok it says that Yitzchok trembled a great fear. What was the source of this fear? The Midrash explains that Yitzchok saw Gehenem open underneath Esav. At this moment Yitzchok recognized Esav's truly sinister essence.

Rivka never told Yitzchok her intuition about Esav. Rather she helped Yitzchok to see it for himself. This was due to the tremendous awe and respect that Rivka had for her great husband.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * DON'T LOOK DOWN!-Parshat Vayeitzei

In this week's Torah portion, Jacob has his famous dream in which he sees a vision of a ladder. The feet of the ladder are planted firmly on the ground and the head reaches the heavens, with angels ascending and descending.

G-d is Infinite, yet He created a finite world with finite beings in it. How do we reconcile the finite with the Infinite? Just like the ladder in Jacob's dream, we are provided with our own ladder - the mystical Zohar text tells us Jacob's ladder is a metaphor for prayer. Through prayer (and the performance of the Torah's Commandments), stage by stage, rung by rung, we are connecting the finite, material world with the Infinite. The base may be rooted on the earth, the finite, but the highest step reaches the Heavens, the Infinite.

Life is compared to a ladder. The deciding factor is not how high you have reached, but which way you are going - up or down. Better to be at the bottom yet ascending than at the top but descending.

A story is told of a very smart child who, despite being very young, had managed to climb very high up a tall tree. When his father asked him how he had managed it, he told him "simple - I didn't look down".

It is well-known that one way to avoid or at least decrease the fear of heights is "not to look down". So too, in our lives, by always aspiring to go one better, looking towards the future and not looking down, backwards, into the past, the task of moving on to the next rung of the ladder becomes far less formidable.

The Jewish people, scattered throughout the world, are charged with the sacred mission of being a light unto all the Nations, of bringing light to every corner of the world - a sense of higher purpose, a higher set of values.

G-d tells Jacob "... your seed shall be as the dust of the earth; and you shall burst forth to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south... and through you... all shall be blessed."

In this week’s Parsha, Vayetzei, we can learn an incredible lesson. The Torah relates how when Leah had her fourth son, Rachel became envious. The obvious question is why wasn't Rachel jealous when Leah has her first three sons. As Living Each Week explains, Leah named her first three sons based on her emotions; that 1) now her husband will love her, and 2) now she won't be disliked, and 3) now my husband will have to help me. But it is the fourth one that got to Rachel. When Leah named her son “Because now I can be grateful to G-d”, THAT’S when Rachel became envious. Rachel realized that she couldn't achieve the same level of gratitude to G-d that Leah could. How incredible a virtue! To want to have a reason to thank Hashem, just for the sake of thanking Him!

And then there’s us... We have three chances a day to thank G-d through prayer, but do we? And if/when we do daven (pray), is it with enough meaning/concentration? Are we as grateful as we should be even when we DO have a reason? We can all emulate Rachel’s desire to show gratitude by studying prayers, learning about ourselves from them, and improving ourselves through them!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

There are two questions we must ask here: 1. What is wrong with desiring to live in tranquility? 2. Why do many of the stories in the Book of Bereshis—Genesis—happen in such a seemingly convoluted fashion? For example, the story of how Yakov got the blessing from his father. If Yakov was meant to get the blessing why did he not simply tell his father. And the story related here with Yoseph and his brothers. If the brothers had a legitimate reason to sell Yoseph why didn't they share it with Yakov?

We can use one principal concept to explain both of these difficulties.

As we know, man was put onto this world for a purpose. In order for the world to reach that purpose, there had to be a nation willing to accept upon itself to be a light unto the nations. G-d was waiting for a group of people that would accept this responsibility and be the forefathers of this nation.

The people who stepped up and accepted this responsibility were Avraham and Sarah, Yitzchak and Rivka, and Yakov, Rachel, and Leah. The choices made by these people would have ramifications for the entire history of the Jewish people.

