Podcasts about esav

התוכן עה"פ בתחילת פ' וישב "וישב יעקב גו' אלה תולדות יעקב יוסף וגו'" מביא רש"י שכאשר "יעקב ראה כל האלופים [של עשו] הכתובים למעלה תמה ואמר מי יכול לכבוש את כולן?! מה כתיב למטה – אלה תולדות יעקב יוסף, וכתיב והי' בית יעקב אש ובית יוסף להבה ובית עשו לקש – ניצוץ יוצא מיוסף שמכלה ושורף הכל". וההוראה: כאשר רואים את חושך הגלות הכפול והמכופל נשאלת השאלה איך אפשר להתמודד עם זה? הנה יש לדעת שבכאו"א יש את הענין של "יוסף" שבכוחו שורף את חומת הגלות וכו'. ועד"ז בעבודתו של כאו"א בעצמו, שאינו מתפעל מ"גויים" ו"גויאישקייט", מפני שהוא יודע את האמת ש"בית יעקב לאש ובית יוסף להבה ובית עשו לקש"! ועי"ז מתמלאה בקשתו של יעקב ש"ביקש .. לישב בשלוה" (כמ"ש רש"י עה"פ וישב יעקב), בגאולה האמיתית והשלימה כאשר "ועלו מושיעים בהר ציון לשפוט את הר עשו והיתה לה' המלוכה". משיחת י"ט כסלו ה'תשמ"ג ל"הנחה פרטית" או התרגום ללה"ק של השיחה: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=12-12-2025 Synopsis On the verse at the beginning of parashas Vayeishev, “And Yaakov settled…These are the descendants of Yaakov: Yosef…”, Rashi states that when “Yaakov saw all the chieftains [of Esav] written above, he wondered and said, ‘Who can conquer them all?' What is written afterwards? ‘These are the descendants of Yaakov: Yosef…', and it says, ‘The house of Yaakov will be a fire, the house of Yosef a flame, and the house of Esav will be straw' – a spark will come forth from Yosef that will destroy and consume them all.” The lesson is that when one sees the doubled and redoubled darkness of exile, and he wonders, how can we confront it, the answer is: One must know that within every Jew there is “Yosef,” with the power to burn down the wall of exile etc. Similarly in one's personal divine service, he is not intimidated by the goyim or by goyishkeit, because he knows the truth – that “The house of Yaakov is fire, the house of Yosef a flame, and the house of Esav is straw.” In this way, Yaakov's request to “dwell in tranquility” is fulfilled (as Rashi says on the verse), with the true and complete Redemption, when “Deliverers will ascend Mount Tzion to judge the mount of Esav, and the kingship will be Hashem's.”Excerpt from sichah of 19 Kislev 5743 For a transcript in English of the Sicha: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=12-12-2025 לזכות שטערנא שרה בת מושקא שתחי' ליום ההולדת שלה כ"ב כסלו - לשנת ברכה והצלחה, ואריכות ימים ושנים טובות

The opening verse of Parashat Vayesheb introduces the story of Yosef by saying, "Vayesheb Yaakob Be'eretz Megureh Abib, Be'eretz Kena'an" – "Yaakob dwelled in the land when his father had lived, in the land of Canaan." The question arises as to why the Torah found it necessary to inform us that Yaakob lived in the Land of Israel (known then as Canaan). While it is true that Yaakob had spent twenty years outside the land, with his uncle in Haran, we already read in last week's Parasha, Parashat Vayishlah, of Yaakob's return to the Land of Israel, and of his experiences there. Why, then, do we need to be told again that he lived in Canaan? Moreover, we must ask why the Torah emphasizes here that this is the land where Yaakob's father, Yishak, had lived. We are well aware of the fact that Yishak had lived in Israel, and we know that even when famine struck the land, and he began journeying toward Egypt – just as his father, Abraham Abinu, had done in a time of famine – G-d appeared to him and commanded him to remain in the land and not to go to Egypt (Bereshit 26:2-3). Why, then, does the Torah find it necessary to mention that the Land of Israel was "Eretz Megureh Abib" – the land where Yishak had lived? The Ramban answers these questions by explaining that the word "Megureh" stems from the word "Ger" – "foreigner." The Torah isn't telling us that Yaakob lived in Canaan – but rather that he lived as a "Ger," as a foreigner, under the rule of the Canaanite tribes, just as his father had. This reality fulfilled G-d's prophecy to Abraham Abinu that his descendants would live as foreigners, in a land governed by others – "Ki Ger Yiheyeh Zar'acha Ba'aretz Lo Lahem" (Bereshit 15:13). Abraham's descendants would live as foreigners for 210 years in Egypt – but this prophecy actually began immediately with the birth of Yishak, who lived as a foreigner in the land of Canaan, as Yaakob did, until going to Egypt at the very end of his life. The reason this is emphasized here, the Ramban explains, is for the sake of contrasting Yaakob with his brother, Esav. The previous section – the end of Parashat Vayishlah – elaborates at great length on Esav's progeny, how he settled in the region of Edom and established there a large empire. Esav enjoyed all the comforts of freedom and sovereignty, establishing a kingdom swiftly and easily. Yaakob, meanwhile, remained in his homeland, in the Land of Israel, where he lived as a foreigner. It would be centuries later that Yaakob's descendants, Beneh Yisrael, would – after many difficult battles – establish their kingdom in their homeland. The Ramban writes that the Torah mentions this "to tell that they [Yishak and Yaakob] chose to live in the chosen land, and that through them [the prophecy of] 'for your offspring shall be foreigners in a land not theirs' was fulfilled." As opposed to Esav, Yaakob – like his father – preferred living in the Promised Land, in the sacred Land of Israel, even under less-than-ideal conditions, rather than enjoy the comforts and conveniences that were available elsewhere. Yaakob chose a life of meaning and purpose over a life of comfort and convenience. He understood that we are brought here to this world to live meaningfully, to pursue meaningful goals and achievements, and not to enjoy vain pleasures. And so he preferred basking in the sanctity of the Land of Israel over an easier life elsewhere. Life as a Torah Jew isn't always easy – because the goal is to live with meaning and purpose, which takes hard work and sacrifice. We, the descendants of Yaakob Abinu, must follow his example of choosing a life of Kedusha and purpose over a life of comfort and convenience.

