Light from the Future: Parshas Vayeishev

1. Vayeishev – A Chain Reaction One cannot commit a private immoral act. Our entire universe is an organic whole, where each and every action, word and even thought reverberates…
2. Vayeishev – A Joseph Moment When we have a Joseph moment, subjected to pressures that take us away from our past, present and future—we should view it as an incredible…
3. Vayeishev – A Tale of Two Compromises Some compromises are necessary. We must do whatever can forestall a Jew’s spiritual demise. However, there is never a point when we allow the…
4. Vayeishev – Both Sides Are Holy Every decent person realizes that, although the results might be the same, they should always choose a positive and regal means of achieving a good…
5. Vayeishev – Chanukah and the Monarchy A true Jewish leader—contrary to most political and religious leaders of our time—has to put the interests of his people—even of one individual—ahead…
6. Vayeishev – Early Retirement When we tackle the obstacles that surround us we liberate the sparks of holiness that is hidden within every physical object and experience. This will…
7. Vayeishev – Empty Pits and Chanukah Menoros Placed Too High Those who think that Moshiach is not real have adopted the Galus, which is likened to snakes and scorpions. And those who think Moshiach is too…
8. Vayeishev – Go See How Your Brothers Are Doing “Don’t judge a person until you are in his place.” And don’t underestimate the value and contribution of others who appear to us to be on a much lower…
9. Vayeishev – Having Your Sublime Light and Eating It Too By blessing Jacob, Isaac paved the way for the forging of a Jewish nation that would receive the Divine Master Plan— the Torah—at Mount Sinai.…
10. Vayeishev – Joseph’s Brothers The potential for negative energy is also the potential for the power to combat and neutralize that negative energy. When we see someone who seems to…
11. Vayeishev – Keeping Our Chanukah Lights in Our Eye’s Sight Moshiach will succeed in achieving the goal of transforming the outside. Moshiach is a warrior against the influences that threaten the integrity of…
12. Vayeishev – Light and More Light! This Chanukah, we ought to proclaim with every fiber of our being: No more darkness! We want light! Pure unadulterated light! We want Moshiach now!
13. Vayeishev – Living in the Future The 12 tribes had an identity crisis. Were they simply a continuation of the tradition that began with Noah of making the world a civilized one,…
14. Vayeishev – Signet Ring, Cloak and Staff The soul when it descends into our physical world to inhabit a body is no longer “attached” to its heavenly source. The soul, detached though it may…
15. Vayeishev – Sit Down and Eat a Meal Before we decide to do something drastic that may distance another Jew from us, we must be deliberate in our judgment. This action can either get us…
16. Vayeishev – Superficial Supernatural Reuben “suffered” from a syndrome from which we all suffer: we are often content with our good intentions and a minimal amount of effort to make these…
17. Vayeishev – Tarmodian Feet One cannot fight rebelliousness using conventional means of education and persuasion. There was no rational basis for the handful of ill-trained…
18. Vayeishev – The Soul’s Metaphor According to the Ba’al Shem Tov all of our material ambitions should never be construed as being no more than just a desire for more material wealth.…
19. Vayeishev – The Two Components of the Messianic Age Torah is called “Torah Or”-the Torah of Light, because Torah, as G-d’s wisdom, does not “suffer” from the same opaqueness that characterizes nature.
20. Vayeishev – Upward and Onward Joseph and Chanukah are intertwined concepts. The word Joseph implies increasing in one’s spiritual life. Similarly, Chanukah captures the ideal of…

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