Therefore every choice made by our forefathers was something carefully evaluated, for its future ramifications for the Jewish people. Many of the decisions made by these ancestors would enable their future offspring to withstand certain difficulties in their quest to bring G-d’s presence down to this world.

So when Yakov wanted to sit in tranquility, a reasonable request considering all that he had been through in his life, he was rebuked. Not because it was an unreasonable request for the average person, but because it was an unreasonable request for a person laying the physical and spiritual DNA for generations to come. Yakov’s inevitable role—because of the choices he made— was to be a person whose very existence demanded truth in his service to G-d. And this truth demanded that even at the end of his life, he continue to lay these building bricks.

Similarly, the stories of Yakov and the blessings, and Yoseph and his brothers; because of the convoluted nature of the exiles of the Jewish people, the difficulties, the triumphs and the tragedies, it was necessary for our forefathers to undergo similar difficulties which would cultivate their spiritual DNA, which would then in turn be handed down to their descendants.

When Yoseph was able to still believe in G-d, even though he had undergone so much suffering, this developed something in the Jewish psyche which would enable us to go through so many exiles in foreign lands and still not lose our belief. And this is true of all the stories of our forefathers.

When we study these portions in the book of Bereshis, we must relate to them as more than collection of incidents. We must see in them as windows looking into our destiny.

* * *

Parshat Vayeshev by Rabbi Aron Tendler

In this week's Parsha, Vayeshev, we are introduced to Yoseph “Hatzaddik” (Joseph the righteous). Why is it that Yoseph is the only one to have "Tzaddik" attached to his name? Not even Noach, whom the Torah called a "righteous man," do we add the title Tzaddik!? What was so special about Yoseph that he should earn such an accolade?

With each of the personalities in the Torah there is a defining moment that captures the essence of his person. Yoseph is the ultimate spiritual survivor. Having been cast away from the protection of his family, Yoseph must physically and spiritually survive the amorality of Egyptian culture. Alone and without any other external moral support, Yoseph survived his 22 year long exile and remained a true son to the moral teachings of his father Yaakov. The defining moment of Yoseph's character, for which he earned the title of Tzaddik, was his moral victory in not succumbing to the seduction of his mistress, the wife of Potiphar. We can never be certain how we will respond in a given challenge. Therefore, we pray to G-d for the strength and foresight to avoid the challenges. Yoseph is called "the Tzaddik" because in the end he withstood the temptation to sin. However, we also learn, as the Talmud indicates, that it is far better to avoid a confrontation with sin, rather than be faced with the possibility of failure.

"I am Yosef"-The Outer Trappings

We read in this week's parashah of Yosef's dream in which he saw his eleven brothers as eleven stars. We mention these stars at the Seder to remind us, explains R' Elazar Shach Z"L, that even when the brothers sold Yosef, they remained as lofty as the stars. This is so because their act was based upon halachic reasoning and their understanding of how the Torah called upon them to react towards Yosef.

Therefore, when the brothers stood before Yosef almost 22 years later - before he revealed his identity to them, they were able to say to each other (42:21), "Indeed we are guilty concerning our brother inasmuch as we saw his heartfelt anguish when he pleaded with us and we paid no heed." They did not recriminate over their decision to sell, or even kill, Yosef, merely over the fact that they ignored his pleas for mercy.

From the time that the brothers sold Yosef until the time they stood before him in Egypt, 22 years passed - 22 Rosh Hashanahs, 22 Yom Kippurs, and 22 months of Elul, i.e., 22 seasons of repentance. Undoubtedly, the brothers constantly revisited their actions and searched themselves for any sin. The only sin that they could identify, the Torah implies, is that they did not answer Yosef's cries.

And yet, when Yosef revealed himself to the brothers and they heard the two words, "I'm Yosef," "They could not answer him, for they were shaken before him" (45:3). Why did Yosef's words have such an impact?

