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Torah

Parshas Mikeitz and Chanukah

By obormottel
Reb Yeruchum explains the Torah's use of the word "mekeitz" as opposed to simply saying "And it was two years" based on the midrash, which quotes the possuk "keitz som l'chosech" - "an end he placed for darkness" - as referring to the two-year period during which Yosef sa...
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Hashgocha Protis Even In Our Falls

By obormottel
It says in Tehillim (37:23) "By Hashem are a man's footsteps established, and He shall favor his way". The Rebbe writes that each step a man takes, even though he feels that it is according to his will, really his steps are guided by Hashem as it is Hashem who guides the ...
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Imrei Chaim on Parshas Mikeitz

By obormottel
זאת עשו קחו מזמרת הארץ... מעט צרי.... מעט דבשthe Shvatim said to Yakov that Yosef accused them of being deficient in shmiras ha'yesod, 'meraglim atem', liros es 'ervas' haaretz. Yakov said, זאת עשו with this you can repair the blemish. kechu mizimras haaretz, (הארץ בגימט'...
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Learning from Yosef's Bitachon

By obormottel
Parashat Miketz begins with Yosef still languishing in an Egyptian dungeon, where he had been imprisoned on false charges. Pharaoh's cupbearer had been in the dungeon together with Yosef, but was released from prison and reinstated, as Yosef had predicted. Before the cu...
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Derech Eretz Kodmo l'Torah

By obormottel
‘Human decency precedes religion’ (Leviticus Raba 9:3) A person cannot consider ‘serving God’ if he is not a decent human being in the first place. A criminal cannot become religious to plaster over his past behaviour. Firstly, he must put his past behind him with genuine...
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Hanukkah Humor

By obormottel
As an El-Al plane landed on Chanukkah at Ben Gurion airport in Israel, the voice of the Captain came on: "To those who are still seated, we wish you a Merry X-mas, and hope that you enjoy your stay ... and to those of you standing in the aisles, we wish you a Happy Chanuk...
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The “Tzadik Tomim” of Our Generation

By obormottel
The “Tzadik Tomim” of Our Generation "נח איש צדיק תמים היה בדרתיו". פירש רש"י: "ויש שדורשים אותו לגנאי; לפי דורו היה צדיק, ואילו היה בדורו של אברהם לא היה נחשב לכלום". “Noach was a ‘Tzadik Tomim’ in his generation”. (Parshas Noach) Rashi tells us: Some interpret the ext...
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Battle Tactics

By obormottel
In this week’s Parsha, we witness the confrontation between Yakov and Esav. Chazal identify three approaches which Yaakov Avinu employed in preparation: “Doron, Tefila VeMilchama” - gifts, prayer, and war. Based on the Zohar and the Ramban, Rav Dessler ZT’L says that this...
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Paradox

By obormottel
The Torah tells us that Yaakov was attacked by the Malach of Esav. As dawn approached and Yaakov prevailed, the malach asked to be freed. Chazal tell us that the reason it was so urgent for the Malach to leave, was because each Malach receives one chance to say Shira and ...
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Do you hate your brother?

By obormottel
Disaster One afternoon a man came home from work to find total mayhem in his house. His three children were outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard. The door of his wife's car was open, as was...
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Getting Out of His Way

By the.guard
We all know the story of Yaakov and the shepherds from Parshas Vayetze. Did you ever wonder how Yaakov Avinu single handedly removed such a large rock from on top of the well? If he was an “Ish Tam Yoshev Ohalim” how did he have this kind of super-human strength? To answ...
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Who is it up to?

By obormottel
Rav Tzadok writes in the Likutim to Peri Tzaddik: A person possesses only the initial inspiration and choice; the rest is up to HaShem. This is indicated in the possuk: Hashiveinu! Hashem answers us: No; Shuvu eilay v’ashuvah. If HaShem would not assist us and send the bl...
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Physical Strength

By GYE Admin
In this week’s parsha (29-10) we find that Yaakov Avinu was incredibly strong. He moved a stone, which required many shepherds to roll, without difficulty. Rash”i says that the Torah tells this to us to show us that he was very strong. The obvious questions are: 1. How di...
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Removing the rock - together!

By GYE Admin
Vayesfu kol ha'adarim v'galelu ess ha'even me'al pi habe'eir.Every one of us walks around with 'wellsprings' in our hearts. But - a problem! There is a huge rock on top! We cannot remove it by ourselves. The individuals who can singlehandedly remove the stone are few &...
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Strive to be a brother

By GYE Admin
“And Jacob said to his brothers: ‘Gather stones’.” ~ Genesis 31:46 Jacob only had one brother, Esau. Moreover, it’s disrespectful to instruct those who aren’t obligated to obey. So Jacob must be speaking to his sons. Yet the verse refers to them as his brothers - ...
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Keep Me in Mind

By obormottel
A Gerrer chasid took leave from his Rebbe before departing on a business trip to Paris. The Rebbe had a request for him, can he please buy some Cuban cigars for the Rebbe in Paris? The Chasid gladly agreed, thrilled at the chance to be of service to his Rebbe! While in Pa...
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Do the best with what you've got.

By obormottel
When people consider making improvements in Shmiras Haloshon, they sometimes drop the idea as unrealistic. “Can I really say that I’ll be able to avoid loshon hora forever? What’s the point of trying, only to fail?” But in the month of Kislev, we learn that this line of ...
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G-d Loves You!

By obormottel
Vayehav Yitzchok ess Eisav .... v'Rivkah oheves ess Yaakov.Rivkah was not as great as Yitzchok. She was not able to love Eisav. Therefore, she only loved Yaakov. Yitzchok loved Eisav! [He also loved Yaakov, but that is not a chiddush!]What?! Why would Yitzchok love a Rash...
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