If someone walked up to you and asked, “So… what actually makes you Jewish?” — how would you answer?In this episode, we dive deep into one of the most fundamental — and most misunderstood — questions of Jewish identity. Through the story of Yaakov and Esav, the mysterious struggle in Rivka's womb, the meaning of the blessings, and the battle that happens inside every one of us, we uncover what it truly means to be part of the Jewish people.This is an episode about essence, destiny, and the quiet voice inside that knows who you really are.

התוכן עה"פ [מובא בפרש"י בראשון דפ' וישב] "והי' בית יעקב לאש.. ובית עשו לקש". שואל ע"ז הרב המגיד למה "לקש"? הרי ב"קש" יש איזה תועלת - אפשר לשרוף אותו ולזבל בו את השדות ועי"ז גדלים פירות יותר טובים וכו', והרי השמחה תהי' יותר גדולה כש"בית עשו" כלל לא יהי'?! ותירץ, כי באמת, מכל דבר, גם מגוי שלוחם נגד יהדות, אפשר להוציא ממנו איזה "פרי" ולימוד בעבודת ה'. ולדוגמא: ישנו סיפור מהבעש"ט שפעם ביקש איזה בעל-עגלה גוי מתלמידו של הבעש"ט שיעזור לו להוציא את עגלה שלו מהבוץ שנפלה בו, והשיב לו ש"אין לו כח", אמר לו הגוי "מאָדזשיש דאַ ניע חאָטשיש" [אתה יכול רק אינך רוצה!]. ואמר הבעש"ט: ההוראה מדברי הגוי אלו שלכל יהודי יש את הכחות הדרושים לעבודת ה' אלא שלא רוצים...משיחת ט"ו תמוז ה'תש"כ ל"הנחה פרטית" או התרגום ללה"ק של השיחה: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=07-12-2025 Synopsis On the verse (cited in Rashi on rishon of parashas Vayeishev), “The House of Yaakov will be a fire… and the House of Eisav will be straw,” the Maggid of Mezritch asks: Straw at least has some benefit; for example, it can be burned and used to fertilize fields, resulting in better produce etc. Seemingly then, instead of saying that the house of Esav will be like straw, it should have said that it will cease to exist entirely? And the Maggid explained that the truth is that one can derive a lesson for Divine service (“fruit”) from everything, even from a non-Jew, and even from a non-Jew who fights against Yiddishkeit. For example, the following story of the Baal Shem Tov: A non-Jewish wagon driver once asked the students of the Baal Shem Tov to help him pull his wagon out of the mud. When the students replied that they weren't able to help him, the non-Jew replied, “Mozhesh da nye chotshesh” – “You can, but you don't want to!” The Baal Shem Tov explained that the lesson from the words of this non-Jew is that every Jew has the necessary strength to serve Hashem; the issue is only that sometimes he doesn't want to....Excerpt from sichah of 15 Tammuz 5720 For a transcript in English of the Sicha: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=07-12-2025 לזכות צביה בת חיה ריסה שתחי' ונגר ליום ההולדת שלה י"ז כסלו - לשנת ברכה והצלחה, ואריכות ימים ושנים טובות

In the beginning of this week's Parashat Vayishlach, Ya'akov Avinu is preparing to confront Esav, who wanted to kill him. Rashi tells us that Ya'akov prepared himself in three ways: sending gifts, praying, and strategizing for a potential battle. Why did Rashi list them in this order—placing tefillah second, between sending gifts and preparing for war? The Be'era Parashah explains that Rashi is teaching a fundamental principle about tefillah. Hashem built into the nature of the world that prayer works. And just as giving gifts and preparing for war are normal hishtadlut that people do, so too tefillah operates within the natural order. It is not considered miraculous to have prayers answered. For this reason, the Maharsha writes that although the Gemara teaches that a miracle performed for a person can deduct from his merits, anything attained through tefillah—even the greatest salvations—does not take away any merits, because tefillah is never considered a miracle. This understanding should give us tremendous chizuk. The answering of tefillah is part of how the world was created to function. Tefillot are so powerful that they can change decrees no matter how impossible the odds may appear. Chazal tell us that in Shamayim it had been decreed that Esav would marry Le'ah and Ya'akov would marry Rachel—"the older for the older, and the younger for the younger." The Alshich adds that Le'ah had four overwhelming hurdles preventing her from marrying Ya'akov. First, the heavenly decree had designated her for Esav. Second, the Pasuk testifies to Rachel's beauty. Third, the Pasuk tells us that Ya'akov loved Rachel. And fourth, Ya'akov worked for seven years for Rachel and took great precautions not to be deceived by Lavan. Yet Le'ah prayed so intensely, so persistently, with so many tears that her eyes became tender. And through those tefillot, she overturned the decree and all the natural odds. Chazal say that the greatness of tefillah is such that not only did Le'ah avoid marrying Esav, she even preceded Rachel to marry Ya'akov. And because of those same tefillot, she gave birth to six of the twelve Shevatim—the Bechor, the Kehunah, the Levi'im, the Meluchah, and the lineage of Mashiah—all emerging from her prayers. The Pasuk in Parashat Vayera says that the angels were sent to destroy Sedom while Avraham was still standing before Hashem. The next Pasuk tells us that Avraham prayed for Sedom to be spared. The Seforno explains: even though the decree had already been issued and the angels had already arrived in Sedom, Avraham still prayed, because he understood the ways of Hashem. As Chazal tell us Even if a sharp sword is already touching a person's neck, he should still pray, because tefillah can work no matter how desperate the situation seems. This past year, a woman received the difficult news that she had a tumor, lo 'alenu. At that time, she strengthened herself in guarding her speech and devoted herself to encouraging others to do the same. She was told that she would need the strongest form of chemotherapy. The doctors warned her of every side effect—especially that it was absolutely guaranteed she would lose all her hair. She asked them if there was anything at all she could do to avoid this. Their answer was clear: with the dosage she required, there was a one-hundred-percent certainty she would lose every strand. But she strengthened herself with the knowledge that with Hashem, nothing is fixed. She poured her heart into tefillah—not only for a full recovery, but also that she should not lose any of her hair. Today, Baruch Hashem the tumor has been completely removed. And amazingly, she did not lose even one strand of hair throughout the entire process. The doctors had no explanation. But the explanation is clear. She prayed to the Creator of the world—the One Who decides whether hair falls out or remains. Tefillah is wondrous, and Hashem created it to work as part of the natural order of the world. The more a person recognizes Hashem's power and involvement in every aspect of his life, the deeper, stronger, and more effective his tefillah becomes. Shabbat shalom.