R' Shach explains that when the brothers engaged in introspection during those 22 years, Yosef was not before them. Literally or figuratively, his striped coat was before them, but they never saw Yosef as a person. Only when their brother declared, "I am Yosef" did they first assess him as a person, rather than because of his outer trappings.

Chazal observe, "If Yosef's brothers could not withstand the two words, `I am Yosef," how will we withstand G-d's rebuke after we have lived our lives"? The brothers' mistake is a common one, R' Schach explains, except that we not only judge others, we judge ourselves superficially. What will be, however, when we stand before G-d without our outer trappings?!

Taken from Hamaayan, by Shlomo Katz

In our weekly portion Vayigash, the Torah tells us that ...All the people of the house of Yakov who came to Egypt were seventy.... (Bereishis - Genesis 46:27) The Torah however only lists 69 people. Why then does the verse say that 70 members of the house of Yakov descended into Egypt? Some commentators count Yocheved, who was born at the entrance of Egypt, as the 70th descendant. (Rashi and the Midrash cited by Stone Chumash, p.261) Other commentators tell us that the patriarch Yakov himself is counted among the 70. A third interpretation is perhaps the most inspiring: The 70th member of the house of Yakov was the shechina - the divine presence of Hashem. When Israel went down into Egypt, the holy shechina descended with them. (Ibid)

The lessons of the Torah are eternal. Therefore the Torah is teaching us that just as the shechina accompanied Israel in the Egyptian exile, so too does the shechina accompany us in our current exile. Even though Israel may go through difficult times in exile, Hashem is always with us, as the Prophet tells us: ...But fear not, O Yakov My servant, neither be dismayed, O Israel, because I shall redeem you from afar, and your children from the land of their captivity; and Yakov will again be quiet and at ease and none shall make him afraid. Fear not O Yakov My servant, said Hashem, for I am with you....(Jeremiah 46:27:28)

The following beautiful story told by Reb Chaim of Kosov shows how the Holy Presence of Hashem is always with the Children of Israel.

A childless woman once visited the Baal Shem Tov, and with bitter tears she begged the Holy Rebbe to bless her. The tzaddik assured the woman that within a year she would bear a son. That same year, the woman gave birth to an unusually beautiful baby boy. When the boy was two years old his mother brought him to the Baal Shem Tov in order to receive a blessing. As the mother and baby entered, the tzaddik the Baal Shem Tov told his assistant to take the baby from his mother and pass it to him. The tzaddik hugged and kissed the baby boy, and then told his assistant to return the baby to his mother. Mother and baby son set out, homeward. But unfortunately, on their arrival home, the child died suddenly.

Grief-stricken, the woman decided to return to confront the Baal Shem Tov. Appearing once again before the Holy Baal Shem Tov, with bitterness of heart the woman cried out: ...You killed my boy!...

...Do not cry,... said the Baal Shem Tov, ...and listen carefully to what I tell you......

There was once a king who was childless. One day the king asked his veteran adviser: ...You are my counselor on all subjects, even on military strategy. Please advise me on my problem: I have no sons and I do not know who will be heir to my kingdom....

...No one can help you in this,... said the adviser, ...except for the Jews....

...Very well,... replied the king. ...If the Jews help me, I will free them of all their taxes and tributes....

...That will not help you at all,... said the adviser. ...Instead, issue a decree compelling all the Jews in your kingdom to pray to the G-d that you have a son this year; if they are unsuccessful, there will be neither sight nor sound of any Jew in the kingdom after that....

The king issued such a decree, and threatened that he would expel every Jew, man and woman, young and old, from his land. Terror seized his unlucky Jewish subjects. They fasted, recited Psalms, and begged the Almighty that He save them in their distress. Thankfully, the outcry of the poor Jews reached the heavens.

Now a certain lofty soul in heaven heard this outcry, and hastened to the Throne of Mercy, and spoke as follows: ...I am willing to be sent down to the world below. I will be a son to the king, and thereby save the people of Israel from peril....

