Vayeitzei – Page 9 – Peninim on the Torah

“Yaakov departed from Beer Sheva and went toward Charan.” (28:10)

In the previous parsha, Parashas Toldos, the Torah records Yitzchak’s and Rivkah’s instructions to Yaakov to leave Beer Sheva in search of a wife. Yaakov Avinu listened to his parents and proceeded to leave. The last pasuk in the parsha tells us about Eisav’s quest for a wife, a search that led him to Yishmael, whose daughter he married. The Torah now reverts to telling us about Yaakov’s journey, his initial encounter with Rachel and the travail that ensued prior to and during their eventual marriage. The commentators wonder why Eisav’s marriage is placed in the midst of the…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5765

“And he dreamt, and behold! A ladder was set earthward and its top reached heavenward.” (28:12)

It is interesting to note that the vision of a ladder whose legs are on the ground, while the top reaches the heavens, occurred only to Yaakov and not to the preceding Patriarchs, Avraham and Yitzchak. Horav Shlomo Margolis, Shlita, attributes this phenomenon to the different lives that they lived. Avraham initiated Tefillas Shacharis, the morning prayer. He understood that life has its challenges, its trials and travail. The sun shone for him. He succeeded in life, overcoming whatever challenges may have stood in his way. He was accepted by those around him. Indeed, he was recognized as G-d’s…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5765

“And it was in the morning, and behold- it was Leah!” (29:25)

Lavan lived up to his reputation as a corrupt, duplicitous miscreant. Yaakov and Rachel were prepared for Lavan’s certain deception. They, therefore, arranged a secret signal between them. Upon seeing that her sister, Leah, was about to be substituted for her, Rachel decided to give Leah the pre-determined sign, in order not to cause her embarrassment. Horav Aharon Kotler, z.l., observes that had it not been Hashem’s will that Leah marry Yaakov, then all of Lavan’s “shtick,” contrivances, would have been futile. One should not think that it was Lavan’s dishonesty, and Rachel’s magnanimous gesture, that brought about the…

Home -> 5764 -> Vayeitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5764

“Yaakov departed from Beer Sheva and went toward Charan.” (28:10)

In the previous parsha, Parashas Toldos, the Torah records Yitzchak’s and Rivkah’s instructions to Yaakov to leave Beer Sheva in search of a wife. Yaakov Avinu listened to his parents and proceeded to leave. The last pasuk in the parsha tells us about Eisav’s quest for a wife, a search that led him to Yishmael, whose daughter he married. The Torah now reverts to telling us about Yaakov’s journey, his initial encounter with Rachel and the travail that ensued prior to and during their eventual marriage. The commentators wonder why Eisav’s marriage is placed in the midst of the…

Home -> 5764 -> Vayeitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5764

“And he dreamt, and behold! A ladder was set earthward and its top reached heavenward.” (28:12)

It is interesting to note that the vision of a ladder whose legs are on the ground, while the top reaches the heavens, occurred only to Yaakov and not to the preceding Patriarchs, Avraham and Yitzchak. Horav Shlomo Margolis, Shlita, attributes this phenomenon to the different lives that they lived. Avraham initiated Tefillas Shacharis, the morning prayer. He understood that life has its challenges, its trials and travail. The sun shone for him. He succeeded in life, overcoming whatever challenges may have stood in his way. He was accepted by those around him. Indeed, he was recognized as G-d’s…

Home -> 5764 -> Vayeitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5764

“And it was in the morning, and behold- it was Leah!” (29:25)

Lavan lived up to his reputation as a corrupt, duplicitous miscreant. Yaakov and Rachel were prepared for Lavan’s certain deception. They, therefore, arranged a secret signal between them. Upon seeing that her sister, Leah, was about to be substituted for her, Rachel decided to give Leah the pre-determined sign, in order not to cause her embarrassment. Horav Aharon Kotler, z.l., observes that had it not been Hashem’s will that Leah marry Yaakov, then all of Lavan’s “shtick,” contrivances, would have been futile. One should not think that it was Lavan’s dishonesty, and Rachel’s magnanimous gesture, that brought about the…

Home -> 5763 -> Vayeitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5763

“Yaakov departed from Beer Sheva and went toward Charan.” (28:10)

In the previous parsha, Parashas Toldos, the Torah records Yitzchak’s and Rivkah’s instructions to Yaakov to leave Beer Sheva in search of a wife. Yaakov Avinu listened to his parents and proceeded to leave. The last pasuk in the parsha tells us about Eisav’s quest for a wife, a search that led him to Yishmael, whose daughter he married. The Torah now reverts to telling us about Yaakov’s journey, his initial encounter with Rachel and the travail that ensued prior to and during their eventual marriage. The commentators wonder why Eisav’s marriage is placed in the midst of the…

Home -> 5763 -> Vayeitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5763

“And he dreamt, and behold! A ladder was set earthward and its top reached heavenward.” (28:12)

It is interesting to note that the vision of a ladder whose legs are on the ground, while the top reaches the heavens, occurred only to Yaakov and not to the preceding Patriarchs, Avraham and Yitzchak. Horav Shlomo Margolis, Shlita, attributes this phenomenon to the different lives that they lived. Avraham initiated Tefillas Shacharis, the morning prayer. He understood that life has its challenges, its trials and travail. The sun shone for him. He succeeded in life, overcoming whatever challenges may have stood in his way. He was accepted by those around him. Indeed, he was recognized as G-d’s…

Home -> 5763 -> Vayeitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5763

“And it was in the morning, and behold- it was Leah!” (29:25)

Lavan lived up to his reputation as a corrupt, duplicitous miscreant. Yaakov and Rachel were prepared for Lavan’s certain deception. They, therefore, arranged a secret signal between them. Upon seeing that her sister, Leah, was about to be substituted for her, Rachel decided to give Leah the pre-determined sign, in order not to cause her embarrassment. Horav Aharon Kotler, z.l., observes that had it not been Hashem’s will that Leah marry Yaakov, then all of Lavan’s “shtick,” contrivances, would have been futile. One should not think that it was Lavan’s dishonesty, and Rachel’s magnanimous gesture, that brought about the…

Home -> 5762 -> Vayeitzei

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeitzei, 5762

And he (Yaakov) said, “I will work for you seven years, for Rachel your younger daughter.” (29:18)

Chazal teach us that Yaakov Avinu was taken to task for offering to remain in Lavan’s employ and not seeking to return home to his parents. He ended up being away from home for a total of thirty-six years, of which he spent fourteen studying Torah in the Yeshivah of Ever. For the duration of time he spent studying Torah, he was not criticized for failing to honor his parents. For the next twenty years that he spent in the house of Lavan and two years traveling, Chazal feel that Yaakov was derelict in regard to fulfilling the mitzvah of…

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“Yaakov departed from Beer Sheva and went toward Charan.” (28:10)

“And he dreamt, and behold! A ladder was set earthward and its top reached heavenward.” (28:12)

“And it was in the morning, and behold- it was Leah!” (29:25)

“Yaakov departed from Beer Sheva and went toward Charan.” (28:10)

“And he dreamt, and behold! A ladder was set earthward and its top reached heavenward.” (28:12)

“And it was in the morning, and behold- it was Leah!” (29:25)

“Yaakov departed from Beer Sheva and went toward Charan.” (28:10)

“And he dreamt, and behold! A ladder was set earthward and its top reached heavenward.” (28:12)

“And it was in the morning, and behold- it was Leah!” (29:25)

And he (Yaakov) said, “I will work for you seven years, for Rachel your younger daughter.” (29:18)

YEARS

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