In Parshas Vayishlach, Yaakov returns home after 20 years with the wicked Laban and immediately sends real angels as messengers to his murderous brother Esav, prefacing their message with the cryptic line “Im Lavan garti” – “With Laban I sojourned.” Rashi reveals the hidden code: the word “garti” (גרתי) has the numerical value of 613 (תרי״ג), meaning “Even while living with the evil Laban, I kept all 613 mitzvos and never learned from his wicked ways.” Yaakov is teaching every Jew for all time: no matter how far away you are, no matter how hostile the environment, the Torah is the ultimate protective shield that preserves and elevates your soul. As Rabbi Wolbe powerfully declared: “When you stay firm in Torah study every single day, there is nothing in the world that can take you down.”The parsha's eternal message is crystallized in the Friday-night blessing we give our children: “Yisimcha Elokim k'Ephraim v'chi'Menashe” – may God make you like Ephraim and Menashe, the only two tribal ancestors raised in decadent, idolatrous Egypt yet who grew into pure tzaddikim. Why them? Because wherever our children end up – Houston, Memphis, Vegas, or the middle of nowhere – they may not have a yeshiva, a kosher restaurant, or even a minyan, but they will always have the Torah. As Rabbi Wolbe summed up: “The Torah is the blueprint of the world… and when you live with that blueprint, no darkness can touch you.” Yaakov, Ephraim, and Menashe all proved that one Jew + one Torah = unstoppable light._____________This episode of the Parsha Review Podcast is dedicated in honor of Lenny & Teresa FriedmanDownload & Print the Parsha Review Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ncaRyoH5iJmGGoMZs9y82Hz2ofViVouv?usp=sharingRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on December 2, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on December 5, 2025_____________Subscribe: Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parsha-review-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1651930083)Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/22lv1kXJob5ZNLaAl6CHTQ) to stay inspired! Share your questions at awolbe@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Subscribe and Listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Torah, #Parsha, #Genesis, #JewishWisdom, #SpiritualGrowth, #Angels, #jacob ★ Support this podcast ★

In Parshas Vayishlach, Yaakov returns home after 20 years with the wicked Laban and immediately sends real angels as messengers to his murderous brother Esav, prefacing their message with the cryptic line “Im Lavan garti” – “With Laban I sojourned.” Rashi reveals the hidden code: the word “garti” (גרתי) has the numerical value of 613 (תרי״ג), meaning “Even while living with the evil Laban, I kept all 613 mitzvos and never learned from his wicked ways.” Yaakov is teaching every Jew for all time: no matter how far away you are, no matter how hostile the environment, the Torah is the ultimate protective shield that preserves and elevates your soul. As Rabbi Wolbe powerfully declared: “When you stay firm in Torah study every single day, there is nothing in the world that can take you down.”The parsha's eternal message is crystallized in the Friday-night blessing we give our children: “Yisimcha Elokim k'Ephraim v'chi'Menashe” – may God make you like Ephraim and Menashe, the only two tribal ancestors raised in decadent, idolatrous Egypt yet who grew into pure tzaddikim. Why them? Because wherever our children end up – Houston, Memphis, Vegas, or the middle of nowhere – they may not have a yeshiva, a kosher restaurant, or even a minyan, but they will always have the Torah. As Rabbi Wolbe summed up: “The Torah is the blueprint of the world… and when you live with that blueprint, no darkness can touch you.” Yaakov, Ephraim, and Menashe all proved that one Jew + one Torah = unstoppable light._____________This episode of the Parsha Review Podcast is dedicated in honor of Lenny & Teresa FriedmanDownload & Print the Parsha Review Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ncaRyoH5iJmGGoMZs9y82Hz2ofViVouv?usp=sharingRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on December 2, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on December 5, 2025_____________Subscribe: Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parsha-review-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1651930083)Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/22lv1kXJob5ZNLaAl6CHTQ) to stay inspired! Share your questions at awolbe@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Subscribe and Listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Torah, #Parsha, #Genesis, #JewishWisdom, #SpiritualGrowth, #Angels, #jacob ★ Support this podcast ★

In Parshat Vayishlach, Yaakov embraces diplomacy eith Esav while Shimon and Levi choose confrontation with Shechem. What determines the difference? Rabbi Dunner explores the Torah's two models for responding to danger, and how these ancient principles illuminate Israel's dilemmas today — from the Abraham Accords to October 7th. When do we make peace, and when must we wage war?

Yaakov arrives in Shechem “complete,” meaning he was healed physically from the angel, his wealth was restored despite giving Esav a large gift, and his Torah remained whole despite the years in Lavan's house. The Torah doesn't emphasize that he survived Lavan and Esav because Hashem had already promised to protect him; that was guaranteed. Instead, it highlights that even the smaller “wear and tear” of life — the injuries, the financial strain, the spiritual challenges — were also healed and restored by Hashem. Yaakov's journey mirrors our own: the Jewish people are eternally protected, but the hardships, pressures, and spiritual fatigue we face are temporary, meant only to bring out our strength and mesirus nefesh. Even as we work within the physical world to elevate it, our neshama and our Torah remain pure and untouched, and ultimately every struggle will be transformed and completed with the coming of Moshiach.לקו״ש כה-א

Vayishlach | 5786 | Thus says the Lord God Concerning Edom, by Rav Eli Weber What was Esav's plan? Who is Edom?

