Parashat & Current Events

Ya’akov set out for Lavan’s house to find a wife. Yet unlike Avraham’s servant Eliezer, who dozens of years beforehand had arrived at that same well, with a caravan laden with wealth, Ya’akov arrived empty-handed.

Two dominant features regarding Yitzchak: HaShem does not permit him to leave Eretz Yisrael and HaShem is with Yitzchak. This is the heritage of the servants of HaShem, and this is their vindication from me, declares HaShem.

We see this happening now before our very eyes in Eretz Yisrael. It is the miraculous protection of HaShem over his loyal children.

It is “HaShem is with us” in all its glory as Am Yisrael shakes off the shackles of the galut to continue our journey towards the unique destiny that HaShem has determined for us.

The sudden, tragic murders of 11 Jews in Pittsburgh, and yesterday’s horrendous accident near the Dead Sea where the entire Atar family was killed – parents and 6 children, bring forth again that incontestable question – why did HaShem make it happen?

These two tragedies, as with most of Jewish history, have no rational basis in human logic and are not acts of compassion. The reality of our lives leaves one standing in profound anguish before the inexplicable decisions of the Creator.

The Talmud (Megilla 3a) makes reference to the Bible translation composed by the Mishnaic sage Rabbi Yonatan ben Uziel, the most important disciple of Hillel (Succah 28a). The Talmud quotes a problematic verse in Zecharia 12:11: “On that day, the eulogy in Jerusalem shall be as great as the eulogy over Hadad-Rimon in the plain of Megiddon.” Yet where in Scripture do we find a man named Hadad-Rimon being eulogized in the plain of Megiddon?

HaShem revealed to Noach that He would never again bring a flood to destroy all life, and the sign of the covenant would be the rainbow in the cloud. Why precisely a rainbow? And why did the start of Avram’s ascent on the stage of history begin as an addendum at the end of Parashat Noach?

When we delve deeply into the spiritual, a surprising truth is revealed – interiors are less complex than the exteriors.

The Eretz Yisrael amora, Resh Lakish, is quoted in Sota 3a:
“One does not commit a transgression unless a spirit of folly enters him.”

An example of a sin performed out of folly is lying to HaShem. When a sinner repents for eating a non-kosher sandwich, he should not say that the sandwich was disgusting but should admit that it was tasty and that he regrets angering HaShem.

This being the case, how can a kohen say each day, “Blessed are You HaShem… Who has commanded us to bless His people Israel lovingly,” when he does not know half the people in the synagogue?