Roberto Szerer

ואחר ילדה בת ותקרא את שמה דינה

Afterward, she bore a daughter and she called her name, Dinah. (30:21)

Everyone wants to get ahead, to rise to the summit of the spiritual ladder. What are we willing to sacrifice in order to achieve spiritual distinction? Are we willing to expend time and effort, give up financial security all for the purpose of spiritual achievement? The answer obviously should be a resounding, “Yes.” Nothing should stand in the way of spiritual ascendency. It cannot, however, be achieved on the “back” of someone else: a friend or even someone who is not a friend. Achieving closeness with Hashem cannot and should not be achieved at the expense of another Jew’s feelings…

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וישא את קלו ויבך

Roberto Szerer In Vayeitzei, 5778

And he raised his voice and wept. (29:11)

Yaakov Avinu wept when he met Rachel Imeinu. He meets the girl that he is going to marry, the wife with whom he is destined to build Klal Yisrael, and he cries. One would expect a somewhat different reaction. Rashi offers two reasons for our Patriarch’s anomalous reaction. First, Yaakov saw b’Ruach ha’Kodesh, through Divine Inspiration, that Rachel would not be buried near him. Why was Yaakov Divinely inspired at this moment? Was there no other time for Yaakov to see b’ruach ha’kodesh that he would not be buried with Rachel? Second, Rashi offers a reason for Rachel’s loss of…

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ואולם לוז שם העיר לראשונה

Roberto Szerer In Vayeitzei, 5778

However, Luz was the city’s name originally. (28:19)

A man goes through life – and then he passes to the next world – the real world, the world of Truth. What is left of all the years that he spent on this world? Nothing but memories: no money; no material assets; no distinction – only memories. In order to perpetuate themselves, people build monuments, erect buildings, make tributes to their achievements. Why? So that they will be remembered. We are so fickle. Everything is for one purpose: so that the next generation will not forget us. No one wants to be forgotten, but are we prepared to lead…

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ברך עלינו... את השנה הזאת

Roberto Szerer In Toldos, 5778

Bareich Aleinu… es ha’shanah ha’zos. Bless on our behalf… this year.

Some people have difficulty confronting the present. They either live in the past: glories of yesterday; the successes that represent everything but the present – or they dream of the future: new relationships; new projects; new deals. The present is reality; it bespeaks responsibility, obligation, things we must do – now – not tomorrow. Bless on our behalf… this year. We are urged to live in the present, not wallow in memories of the past or dream fantasies of the future. Life is now. Serving Hashem is now. We must live in the present and make plans for the future,…

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ויהי כי זקן יצחק ותכהין עיניו מראות

Roberto Szerer In Toldos, 5778

And when Yitzchak grew old, his eyesight failed and he could not see. (27:1)

One is hard pressed to believe that our Avos, Patriarchs, succumbed to the natural frailties of ill health and infirmity that are often associated with the aging process. Yet, here we see Yitzchak Avinu, the Olah Temimah, perfect sacrifice, becoming a victim to old age. The Rashi (quoting Midrash Rabbah 65:10), to which we are all acquainted, explains that Yitzchak’s waning eyesight, his premature myopia, had not been naturally induced; rather, he was a victim of the “side-effects” of the Akeidah, Binding. Apparently, when he was lying bound on the Altar of the Akeidah, and his father, Avraham Avinu, stood poised…

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יעקב איש תם ישב אהלים

Roberto Szerer In Toldos, 5778

But Yaakov was a wholesome man, abiding in tents. (25:27)

Rashi explains that a tam is wholesome, a person who is not adept at deceiving. Thus, Yaakov Avinu is called a tam, because he did not deceive. Deception went against his grain. We find, however, in the following parshah, when Yaakov meets Rachel Imeinu, Va’yaged Yaakov l’Rachel ki achi avihah hu, “And Yaakov told Rachel that he was her father’s brother” (Bereishis 29:12). Rashi clarifies this statement, quoting the Midrash, “If he (Eisav) comes for deceit, I, too, am his brother in deceit; but, if he is a decent person, I am also the son of Rivkah, his decent sister.”…