When Yaakob heard that his brother, Esav, was approaching with a militia of 400 men, he offered an impassioned prayer to G-d, begging for help. He cried, "Hasileni Na Mi'yad Ahi Mi'yad Esav" – "Save me, please, from my brother, from Esav" (32:12). A famous insight into this verse was offered by the Bet Ha'levi (Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik of Brisk, 1820-1892), one which is worth our while to review and ponder. The Bet Ha'levi noted that Yaakob asked G-d to protect him from both "Esav" and from "my brother." Of course, these seem to be one and the same. But the Bet Ha'levi explains that this refers to two different threats that Yaakob feared. The first and more obvious threat was that posed by "Esav" – the violent, evil man who hated Yaakob for having taken his blessing, and sought to kill him. Esav's hostility and violent character posed a clear and present danger. But Yaakob also feared the opposite prospect – that Esav would come as "my brother," with love and affection. This, too, presented a danger, albeit a much different form of danger – a spiritual danger. When the gentile nations treat us as "brothers," inviting us to closely interact with them, we risk becoming like them, of exchanging our traditional beliefs, values and practices for their culture. Whereas "Esav" threatens our physical existence, "my brother" threatens our spiritual existence. The Gemara tells that King Ahashverosh despised the Jews no less than Haman. When Haman presented to the king his idea to annihilate the Jews, and offered to pay for it, Ahashverosh responded that to the contrary, he would pay Haman to do this, because he wanted the Jews killed. The Gemara draws an analogy to a person with a large mound of dirt on his property which he wanted to get rid of, and he is approached by another person who has a large hole on his property which he wished to fill. The person with the hole in the ground offers to pay the other person for his mound of dirt – but the one with the mound of dirt is prepared to pay him to remove it. Likewise, Haman was willing to pay Ahashverosh to annihilate the Jews, but Ahashverosh was prepared to pay Haman to get rid of them. But when we read the Megilla, we do not get the impression that Ahashverosh disliked the Jews. To the contrary, he invited them to his feast, and they happily participated. In truth, however, this was no less sinister a plot than Haman's plan to murder the Jews. Haman approached the Jewish People as "Esav," whereas Ahashverosh approached them as "my brother," inviting them to assimilate and embrace the Persian culture, values and lifestyle. Returning to the story of Yaakob and Esav, the Torah tells that when they finally reunited, Esav embraced Yaakob and kissed him. However, one view in the Midrash, as Rashi (33:4) cites, explains that Esav first tried to bite Yaakob's neck. Hashem performed a miracle, making Yaakob's neck hard as marble, such that Esav's teeth could not penetrate it. Esav then kissed him. He at first tried to hurt Yaakov with hostility and violence, and when this failed, he resorted to the tactic of "my brother," by showing love and affection, hoping to lure Yaakob away from his beliefs and values. We must stand guard against both dangers. In a time of growing antisemitism, we must of course remain vigilant and take appropriate measures to protect ourselves. No less importantly, however, we must protect ourselves from the lure of assimilation. The United States offers us freedom and equality, treating us no differently than any other group in this country. This is, undoubtedly, a wonderful blessing for which we must be grateful, as it has allowed us to build communities such as ours and practice our religion without fear. At the same time, however, the freedoms have wrought a spiritual catastrophe, pulling a frighteningly high percentage of Jews away from their heritage. The American Jew's freedom to fully participate in American culture and society entices him to abandon his traditions in favor of the values and lifestyle of the people around us, and too many have fallen prey to this temptation. We need to ensure that our enjoyment of the wonderful freedoms granted us by this country does not result in our rejection of our traditions. And we do this through our community institutions, through our schools, synagogues, yeshivot and programs, which help solidify our identity as Torah Jews, an identity that we continue to wear with pride and conviction even as we participate in and interact with the general society.

We are celebrating the Rebbe & Rebbetzins 90th Wedding Anniversary! In this Sicha we learn about the Teshuva accomplished by a wedding, based off the wedding of Esav to Yishmae'ls daughter. Like Yom Kippur, a wedding brings Kaparah through either a) the marriage itself b) the wedding inspires the person to do Teshuva or c) the specialness of the Mitzvah/Moment motivates you. The Torah uses Esav's wedding to teach us about Teshuva - Esav is not perfect by any means, but he is a Yid and the wedding sparks our neshamos, all of us - no matter our level. We can use the koach of 14 Kislev to apply this to us in our daily avodah. Marriage between man & woman has a purpose of Peru Urevu. Marriage of Hashem and Yidden has a purpose of Torah, Mitzvos. When you teach someone to do a mitzvah, mekarev another with coming closer to Torah, Mitzvos or Yidden, these are peiros of peru urevu. We live now in disorderly times, the world is crazy - if something comes your way - just grab it! (ie Dorm Food Mentality). "A chassid is like a soccer player, if the ball comes your way, you gotta kick it!" We have to save neshamos! I commit. Hashem kicks in. My commitment = wedding day. This commitment = uplifts, give koach, enables me to be more committed. This brings a cycle of Koach! But I might think: what about me, im not great enough..im really low - your past doesnt matter (Esav)! I make it my business to commit to Hashems work and the Rebbes directives of doing my shlichus, and Hashem will uplift and empower! And this will bring about the complete marriage between Hashem & the Yidden with Moshiach!

התוכן [במענה על הברכות וכו' בשם אנ"ש:] יה"ר שתקויים הבטחת ה' ש"כל המברך מתברך" בברכתו של ה' ש"תוספתו מרובה על העיקר"; מסופר בתחלת פ' וישלח ש"וישלח יעקב מלאכים אל עשו אחיו וגו'", לפי שיעקב הי' כבר לאחרי הבירור ומוכן למצב של גאולה, אלא שאז נתעכב הדבר לפי שעשו (והעולם) לא הי' מוכן עדיין, משא"כ בזמננו, שכבר נגמרה העבודה של "צחצוח הכפתורים" וכו', ודאי שגם העולם מוכן לכך, וכאו"א שולח ל"בירורים" שלו והולכים כולם יחד לארצנו הק'. ובפרט בעמדנו בסמיכות לט"ו בחודש, "קיימא סיהרא – של חודש כסלו (שסיומו בימי החנוכה) – באשלמותא". ובמיוחד ע"י ההוספה בלימוד פנימיות התורה הקשורה עם חודש כסלו וכו'. הוספה: סידור קידושין ואמירת "שבע ברכות" ע"י כ"ק אד"ש.ב' חלקים משיחת יום ד' פ' וישלח, י"ד כסלו ה'תשמ"ט ל"הנחה פרטית" או התרגום ללה"ק של השיחה: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=04-12-2025 Synopsis (1) In response to the blessing delivered on behalf of Anash to the Rebbe on the occasion of the Rebbe's sixtieth wedding anniversary: May it be Hashem's will that Hashem fulfill the promise, “Whoever blesses will be blessed,” with the blessing of Hashem, where “the bonus exceeds the principal.” Parashas Vayishlach begins, “Yaakov sent angels to his brother Esav….” For his part, Yaakov had already completed his birur, and he was ready for the Redemption, but it was delayed because Esav (and the world) was not yet ready for it. But today, when we have already “polished the buttons,” the world is surely ready for the Redemption, with everyone sending and summoning his own birurim and proceeding together to our Holy Land. Especially as we stand in proximity to the 15th of the month, when the moon of the month of Kislev (which concludes during the days of Chanukah) is “in its complete state,” and particularly by increasing in the study of Chassidus relating to the month of Kislev etc. (2) Recording of the Rebbe being mesader kiddushin and reciting the Sheva Brachos.2 excerpts from sichah of Wednesday, parashas Vayishlach, 14 Kislev 5749 For a transcript in English of the Sicha: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=04-12-2025

