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Rambam: Shemot: Moshe Hid His Face

Moreh Nevuchim – Guide to the Perplexed 1:5: When the person has achieved and acquired knowledge of the rules of logic and inference and of the various way of preserving

Tags: Halacha, Hashkafa, Jewish Law, Maimonides, Philosophy, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Rambam, Talmud, The Foundation Stone

Biblical Personalities: Benjamin: Rabbeinu Bachya

“In the morning he consumes a foe.” (Genesis 49:27) Benjamin combined within him the two “Great” emanations of “Gedula and Gevurah.” This is why the Temple, the home of the Shechinah – Divine Presence – stood in Benjamin’s territory. The Shechinah is representative of all Ten Attributes.

Tags: Bible, Biblical Personalities, Blessings, Jacob, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, The Foundation Stone, The Twelve Tribes

Biblical Personalities: Joseph – Rabbeinu Bachya

“The blessings of your father have surpassed the blessings of my parents.” (Genesis 49:26) Jacob meant that the emanation from which his own blessing would originate is more powerful than the emanation in which Abraham and Isaac and also their blessings were at home.

Tags: Bible, Biblical Personalities, Blessings, Jacob, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, The Foundation Stone, The Twelve Tribes

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: Visiting the Ill V

What time of the day is best for visiting the sick? One should not visit in the first three hours of the day because many people look better in the morning and the visitor may not realize how ill the person is. This may lead the visitor to not pray with as much fervor as he would

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: Visiting the Ill IV

The Rabbis taught: If one took ill and is leaning toward death, they should say to him, “Confess your sins, for it is the practice of all who are condemned to die to confess.” (Shabbat 32a)

Tags: Chassidic, Commandments, commentaries, Kabbalah, Midrash, Mitzvot, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Talmud, Taryag, The Foundation Stone

Biblical Personalities: Naftali – Rabbeinu Bachya

“Naftali is a hind let loose.” (Genesis 49:21) The “hind let loose,” is an allusion to the concept of Tzaddik, the truly righteous. The word is reminiscent of a messenger, “shaliach,” – as in “shelucha” in the verse. “Ayelet” is an allusion to Kenesset Israel also known as Ayelet Hashachar.

Tags: Bible, Biblical Personalities, Blessings, Jacob, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, The Foundation Stone, The Twelve Tribes

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: Visiting The Ill III

Rav Yitzchak, the son of Rav Yehudah taught: A person should always ask for mercy from God that he not become ill, for should he, in fact, become ill, the Heavenly Tribunal says to him, “Bring us a merit, and you will be set free.”

Tags: Chassidic, Commandments, commentaries, Kabbalah, Midrash, Mitzvot, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Talmud, Taryag, The Foundation Stone

Mishlei: Years of Life

“My child, do not forget My Torah, and let your heart guard My commandments, for they add to you length of days and years of life and peace.” (Proverbs 3:1-2) Rabbi Yaakov Emden quotes his father the Chacham Tzvi, who explains this verse: The Talmud (Yomah 71a) asks,

Tags: Book of Wisdom, Chassidut, Kabbalah, Midrash, Mishlei, Proverbs, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Spiritual Insights, The Foundation Stone

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: Chikkekei Lev: A Prayer To Hasten Death

Were Joseph and his brothers permitted to pray that Jacob die and be relieved of his suffering? We turn to a famous Responsum:
A God-fearing scholar has a pious wife. For our many sins, the woman has been sick with a long, enduring illness for more than twenty years.

Tags: Chassidic, Commandments, commentaries, Kabbalah, Midrash, Mitzvot, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Talmud, Taryag, The Foundation Stone

Biblical Personalities: Gad – Or Hachaim Hakodesh

“Gad, a troop shall troop upon him.” (Genesis 49:19) Jacob links his blessing to his name, interpreting Gad’s name as meaning a troop or camp. The Sefer HaAruch defines Gad as meaning to draw, to lead, and to surround. Accordingly, the meaning is that Gad will surround his enemies.

Tags: Bible, Biblical Personalities, Blessings, Jacob, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, The Foundation Stone, The Twelve Tribes

Haftarah: Vayechi: Be A Man

Kings 1, Chapter 2:1-12:

We can listen in to the final words of King David to his young son, Solomon, who will become

Tags: Haftarah, Kings, Man's Soul, Samuel, Vayechi

Table Talk: Vayechi

Debating the Future

Jacob was bidding farewell to Joseph and honoring the son’s remarkable accomplishments, but Jacob was still the father and patriarch.

Tags: Vayechi

Vayechi – Hamalach Hagoeil V

“May the angel who redeems me from all evil bless the lads, and may my name be declared upon them, and the names of my forefathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they proliferate abundantly

Tags: Bible, commentaries, Joseph, Kabbala, Midrash, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Shema, Talmud, The Foundation Stone, zohar

Vayechi – Hamalach Hagoeil VI

“May the angel who redeems me from all evil bless the lads, and may my name be declared upon them, and the names of my forefathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they proliferate abundantly

Tags: Bible, commentaries, Joseph, Kabbala, Midrash, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Shema, Talmud, The Foundation Stone, zohar

Vayechi – Hamalach Hagoeil VII-Imrei Noam

“The will of those who fear Him He will do; and their cry He will hear, and He will save them.” (Psalms 145:19) If God fulfills the desires of those who fear Him, who do they need

Tags: Bible, commentaries, Joseph, Kabbala, Midrash, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Shema, Talmud, The Foundation Stone, zohar

Ohr Pnei Moshe-Vayechi-Becoming Yaakov’s Student

The 12th of Tevet is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Moshe of Pshevorsk, author of Ohr Pnei Moshe (1805). “The time approached for Israel to die, so he called for his son, for Joseph.” (Genesis 47:29)

