Vayetze - Day #1

Vayetze וַיֵּצֵא - And He Went Out  

Torah Portion: Genesis 28:10-32:3

Genesis 28:10–22

29:10 Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. 11 He came to a certain place, and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. He took one of the stones of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 He dreamed and saw a stairway set upon the earth, and its top reached to heaven. Behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 Behold, Hashem stood above it, and said, “I am Hashem, the Elohim of Abraham your father, and the Elohim of Isaac. I will give the land you lie on to you and to your offspring. 14 Your offspring will be as the dust of the earth, and you will spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. In you and in your offspring, all the families of the earth will be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you, and will keep you, wherever you go, and will bring you again into this land. For I will not leave you until I have done that which I have spoken of to you.”

16 Jacob awakened out of his sleep, and he said, “Surely Hashem is in this place, and I didn’t know it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome this place is! This is none other than Elohim’s house, and this is the gate of heaven.”

18 Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil on its top. 19 He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first. 20 Jacob vowed a vow, saying, “If Elohim will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothing to put on, 21 so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, and Hashem will be my Elohim, 22 then this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, will be Elohim’s house. Of all that you will give me, I will surely give a tenth to you.”

Today’s Meditation: 

In verse 16, “Hashem is in this place!” It was clear to Jacob that, because of his extraordinary and blessed dream, Hashem must be in the place where he had it (Bethel). I wonder if his sense of Hashem’s presence in that place was different than in other areas. It reminds me of the times in my life when I sensed G-d's presence. Where it felt so intensely peaceful and wonderful, and where I could hear His voice so clearly. 

For me, such a place has been the Western Wall in Jerusalem. It’s sometimes called the “prayer wall”. Every time I have visited that wall, the presence of Hashem was strong. In prayers, there I felt like He would show me extraordinary things. I kept a journal and wrote everything down. Has there ever been a place, space, or time that you felt the presence of Hashem? What was it like?

Today’s Challenge: 

Take some time out today to sit and listen to Hashem. Pray and ask Him to show Himself to you in a special way. Hear what He has to tell you. Write it down. Believe Him.

Toldot - Day #7

Toldot, תּוֹלְדֹת - Generations  

Torah Portion: Genesis 25:19-28:9

Haftarah: Malachi 1:1-2:7

Shabbat: Genesis 28:5–9

28:5 Isaac sent Jacob away. He went to Paddan Aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.

6 Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan Aram, to take him a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a command, saying, “You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;” 7 and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Paddan Aram. 8 Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan didn’t please Isaac, his father. 9 So Esau went to Ishmael, and took, in addition to the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife.

Today’s Meditation: 

In verse 7, we read that Jacob “obeyed his father and his mother”. I find this interesting because he also obeyed his mother to trick his father into believing he was Esau. This verse makes you feel that he earnestly wants to obey them. We were not there to understand everything, but we do understand and should follow this commandment. 

When my parents were old and getting ready to die, I remembered this commandment to honor them. No matter how hard it was, the sacrifices that had to be made were significant. It was a blessing in the end. I made sure, with the help of others, that my parents were well cared for, loved, and had every need met to the best of my ability. I tried to respect them until the day they died. It was so important, and I am so glad I obeyed Hashem in this way.

Today’s Challenge: 

If your parents are still alive and you are having a hard time honoring them, remember Hashem’s commandment to do so. As challenging as it may seem, you will be glad you did it in the end. If you hold any anger or hurt toward them, settle it today. They may not be here tomorrow.

This Week’s Haftarah: Malachi 1:1-2:7

1 A revelation, Hashem’s word to Israel by Malachi.

2 “I have loved you,” says Hashem.

Yet you say, “How have you loved us?”

“Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” says Hashem, “Yet I loved Jacob; 3 but Esau I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness.” 4 Whereas Edom says, “We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places,” Hashem of Armies says, “They shall build, but I will throw down; and men will call them ‘The Wicked Land,’ even the people against whom Hashem shows wrath forever.”

5 Your eyes will see, and you will say, “Hashem is great—even beyond the border of Israel!”

6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, then where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is the respect due me? Says Hashem of Armies to you, priests, who despise my name. You say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ 7 You offer polluted bread on my altar. You say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ In that you say, ‘Hashem’s table is contemptible.’ 8 When you offer the blind for sacrifice, isn’t that evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, isn’t that evil? Present it now to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? Or will he accept your person?” says Hashem of Armies

9 “Now, please entreat the favor of Elohim, that he may be gracious to us. With this, will he accept any of you?” says Hashem of Armies.