Explore Parshat Vayishlach's powerful Torah insights on connecting body and soul, physicality and spirituality, through this week's deep dive into Yaakov's mysterious nighttime battle.Why did Esav's angel specifically attack Yaakov's thigh? This weekly Torah portion episode examines what the Zohar and Midrash reveal about the human body as a spiritual map—with the sciatic nerve (Gid Anasheh) serving as a powerful symbol of the bridge between material and spiritual realms.Drawing from classical Jewish sources including the Zohar, Midrash Rabbah, and Mesilas Yesharim, this Torah study session explores how Jews throughout history have elevated physical experiences—wine at Kiddush, Shabbat observance, daily work—into spiritual practices. A compelling story about a diamond dealer's Friday afternoon decision illustrates how this ancient wisdom creates real transformation.Perfect for Torah learners seeking practical Jewish spirituality, spiritual growth insights, and deeper understanding of parshat hashavua. Discover how the battle between Yaakov and Esav continues in your daily choices between disconnection and elevation.

Yaakov Confronts Esav (Vayishlach 5786)

Parshas Toldos is the ultimate masterclass in parenting, love, perseverance, and the eternal tug-of-war between heaven and earth. When Rivka feels her twins fighting in the womb, she is terrified that she is carrying one confused child who is pulled toward both holiness and idolatry. The prophet calms her with the shocking news: “Shnei goyim b'vitnech – two nations are in your womb.” Instead of despairing, she is relieved. Why? Because, as Rabbi Wolbe explains, “the benefit and greatness of Yaakov is so immense that it will supersede all the negative that she will ever experience from Esav.” One pure Yaakov is worth more than all the damage a thousand Esavs can do.The Torah then paints a seemingly troubling picture: “Isaac loved Esav because he put game in his mouth, but Rivka loved Yaakov.” How can holy parents play favorites? The answer redefines love itself: “Love is not finding similarities — love is seeing the potential in the other person and connecting to that.” Isaac gazed at wild, powerful Esav and thought, “If this explosive energy is ever channeled for good, he could move mountains.” Rivka looked at quiet, tent-dwelling Yaakov and saw pure, undiluted holiness already shining. Both parents loved both sons — they simply poured their energy into the child whose hidden potential moved them the most. This becomes the model for all healthy parenting and marriage: every child is your favorite — favorite scholar, favorite artist, favorite comedian, favorite mensch — because “each one is uniquely different… you're not comparing apples to apples, you're comparing apples to oranges to bananas.”For 63 long years Yaakov lives in his wicked brother's shadow. Esav hunts, flatters, and cleverly asks questions like “How do you tithe salt?” just to appear pious and win Isaac's heart. Yaakov, meanwhile, clings only to the “heel” of spirituality — always second place, always doubting, always wondering, “Maybe my father is right and I'm wrong.” Yet he never once compromises. At 63 he finally cooks the lentil stew that wins the blessings, proving that “spiritual growth is always at the heel — slow, painful, and full of doubt — but the tzaddik never quits.” As Rabbi Wolbe powerfully declares: “Quitters always finish first. If you want to win, you can't quit — ever.” And again: “The natural state of a tzaddik is to fall seven times… but the falling is not what we emphasize — it's the getting back up.”The parsha ends with two beautiful side lessons. First, Eliezer (from the cursed lineage of Canaan) is rejected as a match for Isaac, yet when he remains loyally devoted to Avraham despite the insult, Hashem rewards him with kfitzas haderech — miraculous instant travel reserved only for the righteous. Loyalty and perseverance turn even a “cursed” person into a tzaddik. Second, the same dynamic of “investing in the child who needs it most” repeats with Yaakov and Yosef: Yaakov favors Yosef not out of nepotism, but because he sees the unimaginable trials awaiting him in Egypt and knows, “This one is going to need extra love to survive and triumph.”_____________This episode of the Parsha Review Podcast is dedicated in honor of Lenny & Teresa FriedmanDownload & Print the Parsha Review Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ncaRyoH5iJmGGoMZs9y82Hz2ofViVouv?usp=sharingRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on November 25, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on December 3, 2025_____________Subscribe: Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parsha-review-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1651930083)Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/22lv1kXJob5ZNLaAl6CHTQ) to stay inspired! Share your questions at awolbe@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Subscribe and Listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Torah, #Parsha, #Genesis, #ParentalLove, #Resilience, #Family, #Rebecca, #Isaac, #Esau, #Jacob, #Potential, #Growth, #Yetzirah, #EvilInclination, #Choices, #Challenges, #Yosef, #Destiny, #Potential, #JewishHistory, #Mitzrayim, #Trials, #Yitzchak, #Complexity, #Struggle ★ Support this podcast ★

