Vayeishev 5783: How to Overcome the Most Extreme Challenges

Vayeishev 5783: How to Overcome the Most Extreme Challenges

Parshas Vayeshev is a unique parshah. It’s a parshah where you encounter strife. You encounter tzaros tzeruros in the life of Yaakov Avinu. You encounter tzaros tzeruros in the life of Yosef Hatzaddik. Each of them, Yaakov and Yosef, endured their own difficulties, and were not able to share it with each other as they were separated by distance and weren’t aware of each other’s experiences. This parshah, which deals with yesurim, teaches us something tremendous, because yesurim are part and parcel of our lives. It is something that is totally unavoidable.

Vayishlach 5783: How To Get Rid Of Anxieties

Vayishlach 5783: How To Get Rid Of Anxieties

The parshah begins with the episode of Yaakov preparing himself for his ultimate meeting with Eisav, and the Torah tells us about Yaakov Avinu’s emotional state. It is rare for the Torah to reveal the emotional states of our avos and our imahos. But on rare occasions, Hashem pulls back the curtain. You have to realize that if the Torah does that, it means it’s important for us to know about it. We could face the same situation and we can learn from the Torah how to deal with.

Vayeitzei 5783: Learn to be With Hashem in Every Situation!

Vayeitzei 5783: Learn to be With Hashem in Every Situation!

In the past, we mentioned a medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 68:2) that describes how Yakov Avinu was going to look for a shidduch, but was faced with a dilemma: he was penniless.[i] He had nothing at all because he had been robbed. He was accosted and lost everything. But he accepted it as a nisayon from Hashem. My Rebbi (Rav Meir Soloveitchik, zt”l) pointed out that Yakov Avinu faced very evil adversaries many times in his life, and situations where people usually stand up in their own defense.

Toldos 5783: Which Way Are You Getting Pulled?

Toldos 5783: Which Way Are You Getting Pulled?

In the Torah, we see statements or episodes that to the simple mind and eye might seem insignificant. The Torah tells us that Rivka, the wife of Yitzchak, finally becomes pregnant, and the Torah states, ויתרוצצו הבנים בקרבה – and the children struggled in her womb (Bereishis 25:22). Onkelos teitches (translates) this to mean ודחקין בניא – her children were pushing within her womb.

Chayei Sarah 5783: The Foundation That’s Chessed

Chayei Sarah 5783: The Foundation That’s Chessed

This week’s parshah is the parshah of zivugim. The gemara in Brachos (8a)says when a man married a woman, they would ask him the following: מָצָא או מוֹצֵא, as the passuk in Mishlei (18:22) says: מָצָא אישה מצא טוב – he who finds [motzo] a wife finds goodness, or [motzeh] מוֹצֵא, as the passuk in Koheles (7:26) says, מוֹצֵא אני מר ממות את האישה – I find [motzeh] the woman more bitter than death.[i] It could be the ultimate tov or it can be the ultimate ra.

Vayeira 5783: The Foundation That’s Chessed

Vayeira 5783: The Foundation That’s Chessed

Sponsored In Honor of Hashem’s Great Kindness and Boundless BrochoThe Rechanik Family Consider sponsoring a shiurVisit YTATorah.org Shiur presented in 5782 Only One Pillar Still Remains וירא אליו ה’ באלני ממרא והוא ישב פתח האהל כחם היום (רש”י ד”ה פתח האהל: לִרְאוֹת אִם יֵשׁ עוֹבֵר וָשָׁב וְיַכְנִיסֵם בְּבֵיתוֹ) We all know that the world stands…

Lech Lecha 5783: Learning the Lesson of Complete Emunah

Lech Lecha 5783: Learning the Lesson of Complete Emunah

In this week’s parshah,we encounter a tremendous episode where Hakadosh Baruch Hu has a discussion with Avraham Avinu. Avraham Avinu says, הן לי לא נתת זרע, I don’t have children, והנה בן ביתי יורש אותי, behold my steward [Eliezer] will be my heir (Bereishis 15:3). True, a stranger won’t be the one to inherit me, but it’s not going to be my son.

Noach 5783: The True Purpose of the Teivah

Noach 5783: The True Purpose of the Teivah

Today, I want to share with you something that I heard from my Rebbi (HaRav Meir Halevi Soloveichik, zt”l) many years ago. It’s what you would refer to as a Brisker chiddush. One of the uniquenesses of the Briskers, is that they took nothing for granted. All assumed understandings were always re-analyzed and re-studied in order to find the emes. I remember hearing this chiddush from my Rebbi and thinking, “Wow! That’s an interesting devar Torah!” And then I realized it wasn’t a devar Torah. They generally don’t say divrei Torah. What they try to find is the emese pshat in the pesukim. Let me share with you this wonderful chiddush.

5783 Sukkos Image

Sukkos 5783 – The Practical Guide and Deeper Insights to Chag HaSukkos

Sukkos is called zman simchaseinu. The simchah of Sukkos is a dual simchah because Sukkos has a dual role. Number one, Sukkos is the end of the Yamim Hanora’im, the end of the Days of Awe that began with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Sukkos is the conclusion of those days, culminating with Hoshanah Rabbah which is called the גמר חתימת הדין. Number two…

Yom Kippur 5783 – A Unique Opportunity to Pay Up Our “Debt”

Yom Kippur 5783 – A Unique Opportunity to Pay Up Our “Debt”

Sponsored May We Be Zoche To See Moshiach B’Karov – The Rechanik Family Consider sponsoring a shiurVisit YTATorah.org Shiur presented in 5779 Credit Card Forgiveness Program Last time, we spoke about how easy it is to do teshuva. We explained that all you have to do is say, “Hashem, I became distanced from You, and…