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ויעתר לו ד'

Roberto Szerer In Toldos, 5778

Hashem allowed Himself to be entreated by him. (25:21)

Hashem “allowed” Himself: Was it so difficult to listen to Yitzchak Avinu’s pleas? We pray and pray, and, unbeknownst to us, what we ask for might not be good for us – or, it might adversely affect someone else, someone very dear to us. Horav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, zl, explains that this is what happened concerning Yitzchak Avinu’s prayer. Avraham Avinu lived to be 175 years old – five years short of Yitzchak’s lifespan. Why did Avraham live five years fewer than Yitzchak? Rashi explains that Hashem spared him the pain of watching his grandson, Eisav, go off the derech,…

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ויעתר יצחק לד' לנכח אשתו כי עקרה היא

Roberto Szerer In Toldos, 5778

Yitzchak entreated Hashem opposite his wife, because she was barren. (25:21)

We are accustomed to mentioning the Avos and Imahos, Patriarchs and Matriarchs, in one breath, as if they were all the same. When we stop to think, we recognize that there was one area in which they were not all the same. It appears at first glance that Avraham Avinu was not an akar, sterile man, since he fathered Yishmael. This is questionable from the pasuk in Bereishis 15:2, “What can You give me, seeing that I go childless?” Later in 16:5, however, Sarah Imeinu says to Avraham, “The outrage against me is due to you!” Rashi explains that Sarah…

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ברך עלינו... את השנה הזאת

Roberto Szerer In Vayeira, 5778

Bareich aleinu… es ha’shanah ha’zos. Bless upon us… this year.

We begin the prayer for sustenance with the acknowledgement that everything – every penny – comes from Hashem. Indeed, one who does not acknowledge Hashem’s complete control over his livelihood takes the chance, when things do not go his way, of engaging in illicit behaviors, even acts of perjury and theft. One who trusts in Hashem knows that he will earn whatever Hashem wants him to earn: no more; no less. Now, when we begin our day with the realization that all of our blessings are Heaven-sent, and that what we will earn is specifically the product of Hashem’s decree,…

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וישב אברהם אל נעריו... וישב אברהם בבאר שבע

Roberto Szerer In Vayeira, 5778

Avraham returned to his young men… and Avraham stayed at Be’er Sheva. (22:19)

Avraham Avinu returned home – with his two aides – but where was Yitzchak Avinu? Four people left for the mountain; three returned home. Yitzchak must have taken a different route. The Midrash Rabbah explains that Yitzchak took a detour to study Torah in the yeshivah of Shem (son of Noach). Targum Yonasan adds that Yitzchak studied there for three years, until he met Rivkah Imeinu. Was something wrong with Avraham’s yeshivah? It seems to have sufficed for thirty-seven years. Why did he change? Certainly Shem was not a better rebbe than Avraham. Horav Moshe Neriyah, zl, quotes the Rambam,…

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ואחר ילדה בת ותקרא את שמה דינה

Afterward, she bore a daughter and she called her name, Dinah. (30:21)

וישא את קלו ויבך

And he raised his voice and wept. (29:11)

ואולם לוז שם העיר לראשונה

However, Luz was the city’s name originally. (28:19)

ברך עלינו... את השנה הזאת

Bareich Aleinu… es ha’shanah ha’zos. Bless on our behalf… this year.

ויהי כי זקן יצחק ותכהין עיניו מראות

And when Yitzchak grew old, his eyesight failed and he could not see. (27:1)

יעקב איש תם ישב אהלים

But Yaakov was a wholesome man, abiding in tents. (25:27)

ויעתר לו ד'

Hashem allowed Himself to be entreated by him. (25:21)

ויעתר יצחק לד' לנכח אשתו כי עקרה היא

Yitzchak entreated Hashem opposite his wife, because she was barren. (25:21)

ברך עלינו... את השנה הזאת

Bareich aleinu… es ha’shanah ha’zos. Bless upon us… this year.

וישב אברהם אל נעריו... וישב אברהם בבאר שבע

Avraham returned to his young men… and Avraham stayed at Be’er Sheva. (22:19)

YEARS

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