Light from the Future: Parshas Vayeitzei

1. Vayeitzei – A Thousand-Fold Blessing The purpose G-d had intended for all the nations of the world is to bring perfection to the natural order of the world. By virtue of their observance…
2. Vayeitzei – Charan or Rina: Anger or Joy? There are two ways a person can go through life’s difficulties. One can be to see in all of the hardships G-d’s wrath— charan. And there are those who…
3. Vayeitzei – Don’t Runt From, Run to Before Jacob fled to Charan he stopped in the Academy of Shem and Ever to study Torah for fourteen years. This “short” diversion was intended to…
4. Vayeitzei – Dream but Don’t Sleep A dream is the bridge between reality and fantasy. A prophetic dream is the bridge between an other-worldly experience and our human mind. To make the…
5. Vayeitzei – From B’er Sheva to Charan Charan was a place that aroused anger; where the wily and devious Laban lived and idolatry was rampant. There was no respect for G-d or for others. No…
6. Vayeitzei – Going Up or Down? One can thrive amidst adversity in golus, yet that same person will fervently ask G-d repeatedly in his prayers to bring Moshiach. We must make sure…
7. Vayeitzei – Holy or Lowly? Jacob states that “whoever stole the idols will not live.” This was not intended as a curse. Jacob was merely stating a fact that a Jew cannot…
8. Vayeitzei – Joy and More Joy Rabbi Nochum of Chernobyl, the famous Chassidic Master, remarked: “Rachel and Leah both desired the same thing—Jacob. However, what Leah received…
9. Vayeitzei – Lo and Behold A Jew cannot bear to see the suffering of others and will speak out. When he or she sees injustice or lack of care for one of G-d’s creatures, the Jew…
10. Vayeitzei – Name Your Price! For Jacob marriage was a Mitzvah par excellence. His love and passion for Rachel was not simply of a romantic nature. Rather it was motivated by his…
11. Vayeitzei – Nineteen: The Incorruptible Core The Talmud states Jacob never died. Jacob represents immortality more than any other righteous person because he had the exclusive responsibility of…
12. Vayeitzei – Priorities There are times when we may be tempted to undertake projects that are new and exciting, at the expense of older and less glamorous, but, more…
13. Vayeitzei – Remove the Rock When G-d gives us a mission He also gives us the energy and wherewithal to fulfill it.
14. Vayeitzei – Removing the Rocks In every generation, G-d has blessed the Jewish people with great spiritual mentors, whose lives are dedicated to the well-being of their flock. Their…
15. Vayeitzei – Running from or Running to Our Sages state that a guest must listen to everything the host tells him except if he tells him to leave. The Rebbe would apply this to our going…
16. Vayeitzei – Seeing and Hearing There are two ways that we deal with each other’s needs. There are times that we see another person’s plight; a simple recognition that something is…
17. Vayeitzei – Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is first and foremost a Jewish concept. Moreover, it is a fundamental aspect of Jewish tradition and theology. Our day begins with Modeh…
18. Vayeitzei – The Guarantee Jacob had no doubt that G-d would keep His promise to bless him with all the material goods. Jacob was doubtful about his own response and reaction to…
19. Vayeitzei – The Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself Everything around us compels us to realize that we have “bumped into the place,” that we are living in unprecedented times and are poised to enter…
20. Vayeitzei – The Prayer to Be a Mother and the Mother of Prayer! There is one need and request that stands out among all the others. When it comes to a person asking for a child one does not need a formalized,…
21. Vayeitzei – The Three Musketeers Charan is thus identified with the angry and hostile world that Jacob entered into. It was in Charan that Jacob had to struggle with his uncle Laban,…
22. Vayeitzei – Unconventional Prayers for Unconventional Results Rachel’s child was no ordinary child even in comparison to the other sons of Jacob. Her first son, Joseph, would carry the legacy of the Patriarchs to…

← All books