And that is exactly what happened. Within the year, the queen gave birth to a son. The joy and the relief of the Jews was boundless.

As a young child, the boy was introduced to the world of books, and so intelligent was he that he grasped every idea clearly at its first explanation. As he grew up he mastered more and more fields of knowledge, until one day he told his father: ...None of my studies have yet given me pleasure. I want to study something, which I can really enjoy!

...If so,... replied his father, ...I will ask the most senior priest in my kingdom to teach you. Learning from him will surely give you pleasure.... The king then called the priest, and asked him to tutor the prince. The priest answered: ...I must of course fulfill the commands of my king, but I have one request. Since I spend two hours every day locked away private in my room, during which I go up to heaven, I would ask you to forbid your son to enter my study at that time....

The king agreed, and within a short time the brilliant young prince was expert in all the subjects that the priest taught him. Only one thing bothered the young prince: why should he not see for himself exactly what his tutor did during those two mysterious hours? The prince made himself a set of keys to the study, waited impatiently for the daily period of solitude, opened the door- and to his amazement found the priest sitting in tallis and tefillin, studying the Talmud! Finding himself taken by surprise, the priest almost fainted from fear, but the young prince solemnly promised that he would tell no one the secret that he had uncovered.

...Now,... said the tutor, ...I will begin to teach you the Torah. Here at last you will be able to enjoy a study that is sweeter than honey.... And indeed, as the young man thirstily drank the waters of the Torah, he sensed that he had finally lighted upon the secret of life.

One day the prince asked the secret Jew: ...Tell me, please, why do you fool everyone?...

...Most of my years have passed,... answered the Jewish priest, and I am obliged to remain in my present situation as long as I live.

...Tell me, though,... begged the prince, ...how can I convert to the faith of Avrohom, for I want to be a Jew; but you know that my father cannot bear to live even a single day without seeing me....

...Then explain to your father,... said the tutor, ...that he asked for a son in order that he should have an heir for the throne. And since you have not yet seen any part of the country, you would like to travel about, and meet the governors of the various provinces. This will not be possible because you will miss each other very much. You should therefore suggest to your father that for the space of a month you should both get used to meeting only from time to time, and thereafter you will be able to travel throughout the country....

The prince said these exact words when speaking to his father, who accepted the plan. When a month had passed, the young man set out to visit the cities throughout the kingdom, but when the border came within sight he told the driver of his carriage that he could go home, because the prince would be spending quite some time at the place at which they had arrived. As soon as the coachman had taken his leave, the prince crossed the border, and soon after converted to Judaism. He settled in a certain town, and spent all his days in the House of Study, meditating on the words of the Torah. He lived on the money which he had brought with him from his former home as he studied on, year after year, until he died.

When his soul ascended to the World Above, the prosecuting angels could not find a single count on which to accuse him. What bad could one say about a soul so holy that its very purpose in this World was self-sacrifice for the sake of the Jewish people who were then in danger. What bad could be said about a soul that had given up the royal crown in order to convert to the faith of Avrohom?

One prosecuting angel nevertheless did open his mouth: ...But for the first two years of his life he was nursed by a non-Jewess!... Whereupon the Heavenly Court issued its verdict that this soul must descend to This World once more, and in its new incarnation be nursed by a Jewess for two years.

The Baal Shem Tov concluded telling his story to the woman who stood before him: ...Why should it upset you, then, that for the space of two years you were found worthy of nursing such a holy soul?... (A Treasury of Chassidic Tales on the Torah, p.170 R.S.Y. Zevin, U.Kaploun, trans. Artscroll Publications)

Behind the physical covering is the hidden spiritual world of the soul. Sometimes Hashem opens up the curtains to give us a peak into the hidden world. It is then that we see that the Shechina – the Holy Presence of Hashem is with us in Golus - Exile.