Parshas Toldos is the ultimate masterclass in parenting, love, perseverance, and the eternal tug-of-war between heaven and earth. When Rivka feels her twins fighting in the womb, she is terrified that she is carrying one confused child who is pulled toward both holiness and idolatry. The prophet calms her with the shocking news: “Shnei goyim b'vitnech – two nations are in your womb.” Instead of despairing, she is relieved. Why? Because, as Rabbi Wolbe explains, “the benefit and greatness of Yaakov is so immense that it will supersede all the negative that she will ever experience from Esav.” One pure Yaakov is worth more than all the damage a thousand Esavs can do.The Torah then paints a seemingly troubling picture: “Isaac loved Esav because he put game in his mouth, but Rivka loved Yaakov.” How can holy parents play favorites? The answer redefines love itself: “Love is not finding similarities — love is seeing the potential in the other person and connecting to that.” Isaac gazed at wild, powerful Esav and thought, “If this explosive energy is ever channeled for good, he could move mountains.” Rivka looked at quiet, tent-dwelling Yaakov and saw pure, undiluted holiness already shining. Both parents loved both sons — they simply poured their energy into the child whose hidden potential moved them the most. This becomes the model for all healthy parenting and marriage: every child is your favorite — favorite scholar, favorite artist, favorite comedian, favorite mensch — because “each one is uniquely different… you're not comparing apples to apples, you're comparing apples to oranges to bananas.”For 63 long years Yaakov lives in his wicked brother's shadow. Esav hunts, flatters, and cleverly asks questions like “How do you tithe salt?” just to appear pious and win Isaac's heart. Yaakov, meanwhile, clings only to the “heel” of spirituality — always second place, always doubting, always wondering, “Maybe my father is right and I'm wrong.” Yet he never once compromises. At 63 he finally cooks the lentil stew that wins the blessings, proving that “spiritual growth is always at the heel — slow, painful, and full of doubt — but the tzaddik never quits.” As Rabbi Wolbe powerfully declares: “Quitters always finish first. If you want to win, you can't quit — ever.” And again: “The natural state of a tzaddik is to fall seven times… but the falling is not what we emphasize — it's the getting back up.”The parsha ends with two beautiful side lessons. First, Eliezer (from the cursed lineage of Canaan) is rejected as a match for Isaac, yet when he remains loyally devoted to Avraham despite the insult, Hashem rewards him with kfitzas haderech — miraculous instant travel reserved only for the righteous. Loyalty and perseverance turn even a “cursed” person into a tzaddik. Second, the same dynamic of “investing in the child who needs it most” repeats with Yaakov and Yosef: Yaakov favors Yosef not out of nepotism, but because he sees the unimaginable trials awaiting him in Egypt and knows, “This one is going to need extra love to survive and triumph.”_____________This episode of the Parsha Review Podcast is dedicated in honor of Lenny & Teresa FriedmanDownload & Print the Parsha Review Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ncaRyoH5iJmGGoMZs9y82Hz2ofViVouv?usp=sharingRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on November 25, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on December 3, 2025_____________Subscribe: Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parsha-review-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1651930083)Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/22lv1kXJob5ZNLaAl6CHTQ) to stay inspired! Share your questions at awolbe@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Subscribe and Listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Torah, #Parsha, #Genesis, #ParentalLove, #Resilience, #Family, #Rebecca, #Isaac, #Esau, #Jacob, #Potential, #Growth, #Yetzirah, #EvilInclination, #Choices, #Challenges, #Yosef, #Destiny, #Potential, #JewishHistory, #Mitzrayim, #Trials, #Yitzchak, #Complexity, #Struggle ★ Support this podcast ★

Jacob finds himself alone and in a precarious position while he anticipates meeting his twin brother after 20 years. Esav is on his way towards him with 400 men and there is no indication that it is friendly. Jacob prepares through prayer and pragmatism, but must experience a powerful struggle which will determine how the fateful meeting will unfold. In this episode we examine the struggle and what we can draw from it about being Jewish in the world.

VAYISHLAJ 5786- POR QUE YAAKOV MANDO ANGELES A ESAV? by Rab Shlomo Benhamu

In this week's episode Rabbi Kohn takes one verse in the Parsha and derives 2 different ideas. He explains how it is important to be with others and to be part of a community and at the same time to be able to be alone. He also speaks about the power of the Mitzvos we do. Subscribe to The Practical Parsha Podcast. For questions or comments please email RabbiShlomoKohn@gmail.com. To listen to Rabbi Kohn's other podcast use this link- the-pirkei-avos-podcast.castos.com/   If you would like to support this podcast please use this secure link to donate: SUPPORT THE PODCAST Chapters (00:00:00) - Practical Parsha Podcast(00:01:54) - Parshas Vayishlach(00:05:02) - Why Yaakov Was So Scared That Esav Would Attack Him(00:12:08) - Yaakov's Battle with the Angel of Esav(00:21:03) - Parsha 5, The Art of Levado

VAYSHLAJ 5786- EL ODIO DE ESAV A YAAKOV by Rab Shlomo Benhamu

Can confronting ourselves be the key to transformation? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Tal Sessler explore Parshat Vayishlach as a story of identity, fear, and the lifelong struggle to integrate competing parts of the self. They examine Yaakov as the Torah's first refugee, his preparation to meet Esav through prayer, gifts, and readiness for war, and his mysterious night battle—an internal confrontation that leads to the name Yisrael. Through psychological, philosophical, and modern Jewish lenses, they reflect on what it means to live in tension and still keep growing.

This week's haftorah reading is the one-chapter book of Ovadia- a short prophecy of doom predicting the downfall of Esav's descendants at the end of the First Temple period. In this probing conversation with Rabbbanit Nechama Goldman Barash, we explore the gap between Yaakov and Esav's relationship in Breishit with the retrospective depiction of it in later prophetic and midrashic works. This year The Matan Podcast is exploring the weekly Haftorah reading.

O encontro que marcou gerações.Yaakov retorna para casa após 20 anos… mas precisa enfrentar seu maior medo: Esav vindo com 400 homens.Prece, estratégia, humildade — e uma luta espiritual decisiva na madrugada.Essav morde o pescoço de pedra do seu irmão Yaacov, e perde seus dentes...PARASHA VAISHLACHCurtiu a aula?Faça um pix RABINOELIPIX@GMAIL.COM e nos ajude a darmos sequência neste projeto!#chassidut #mistica #judaismo #kabala #cabala #tora #torah #kabalah #Parasha #Torá #yaakov #avraham #avram #patriarca #bereshit #shiur #shiurim #Ytschak #Isaak #isaac #yaco #yitzchak #toledot #rivka #rivca #rebeca #jaco #jacob #brachot #vayishlach #esaú #esav #vaishlach