Tags: Bible, commentaries, Joseph, Kabbala, Midrash, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Shema, Talmud, The Foundation Stone, zohar

Chemed Shlomo-Vayechi- Rebuke

“Dan will judge his people, the tribes of Israel will be united as one.” (Genesis 49:16) Rabbi Tarfon said, “I wonder whether there is anyone in our generation who knows how to successfully

Tags: Bible, commentaries, Joseph, Kabbala, Midrash, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Shema, Talmud, The Foundation Stone, zohar

Vayechi – Hamalach Hagoeil VIII-Bet Yosef

“May the angel who redeems me from all evil bless the lads, and may my name be declared upon them, and the names of my forefathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they proliferate abundantly

Tags: Bible, commentaries, Joseph, Kabbala, Midrash, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Shema, Talmud, The Foundation Stone, zohar

Ben L’Ashri-Vayechi

The 13th of Tevet is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Yitzchak Hakohen Huberman, the tzadik of Raanana. (1896-1977). He was born in Tomashov (Tomaszow Lubelski), near Lublin . An

Tags: Bible, commentaries, Joseph, Kabbala, Midrash, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Shema, Talmud, The Foundation Stone, zohar

Vayechi – Hamalach Hagoeil X-To Be Young Again

“May the angel who redeems me from all evil bless the lads, and may my name be declared upon them, and the names of my forefathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they proliferate

Tags: Bible, commentaries, Joseph, Kabbala, Midrash, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Shema, Talmud, The Foundation Stone, zohar

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: Bearing a Grudge

“Joseph’s brothers perceived that their father was dead, and they said, ‘Perhaps Joseph will nurse hatred against us and then he will surely repay us all the evil that we did to him.’” (Genesis 50:15)

Tags: Chassidic, Commandments, commentaries, Kabbalah, Midrash, Mitzvot, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Talmud, Taryag, The Foundation Stone

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: The Chesed of Burying the Dead

“Please, if I have found favor in your eyes, please place your hand under my thigh and do kindness and truth with me; please do not bury me in Egypt. For I will lie down with my fathers and you shall transport me out of Egypt and bury me in their tomb.” (Genesis 47: 29-30)

Tags: Chassidic, Commandments, commentaries, Kabbalah, Midrash, Mitzvot, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Talmud, Taryag, The Foundation Stone

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: The Pleasure of Honoring Our Parents

Judaism is all about choosing life, but there is one choice between life and death I find more challenging than others: “He who hates gifts will live.” (Proverbs 15:27) I enjoy writing thank you notes and find it difficult to experience a gift as a choice between life and death.

Tags: Chassidic, Commandments, commentaries, Kabbalah, Midrash, Mitzvot, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Talmud, Taryag, The Foundation Stone

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: Chatam Sofer: Delayed Burial

“And Egypt bewailed him (Jacob) for seventy days. When his bewailing period passed, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s household, saying, “...now I will go up if you please, and bury my father; then I will return.” (Genesis 50:3-5)

Tags: Chassidic, Commandments, commentaries, Kabbalah, Midrash, Mitzvot, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Talmud, Taryag, The Foundation Stone

Biblical Personalities: Asher: Alshich Hakadosh

“Asher’s bread will be rich.” (Genesis 49:20) Asher’s part of the land is due to his specific merit. In order to indicate this, the verse begins with the letter “mem,” as if to say, “it is from Asher,” – it is from his merit.

Tags: Bible, Biblical Personalities, Blessings, Jacob, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, The Foundation Stone, The Twelve Tribes

Biblical Personalities: Issachar – Or Hachaim Hakadosh

“He saw tranquility that it was good, and the land that it was pleasant, yet he bent his shoulder to bear and he became an indentured servant.” (Genesis 49:15) Issachar correctly evaluates the repose in the World to Come as well as the relative pleasantness on earth. When

Tags: Bible, Biblical Personalities, Blessings, Jacob, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, The Foundation Stone, The Twelve Tribes

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: Rebuke

Many of Jacob’s blessings of his sons included words of rebuke. He chose to wait until just before his death to rebuke his sons, for fear that they would be so insulted that they would leave him and join his brother, Eisav. What are the laws of rebuke?

Tags: Chassidic, Commandments, commentaries, Kabbalah, Midrash, Mitzvot, Parsha, Portion of the Week, Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, Talmud, Taryag, The Foundation Stone

Categories

Rambam: Shemot: Moshe Hid His Face

Biblical Personalities: Benjamin: Rabbeinu Bachya

Biblical Personalities: Joseph – Rabbeinu Bachya

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: Visiting the Ill V

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: Visiting the Ill IV

Biblical Personalities: Naftali – Rabbeinu Bachya

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: Visiting The Ill III

Mishlei: Years of Life

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: Chikkekei Lev: A Prayer To Hasten Death

Biblical Personalities: Gad – Or Hachaim Hakodesh

Haftarah: Vayechi: Be A Man

Table Talk: Vayechi

Vayechi – Hamalach Hagoeil V

Vayechi – Hamalach Hagoeil VI

Vayechi – Hamalach Hagoeil VII-Imrei Noam

Ohr Pnei Moshe-Vayechi-Becoming Yaakov’s Student

Chemed Shlomo-Vayechi- Rebuke

Vayechi – Hamalach Hagoeil VIII-Bet Yosef

Ben L’Ashri-Vayechi

Vayechi – Hamalach Hagoeil X-To Be Young Again

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: Bearing a Grudge

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: The Chesed of Burying the Dead

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: The Pleasure of Honoring Our Parents

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: Chatam Sofer: Delayed Burial

Biblical Personalities: Asher: Alshich Hakadosh

Biblical Personalities: Issachar – Or Hachaim Hakadosh

Parsha Mitzvot: Vayechi: Rebuke

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