The Library

In the blessing for Yosef, according to Rashi, Yaakov blessed him because he extended his height so that Eisav should not look at his mother. The question is, what was Yosef scared of? Maybe before, when Rochel was barren, she thought that Yaakov may divorce her and Eisov...

PARSHAS MIKETZ SHABBOS CHANUKKA This week's Parsha has a terrific lesson that we can apply to our struggle and to our lives. Here Goes: We find that when Yosef Hatzaddik speaks to Pharo He speaks with tremendous humility Pharo tells him "I hear you can decipher dreams" Yo...

The Shiltei Giborim on Meseches Shabbos writes a famous remez to Chanuka found in parshas Mikeitz, וטבוח טבח והכן, the word ‹vehachen› and the ches from the word ‹tevach› spell Chanuka. Last year, my daughter found another remez, where Yehuda says ונלכה ונחיה, the last tw...

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...

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 ...

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'...

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...

‘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...

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...

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 &...

“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 - ...