Vayetze | Back to Gerar (The Parenthetic Statement), by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom How do we explain the references to Avraham having passed away in Beresheet 26 if, as proposed, this narrative cycle took place before Yaakov and Esav were born (i.e. well before Avraham passed on).  As a follow-up to our shiur about Gerar and my argument that the events described in Bereishit 26:1-33 took place during the twenty years of Yitzchak and Rivka's childlessness, several thoughtful and pointed challenges were raised by podcast listeners and participants in the shiur. By surveying and classifying the various types of parenthetic statements in Biblical narrative, we respond to these challenges and, thereby, explain two anomalous verses (v. 15 and v. 18) in the Gerar narrative. Source sheet >>  

Welcome to daily bitachon , an important thought about Shabbat as we've been doing lately on our Friday class. We mentioned two weeks ago that Shabbat has many areas of parallels to the Bet HaMikdash . We have the candles, we have the menorah , we have the loaves of bread, we have the shulchan . We have the zimirot , we have the liviyim singing, we have our clothing of Shabbat , we have bigdei kehuna . And that is because Shabbat is a sanctuary of time. Shabbat is the mikdash of time. That's why in more than one place in our prayers we mention Yerushalayim awakening when we talk about Shabbat , whether it's in Lecha Dodi , whether it's in our Arvit prayers. So in a sense, on Shabbat we enter the Bet HaMikdash . And this Bet HaMikdash is actually holier than the original Bet HaMikdash in a sense, because as we know, we were not allowed to build a Bet HaMikdash on Shabbat . Because Shabbat is greater than the Bet HaMikdash . The 39 activities that we don't do on Shabbat were the same 39 activities that they used for building the Mishkan . And that means that we're building our own Mishkan every week by refraining from those 39 melachot , so we are building a Mishkan . What's the relevance of that? It's a beautiful thought brought down on the Midrash of Parashat Toldot . When Yitzchak greets Yaakov thinking he's Esav, it says וירח את ריח בגדיו. He smelled the smell of his clothing. The word beged shares the same root as bagadnu , we were traitors as in Ashamnu bagadnu that we say in our Vidui confession. Parenthetically, the same word beged is boged , traitor, because the only reason why we needed clothing, begadim , was because the sin of Adam HaRishon . So when we think of the word beged , beged connects to boged . So now, Yitzchak smells the smell of his clothing, and that the Midrash says, don't read it as begadav but bogdav . He smelled the smell of his sinners, his traitors. And it refers to two instances in history. I will share one of them with you called the story of Yosef Meshita. He was a Jew, and he was, we'll call him, an evil Jew. He was there with the enemies, the Romans, as they entered the Bet HaMikdash . And they were afraid to enter the actual area of the holy, and they wanted a Jew to walk in because they knew someone that walks into the holy area without permission might die. So let's see. And they told the Jew, you know what? As a reward for going in there, you could take whatever you want, it's yours. So here we have this man that is collaborating with the enemy. He walks in, he takes out the menorah . And they tell him, no, this menorah , that's for a king. This is not for you. Take something else. He says, I made my creator angry once, I will not do it a second time. They say you go in. No. Go in and we will give you X and Y and Z. No. And finally, they tortured him to death and a heavenly echo went out that he was destined to Olam Haba . So he went from a wicked man to a martyr. And that's what Yitzchak Avinu smelled, that even the most distant Jew still can turn around in a moment. And the Ponevezher Rav asks, how did that happen? What what enabled him to make that shift? And he answers, being exposed to kedusha . The Jewish heart has a flame inside of it. When it's exposed to kedusha , that small little spark becomes inflamed. And that's what happened to Yosef Meshita when he entered the holy Bet HaMikdash . And the same thing is true about Shabbat . Every Shabbat , we're entering a holy place. We're entering the sanctuary of time. And if we keep Shabbat properly, we too can have our souls ignited. And we too can have an enlightening and inspiring experience. Many years ago, over 20 years ago, I went on a trip to Israel and we visited a home called a safe home for Jewish girls that had married Arabs and escaped from their Arab husbands. And Rabbi Sorotzkin told us the following story. There was a young girl that was there that was married, it's actually a a daughter of a woman that was married to an Arab. And he told a fascinating story. This woman, he showed us the Birkat Hamazon for her wedding, ended up being rehabilitated and married a baal teshuva . What was her story? Her father was a terrorist. He had married a Jewish woman and eventually committed a crime. He was killed in the suicide bombing, and his wife and daughter left the country and went to Lebanon. The girl had no idea that she was Jewish. She was raised as an Arab by her seemingly Arab mother. And she is working as an interpreter and gets a job to interpret in Israel for some Arab delegation. And before she goes off to Israel, her mother tells her, by the way, just want to let you know, FYI, I'm Jewish and you're Jewish. Okay. She files that information and she goes on her way to do her job. She's walking in the old city, in the Arab area, and she's right at the point where you could make a right turn and turn to the Kotel or go straight as she planned. And she had some urge that pulled her and she decided to go to the Kotel and she prayed there. And something got sparked inside of her, and she decided to research Judaism and eventually came back to her roots. At her wedding, she asked the rabbi to bless her with, I don't remember what the number is, let's say eight children. And when asked why, she said that my Arab father killed that many Jews in his bombing and I want to replace them. Fascinating. What ignited this girl's soul? And the answer is, she went to the Kotel . She went to a place of holiness, it inspired her. And we too can go to the Kotel every Shabbat and be inspired.

