The aftermath of Yossef’s sale (Bereshit 37: 23-36) saw a breakdown in familial relationships. Yaakov was mourning the loss of his son, Yossef, Yossef mourned being separated from his father. Reuven mourned the loss of Yossef in to slavery. Yehuda left and found himself a wife. G-D involved with creating the light of Mashiach. (see Midrash Rabbah 85:1)…

By Rabbi Yaacov Haber

Lately, I’ve been intrigued by the struggle between good and evil, light and darkness, Yaakov and Esav.

The actual struggle between these two brothers became the prototype of the Jewish struggle with myriads of outside forces and enemies that wanted to destroy

us.

But, before Yaakov re-met Esav…

The night before encountering his brother Our Father Yaakov wrestled an angel (Bereshit 32: 25-30). The sages says Rashi ZT’L ZY’A (see end commentary 32:25 ) identify the angel as the patron angel of Essav. The imagery then that always remained was a lone Jew beating down all the forces that oppose him. Essentially, a street fight between a Jew and Anti-Semite something any Yeshiva kid growing up in the 1960’s and 1970’s can relate to. Though…

And the young man did not delay to do the thing because he desired Jacob's daughter, and he was the most honored in all his father's household. And Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city, and they spoke to the people of their city, saying, "These men are peaceful with us, and they will dwell in the land and do business there, and the land behold it is spacious enough for them. We will take their daughters for ourselves as wives, and we will give them our daughters. However,…

Dear Friends,



To make your Chanukah more meaningful this year we have worked very hard

translating and annotating the Megillas Antiochus - The Scroll of Antiochus.



This ancient scroll which dates back to the first century B.C.E. is read on

Chanukah in many Yemenite and Italian synagogues. It retells the story of the

heroic Maccabees and brings to life one of the true…

The Images that make up Yaakov Our Father’s dream (Bereshit 28:10-15) are to say the least are dramatic. A ladder bridging the distance between heaven and earth, the ascending and descending angels are only eclipsed by G-D Himself declaring His promise to Yaakov (28:13-15). Yet to limit the scriptural narrative to its surface content misses the point.…

And the Lord said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your forefathers and to your birthplace, and I will be with you." So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flocks. And he said to them, "I see your father's (Lavan's) countenance, that he is not disposed toward me as he was yesterday and the day before, but the God of my father was with me. (Bereishis 31 - 3,4,5)

It appears from these verses that if Yaakov felt Lavan was happy with him he would have stayed. Why…

“And it is for you my brother to know, that even if a person reaches the highest spiritual level possible in perfecting his soul; even if he is as holy as the prophets and conducts himself with

complete dedication and love to G-d, – even so he does not even begin

to approach the merit of one who helps others. One who guides…