10 “Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you,” says Hashem of Armies, “neither will I accept an offering at your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun even to its going down, My name is great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering: for My name is great among the nations,” says Hashem of Armies. 12 “But you profane it, in that you say, ‘Hashem’s table is polluted, and its fruit, even its food, is contemptible.’ 13 You say also, ‘Behold, what a weariness it is!’ and you have sniffed at it”, says Hashem of Armies; “and you have brought that which was taken by violence, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering. Should I accept this at your hand?” says Hashem.

14 “But the deceiver is cursed, who has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices to Adonai a defective thing; for I am a great King,” says Hashem of Armies, “and My name is awesome among the nations.”

2 “Now, you priests, this commandment is for you. 2 If you will not listen, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to My name,” says Hashem of Armies, “then I will send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have cursed them already, because you do not take it to heart. 3 Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and will spread dung on your faces, even the dung of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it. 4 You will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that My covenant may be with Levi,” says Hashem of Armies. 5 “My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him that he might be reverent toward Me; and he was reverent toward Me, and stood in awe of My name. 6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness and turned many away from iniquity. 7 For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Hashem of Armies.

Today’s Haftarah Meditation: 

Hashem wants the best from us. As in verse 11, “For from the rising of the sun even to its going down, My name is great among the nations...” There is no other god, no other Name to be worshiped. So, our offerings, whether they be physical or spiritual, should be daily unto Him. He deserves only the best. As we honor our parents, we honor G-d first. Remember this.

Today’s Haftarah Challenge: 

The next time you get depressed, remember that Elohim is L-rd of all. He knows what you are going through, and He wants to help. All we need to do is be obedient and faithful. To honor Him in all our ways. May His light shine through us daily, serving as a witness to His love for others. Rise above your problems and focus on Him alone. It will change your life, change your day.

Toldot - Day #6

Toldot, תּוֹלְדֹת - Generations  

Torah Portion: Genesis 25:19-28:9

Genesis 27:28–28:4

27:28 Elohim gives you of the dew of the sky,

    of the fatness of the earth,

    and plenty of grain and new wine.

29 Let people serve you,

    and nations bow down to you.

Be lord over your brothers.

    Let your mother’s sons bow down to you.

Cursed be everyone who curses you.

    Blessed be everyone who blesses you.”

30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had just gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 He also made savory food and brought it to his father. He said to his father, “Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that your soul may bless me.”

32 Isaac, his father, said to him, “Who are you?”

He said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.”

33 Isaac trembled violently, and said, “Who, then, is he who has taken venison, and brought it to me, and I have eaten of all before you came, and have blessed him? Yes, he will be blessed.”

34 When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, my father.”

35 He said, “Your brother came with deceit, and has taken away your blessing.”

36 He said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright. See, now he has taken away my blessing.” He said, “Haven’t you reserved a blessing for me?”

37 Isaac answered Esau, “Behold, I have made him your lord, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants. I have sustained him with grain and new wine. What then will I do for you, my son?”

38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have just one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, my father.” Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

39 Isaac, his father answered him,

“Behold, your dwelling will be of the fatness of the earth,

and of the dew of the sky from above.

40 You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother.

It will happen when you will break loose,

that you will shake his yoke from off your neck.”

41 Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him. Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

42 The words of Esau, her elder son, were told to Rebekah. She sent and called Jacob, her younger son, and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. 43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban, my brother, in Haran. 44 Stay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury turns away— 45 until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send and get you from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?”

46 Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, what good will my life do me?”

28 Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and commanded him, “You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. 2 Arise, go to Paddan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father. Take a wife from there, from the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3 May Elohim Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, that you may be a company of peoples, 4 and give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your offspring with you, that you may inherit the land where you travel, which Hashem gave to Abraham.”

