Parshas Toldos:

Rivkah bas Besieil Ha'arami miPadan Aram, achos Lavan Ha'arami _(25:20)
Vayei'aser Lo Hashem _(25:21)

Rivkah is praised that even though her father, brother, & townsfolk were all reshaim, she remained a tzadeikes.

We also see that Hashem accepted Yitzchok's prayers first because "the prayer of a tzadik who is the son of a rasha is not the same as that of a tzadik who is the son of a tzadik" (Rashi)



All the chizuk given around this holy GYE Forum must not be taken out of context, after all the chizuk, the fact remains: We would have been better off if we would never have entered this whole Masechta!

The Gemoro (Succah 53.) quotes what was sung at the simchas beis hashoeiva in the Beis Hamikdash. Those who never sinned were better off, they were able to say "Praised is our youth that it did not embarrass our old age!" While the repentant ones could only say, "Praised is our older age for it pardoned our youth."

They both proclaimed in unison: "Praisworthy is the one who never sinned; & he who did should do teshuva & he will be forgiven!"












Some chizuk is always needed:    Even if we are too late for the 'completely clean' record, if we refrain from sinning today we will still have a record that is cleaner than if we don't!!!

Parshas Toldos:

Vayhi ra'av b'aretz... Vayeira eilav Hashem. _(26:1,2)

After Yitzchok lost his source of parnassa, there was a famine in the place where he lived, he merited his first nevuah!!

When things look bleak - they begin to shine the brightest!

Parshas Toldos:

Rivkah thought that she is carrying a single baby

The Maagid, HaRav Sholom Shwadron Ztz wrote:



We Addicts, we feel attracted to Torah & Tefilla. We feel good when we are engrossed in spirituality.

But we also feel pulled to the filth!

We feel pulled in two opposite directions. This makes us feel even worse!


Rivkah saw her baby going through this emotional torment & she felt bad. Prior to her becoming pregnant, the baby's was resting peacefully under the Kisei hakovod without any inclination to sin whatsoever. Now, because she desired to have children the baby is being given a Yetzer Horah & will have to endure this emotional torment!

'Im kein godol tzar ha'ibur', doesn't have to be translated 'The pregnancy is so painful', we can also read it: 'So great is the pain of the fetus' [i]Ibbur [/i]can be a verb or a noun.]

"If my baby is undergoing so much pain, lamah zeh anochi - why was I so selfish? Why did I bring him to this state just because I wanted to bear children?"

So she wanted to, at least, give the child the tools how to overcome his addiction. How to deal with the Yetzer Horah which he will now possess.

Vateilech lidrosh ess Hashem. she went to a place where they 'search for God!' By searching for spirituality a person can learn how to cope with opposing urges & attractions!

Parshas Vayeitzei:

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.


Problem!


There is a huge rock on top!


We cannot remove it by ourselves.


We must enlist the help of others.

Together!

When we are out of the isolation, when we gather together we can move it.

We can finally drink of the sweet waters that was deep inside us the entire time!!!!!







The individuals who can singlehandedly remove the stone are few & far between.

Only someone in the caliber of Yaakov Avinu can accomplish that feat!

Parshas Vayeitzei:

ZemirosShabbos wrote on 07 Nov 2010 05:35:


The candle can be burning silently in our hearts, but it is insufficient to combat Eisav's shtussim/straw!

We must have a moving/jumping/sparking flame, we must be constantly active in order to win the fight!

Parshas Vayeitzei:

V'einei Leah rakos

The way to acquire soft eyes is to cry & pray a lot to Hashem!!!

Parshas Vayeitzei:

Shuv el eretz avoisecha _(31:3)
"And there I will be with you, while you are attached to the tumah it is impossible for my Shechinah to rest upon you." (Rashi)




We can be 'white-knuckling' it, but as long as we are still attached to the tumah we cannot connect to Hashem!!!

Parshas Vayishlach:

Yosef Hatzadik wrote on 15 Apr 2010 17:18:

Parshas Vayishlach:





Vayar ossah - Shechem didn't guard his eyes, he saw her,

Vayikach ossah - he took her, [just a little bit...]

Vayishkav ossah - normally, (?)

