Weekly Parsha

Parshas Vayaishev

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Parshas Vayaishev (5776)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

Perhaps the greatest difficulty I ever encountered in the Chumash appears in this parsha. Yaakov, after witnessing the awesome hatred the shvatim had towards Yosef, nevertheless sent him on a suicide mission, and so it surely was. As it turned out when the encounter took place the shvatim implemented exactly what was expected. What was especially difficult to understand was that there was absolutely real reason to send Yosef. The greatest פלא was how and why Yosef subjected himself to this. Does kibud av stand above such a situation?

The brothers were jealous and had the great animosity for the special attention, admiration and love that Yaakov showered on Yosef but the truth was that this was not all small personal favoritism in any way. It was absolutely only for Hashem and Klal Yisroel. For the borthers it was a nisayon and it was possible for them to rise to the challenge. Yaakov had the greatest opportunity to prove this and it was so important for them to understand that it wasn’t a personal favoritism that he sent Yosef to prove this. There was no way in the world he could have done this in a better way. If there was a single drop of petty favoritism on Yaakov’s part it would have been totally impossible for him to send Yosef.

This seems to me as a דבר אמת and I thank Hashem for the insight.
Have a wonderful Shabbos and a significant, meaningful, freiliche Chanukah.

Parshas Vayeitzei

There are mutliple issues that are difficult to understand in the parsha–Rochel selling her night for the dudaim. Yearn to understand and Hashem will help.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Parshas Toldos

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Parshas Toldos (5776)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

Yitzchok was the amud of avoda, korbonos and tefilah, a complete bitul to Hashem, making it comprehendible the lack of sensitivity to Esav’s shortcomings. Rivka had the maalah of the סור מרע of Yitzchok and had the sensitivity to pick up his negative traits. Being to spiritual can lead to an unawareness.

Have a wonderful Shabbos and a chodesh of geulah.

Parshas Chayei Sara

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Parshas Chayei Sara (5776)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

We find (24:67) that there was a unique connection and bond between Yitzchok and his mother, Sara. Without question there was a special reason for this. We must know that Sara, being an עקרה, meant that giving birth was a complete physical impossibility. How did the awesome phenomenon of having Yitzchok come about? Rashi 15:5 explains that when Hashem called Avraham Avinu outside ויוצא אותו החוצה ואמר הבט נא השמימה וכו’and Rashi explains: הוציאיו מחללו של עולם והגביהו למעלה מן הכוכבים. When Hashem called Avraham Avinu outside under the Heavens and declared to him that he was no longer under the stars but above, the stars represented the mazalos, meaning the natural order of the Creation. These are the tools that are the realization of the manifestation of the world. The implication of this is so far reaching and infinite. Yitzchok Avinu was born from Sara, from the special Divine blessing. Avraham and his progenity resemble conventional human beings but we are not. Yitzchok felt a special connection with his mother, Sara Imeinu, who was the shaliacha of the Divine means of how Yitzchok made his presence into this world.

This is the secret and basis of the glorious and miraculous history and present existence of Klal Yisroel.

Parshas Chayei Sara

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Parshas Chayei Sara (5776)
By Mordechai Dolinsky

Rashi 24:67 says that Rivka replace Sara who Yitzchok had a special kesher to the one who brought him into this world, completely void of any laws of nature למעלה מן הטבע. And here we are continuing above the laws of nature.

Have a wonderful Shabbos and a fulfilling Chodesh.

Parshas Vayeira

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Parshas Vayeira (5776)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

18:20-21-The aspect of the awesome wickedness of Sodom and Amora that called for its destruction by Hashem were the cries ad shouts of great anguish and pain that emerged from the suffering there.

Without the attempts and appeals of Avraham Avinu to try to save them there would have been even a hope. We should cry out to Hashem in these trying times and pray for Moshiach.

Have a wonderful Shabos.

Parshas Lech Lecha

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Parshas Lech Lecha (5776)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

In our parsha we have the creation and the essence of what we are, our identity and our purpose—Klal Yisroel. Avraham Avinu, through his quest for the truth found Hashem and had the idealism to establish a group on the earth to manifest, to live and to fulfill this idealism. It is so essential to crystallize in our being this foundation and be inspired.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Parshas Naso

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Parshas Naso (5775)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

6:25—The usual hashgacha experience is some ישועה that comes about; an apartment, a shidduch, a refuah, a child. However, for some time now I have observed an amazing, fascinating experience of hashgacha pratis, a happening which is clearly ourstanding hashgacha without any obvious yeshua. You are humming a song to yourself and a car rides by playing it on a CD; when davening you say a word and simultaneously someone says the same word froma different place in davening; you learn a Chazal and right afterwards someone tells you a vort about it. What can all this mean, the complexity of the hashgacha is so clear but for no obvious purpose.

Hashem is showing His Presence, there is nothing more important. I coined a new phrase for this, Hashem is smiling. I thought I did but Rashi on the Bircas Kohanim in our parsha says: יאר השם פניו אליך—and HE SHALL SHOW YOU A SMILING FACE. This is a message from REchov Panim Meirot.

Have a wonderful, meaningful Shabbos.

Parshas Behar

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Parshas Behar (5775)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

20:39—The pasuk warns that if one sells himself as an eved one should not impose on him belittling service such as carrying the clothes of his master when escorting him to the bathhouse or arranging leather on his feet to create footwear; it seems the only work permissible is professional type such as carpentry. In making these limitations one would say the issue involved is human dignity or lack of it even though it is difficult to grasp what is such a terrible indignity in carrying the clothing to the bathouse.

In the Chumash we see that Hashem Himself exclaims—you are my slaves which I acquired upon redeeming you from Mitzrayim. It is important to understand the deep and true implication of this. The conventional understanding is that the avdus we have to Hashem is a spiritual idea of committing ourselves to serve Hashem as an eved in fulfilling the mitzvos. However, what the pasuk is really revealing here is that we are actually avodim to Hashem in the literal, true sense of the word. A person can’t sell himself as an eved because he actually belongs to Hashem and the owner can’t request of the supposed eved anything in the form of the service of an eved something which he never bought.

There is absolutely nothing undignified or degrading in carrying the clothes to the bathhouse—the only problem is that this is avodas eved and a person doesn’t even own himself to sell it, and all the more so there is nothing for the master to buy in the person as an eved, it literally belongs to Hashem. This is the simple meaning of the pasuk – you are My slaves and cannot be sold as an eved.

The avodah is just a workman on a long-time basis. The idea of an eved Hashem is not just idealistic and inspirational but something practical and down to earth. I thank Hashem for what seems like clarity in understanding the eved Ivri and certainly gives us a new perspective and insight in the understanding of our relationship to Hashem.

Have a wonderful, fulfilling Shabbos.

Pesach Mesiba

To All My Dear Friends and Relatives,

I would like to invite you to our annual Pesach Mesiba which will take place at our home, Panim Meirot 3, SUNDAY NITE, ohr l’yud zayin Nissan, at 9:00PM. Looking forward to being mesameach with all of you.

Chag Kasher V’Sameach.

Mordechai Dolinsky