Today’s Meditation: 

Today's reading is about trickery and deceit. Esau is so disappointed that his brother tricked him and got the blessing. And can you blame him? But in his anger, he says he will kill him. Jacob runs away. This reminds me somewhat of what happens when we sin and how sin can snowball into more serious consequences. However, when Jacob flees to Laban, he does meet Rachel, the love of his life. The point is that Jacob deceives his father and then flees for his life. Has that ever happened to you? You played a trick or lied to someone, and the whole thing got worse? If that has happened, try to rectify the situation as quickly as possible. 

Today’s Challenge: 

Did you ever want something so bad that you were willing to lie to get it? We are supposed to be lights to the rest of the world. This story serves as a reminder to be righteous and to rely on Hashem for the outcome of our needs. Present your request before Him and wait. What if Jacob had not tricked his father? How would this story have ended? Would he still somehow have received the blessing? Things to ponder about. The challenge today is to consider how you can be a source of light to your friends and family. And then be it.

Toldot - Day #5

Toldot, תּוֹלְדֹת - Generations  

Torah Portion: Genesis 25:19-28:9

Genesis 26:30–27:27

26:30 He made them a feast, and they ate and drank. 31 They rose up some time in the morning, and swore an oath to one another. Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace. 32 The same day, Isaac’s servants came and told him concerning the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.” 33 He called it “Shibah.” Therefore, the name of the city is “Beersheba” to this day.

34 When Esau was forty years old, he took as wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35 They grieved Isaac’s and Rebekah’s spirits.

27 When Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his elder son, and said to him, “My son?”

He said to him, “Here I am.”

2 He said, “See now, I am old. I don’t know the day of my death. 3 Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and get me venison. 4 Make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat, and that my soul may bless you before I die.”

5 Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau, his son. Esau went to the field to hunt for venison and to bring it. 6 Rebekah spoke to Jacob, her son, saying, “Behold, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying, 7 ‘Bring me venison, and make me savory food, that I may eat, and bless you before Hashem before my death.’ 8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command you. 9 Go now to the flock and get me two good young goats from there. I will make them savory food for your father, such as he loves. 10 You shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death.”

11 Jacob said to Rebekah, his mother, “Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12 What if my father touches me? I will seem to him as a deceiver, and I would bring a curse on myself, and not a blessing.”

13 His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son. Only obey my voice, and go get them for me.”

14 He went, and got them, and brought them to his mother. His mother made savory food, such as his father loved. 15 Rebekah took the good clothes of Esau, her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob, her younger son. 16 She put the skins of the young goats on his hands, and on the smooth of his neck. 17 She gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

18 He came to his father and said, “My father?”

He said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?”

19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done what you asked me to do. Please arise, sit and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me.”

20 Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?”

He said, “Because Hashem your Elohim gave me success.”

21 Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.”

22 Jacob went near to Isaac, his father. He felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 He didn’t recognize him, because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau’s hands. So he blessed him. 24 He said, “Are you really my son Esau?”

He said, “I am.”

25 He said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless you.”

He brought it near to him, and he ate. He brought him wine, and he drank. 26 His father Isaac said to him, “Come near now, and kiss me, my son.” 27 He came near and kissed him. He smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him, and said,

“Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which Hashem has blessed.

Today’s Meditation: 

Rebekah and Jacob create a divisive plan to steal a blessing away from Esau. It is one of Scripture’s curious stories. We know Rebekah loves Isaac, but apparently, she loves her son more. Enough to want to trick her own husband. What is the lesson to be learned here? I guess I can only look at it this way. What if Jacob had not stolen the blessing? Yes, he may have received less of the inheritance, but I believe Hashem would still have fully blessed the line of Isaac, continuing His promises.

I recall a client who once told me she planned to visit Social Services and lie about something in her life to receive more free benefits. I gave her a challenge. I asked her to tell the truth and then see what happens. We then prayed that Hashem would bless her. A few hours later, I met with her and she was so excited. She didn’t lie, but she still received the extra benefits. What a wonderful life lesson.

Today’s Challenge: 

Have you recently lied to change the outcome in a particular situation? Or are you thinking about not telling the truth about something because you feel it would help you out? I challenge you to tell the truth, pray, and watch what Hashem does. My daughter told the truth about turning down a job to the unemployment bureau. She could have lied and continued receiving benefits, but instead, she said the truth. They stopped her unemployment. However, the most amazing thing happened next. She got a fantastic job. And it pays more than any job she has ever held. She is giving all the glory to Hashem. And so will you.