Vaya'anehah - abnormally,

Vatidbak nafsho - he became attached = addicted,

Vayehav ess hana'arah - he convinced himself that it is just regular love,

Vaydaber al lev hana'arah - he tried to seduce her.


He asked his father to take her for him as a wife. [As if all is in proper order]


Father said: My son Shechem wants your daughter.

WHAT HAPPENED WITH Vatidbak nafsho?? DENIAL!!!

Parshas Vayeishev:

V'hu naar ess Bnei Bilaah.

He did maaseh naaros, he was mesalsel b'saaro & memashmesh b'einav.
He spent a lot of time with the Sons of Bilaah. _(Rashi)

The Talmud Yerushalmi states that when the Yezter Horah sees someone is mesalsel b'saaro & memashmesh b'einav he proclaims "He is mine. He is firmly entrenched in my camp!"

Yosef Hatzadik knew that the only way that he can resist getting caught in the Yetzer Horah's grip is by not being in isolation. It is only by being connected with others, by spending a lot of time with the Bnei Bilaa, he can remain Yosef Hatzadik.




We too, members of The holy GuardYourEyes Kehilla, even more than the individual techniques listed in the GYE Handbook & those taught in the 12 Step Groups, we can gain by 'connecting' with the chevra here on this forum. I instead of going to ______ & 'connecting with them, we can come here and connect with the Tree of Life! We become part of a growing people!

Parshas Vayeishev:

Vayafshitu ess Yosef ess kitanto ess kisonas hapasim asher alav. Vayikachuhu vayashlichu osso haborah _(37:23-24)
Vayazov bigdo b'yada vayanas (39:12)


Yosef lost his clothes twice = once by his brothers when they threw him into the pit & once when he ran away from Mrs. Potifar
 
A nisayon = a time when the person's inermost essence is exposed. That is when we/Hashem can see where the person is REALLY holding. Clothes cover the wearer, they are symbolic of the coverings that a person is hidden by.

Yosef had two styles of nisyonos: Nisayon ha'oni, His brothers abandoning him in a pit in the desert & his master's wife trying to raise him high. (We can imagine what he would've gotten for it from her....

He withstood both of them!!!!

He was shown in his uncovered essence!!!

His 'coverings' were removed!!



Also:
 
The first was a nisayon if he is afraid of death = b'chol nafshecha!!

In the second he gave up on a high position. He went from being Chief Executive Officer in the entire Potifar Estate to being incarcerated with the other imperial convicts due to his refusal to succumb to her seductions. = b'chol me'odecha!!





V'od:
The word "nisayon" can be derived from the word "nes". Vayasimu osso al nes - a flagpole - a high position.
 
The possuk states "Vayaazov ess bigdo beyadah - VAYANOS!! = & he became RAISED HIGH!!!

Parshas Mikeitz:

Vatirena Ba'achu _(41:2)

Am I seeing well?

Hiding within these words I think I can make out the words Ayin & Achva.

"And they set their Eyes as part of the Brotherhood"

The GYE Brotherhood perhaps?

Parshas Mikeitz:

[quote=" Zemiros Shabbos challenging Yosef Hatzadik]How about trying to find an Ha'oro in the possuk [i]K'chu mizimras ha'aretz[/i] [sub](43:11)[/sub]?[/quote]

[i]V'hashem ha'ir einai![/i]


Even when you feel 'down' - rockbottom, find something to [i][b]sing [/b][/i]about!!!

Chanuka:

The Kohanim knew that they didn't have enough oil to light the Menorah continuously until new oil can be procured. They did what was in their power to do today anyhow.

Progress, not Perfection!


Ah Yid darf tahn, nisht oiftahn!


We gotta do our part; the end result is up to Hashem!

Chanukah:


Mitzvas ner chanukah hu ner ish u'beiso; v'hamehadrin ner l'chol echod v'echod; v'hamehadrin min hamehadrin mosef v'holech.


There different Shi-tas around this holy GYE Kehilla.

Some say that they have to be clean & enlightend for the sake of their wives & families - Ner ish u'beiso.

Others are content with just being clean for today. One day, each day shines on its own!  - Ner l'chol echod v'echod.

The Mehadrin min hamehadrin are Mosef - they accumulating longer & longer clean streaks! V'holech - they Keep on Trucking!