When Yaakov arrived at the outskirts of Haran, he saw local shepherds with their herds near the well outside the city. He asked them why they weren't giving their sheep water. The shepherds explained that they could not remove the large, heavy stone from the top of the well. They needed to wait for all the shepherds to assemble at the well so they could together roll the stone off the well. Yaakob then proceeded to the well and, by himself, pushed the stone off so the shepherds could draw water for their flocks. Rashi comments that this episode shows us that Yaakob possessed unique physical strength. We must ask, for what purpose did the Torah tells us about Yaakob Abinu's exceptional strength? What lesson are we to learn from this story? Every person, without any exceptions, has spiritual struggles. And no two people's struggles are the same. Misvot which come easily for one person is a difficult challenge for somebody else. Some people struggle to observe Kashrut, others have a hard time with Shabbat. There are those who have difficulty praying properly, and there are those who find it challenging to observe the Torah's standards of Seniut (modesty). But everyone is struggling with something. This is true even of the great Sadikim. King Shlomo teaches us in Mishleh (24:16), "Ki Sheba Yipol Sadik Ve'kam" – "For a righteous person falls seven times and gets up." Even the righteous fall – and they fall repeatedly. The difference between a righteous person and others is "Ve'kam" – that a Sadik "gets up" each and every time he falls. The wicked person, at a certain point, gives up. He decides not to bother struggling, figuring that it's just too hard for him. An example of this kind of person is Esav, about whom the Torah says, "Ve'hu Ayef" – "and he was tired" (25:29). Esav had the potential for greatness. He was no less capable of being a Sadik than Yaakob was. But he grew "tired" – he decided not to try. The Sadik doesn't get tired. He falls, often, but he keeps getting back up. How does the Sadik do this? What motivates him to keep trying, even after falling multiple times? The answer is found in one of the Birchot Ha'shahar (morning blessings), in which we thank Hashem "Ha'noten La'ya'ef Ko'ah" – "who gives strength to the weary." The Sadik keeps getting back up because he believes that Hashem is helping him and giving him strength. As long as we keep trying, Hashem gives us the abilities we need to eventually succeed. This is the difference between the wicked and the righteous: the wicked person feels powerless, and thus concludes that there is no purpose to continue trying, whereas the righteous person confidently believes that Hashem is giving him the strength he needs to improve. This is the message of the story of Yaakob Abinu's experiences at the well outside Haran. The large stone on the well symbolizes the Yeser Ha'ra, our evil inclination, the difficult – often overwhelming – spiritual challenges that we each face. Like the stone, they seem too big to move, too difficult to handle, too much for us to overcome. The shepherds, like many people, don't bother trying, because they assume they don't have the strength to succeed. Yaakob showed that when one believes in the "Noten La'ya'ef Ko'ah," he is much stronger than he thinks, and he can "remove the stone," and overcome his challenges. We are not expected to be perfect, because we are human beings, and human beings aren't perfect. We are, however, expected to try, and to try again when we don't succeed. We are expected not to grow tired, not to give up, and to instead trust that Hashem is helping us and giving us the strength we need to achieve.

"Every Liar Has a Teacher:" Why Yaakov Had to Marry LeahThis class was presented by Rabbi YY Jacobson on Tuesday, 5 Kislev, 5786, November 25, 2025, Parshas Vayetzei, at The Barn @ 84 Viola Rd. in Montebello, NY. The Medrash describes a hidden scene on the wedding night of Yaakov and Leah. Throughout the night, Yaakov kept calling the bride “Rachel,” and Leah answered each time. In the morning, when the deception was revealed, Yaakov confronted her: “How could you answer to the name Rachel? You are just like your father, Lavan—a deceiver!” Leah replied with the shocking line: “Is there a barber without students? Didn’t your father call for Esav, and you answered ‘I am Esav’?” At first glance, Leah appears to justify deception with deception—but that cannot be the message. The matriarch of Klal Yisrael wouldn’t base righteousness on revenge or moral equivalence. To understand her words, the shiur introduces a profound idea. The Torah writes “הִיא לֵאָה” (“she is Leah”) but spells it “הוּא לֵאָה” (“he is Leah”), hinting that Yaakov’s shock that morning was not simply discovering who Leah was, but discovering who he was. Leah became a mirror. When Yaakov deceived Yitzchak by dressing as Esav, he spiritually adopted the role of Esav—not in wickedness, but because Hashem needed him to carry both types of Jewish souls: those of pure light (Rachel) and those who struggle, fall, rise, and wrestle their way to greatness (Leah/Esav archetype). The moment Yaakov declared “I am Esav,” he entered the world of struggle—which meant the soulmate for that part of him was no longer Rachel alone, but Leah, who embodies exhaustion, complexity, and inner confrontation. Thus, Leah’s response was not defensive sarcasm but a deep revelation: “I didn’t merely deceive you; I stepped into the place you created. You became Esav for a holy purpose—and therefore, your Esav-part must marry its counterpart. I am the mirror of the struggle inside you.” In this view, the switch under the chuppah wasn’t random trickery. It was a continuation of Yaakov’s own spiritual journey. Rachel represents his light, innocence, and clarity; Leah represents his darkness that can be transformed into light—the hard inner work, the exhaustion, the buried pain, the shadow that must be redeemed to access deeper strength. Ultimately every Jew descends from both Rachel and Leah—both the part of us that feels aligned and luminous and the part that feels heavy, complicated, and exhausted. True wholeness comes only when both are embraced. That is why Yaakov is buried with Leah, not Rachel. His life’s completion came not only from the parts that felt easy and beautiful, but from the parts that demanded courage, mirroring, self-confrontation, and transformation. The message of the Medrash is that our “Leah moments”—our struggles, shadows, and discomfort—are not punishments but invitations to greatness. And that is the deeper meaning of the badeken: by veiling the kallah, we declare, “I am ready to marry not only the parts of you that I see now, but also the hidden parts I cannot yet see — and this commitment is only possible if I am also willing to meet, accept, and marry the hidden parts within myself.”View Source Sheets: https://portal.theyeshiva.net/api/source-sheets/9817

The Worldviews of Yaakov and Esav (Toldos 5786)

התוכן ביאור בפנימיות הענינים במ"ש [בראשון דפ' ויצא] "והנה מלאכי אלקים עולים ויורדים בו". דלכאו' הי' צ"ל "יורדים" ואח"ז "עולים"? [על שאלת המלמד של ה"רוזשינער" ממנו למה לא חשב בעצמו לשאול שאלה זו ענהו "אויף א חלום איז קיין קושיא ניט..."], כי כאשר מלאך יורד למטה ליהודי ה"ז עלי' בשביל המלאך, כי מלאך הוא מוגבל, אבל נשמה למטה קשורה עם עצומ"ה הבלתי מוגבל! וזהו אפי' אם היהודי הוא במצב של "שינה", (כמו שהי' אצל יעקב, מצד היות נשמתו כלולה מנשמות כל ישראל וכו'), כי גם הוא יכול ברגע לצאת מהגבלותיו. וזוהי גם התשובה לאלו הטוענים מנין יש להם את הכחות להפיץ המעיינות חוצה וכו', כי לכל אחד יש בלי גבול כחות להלחם עם ה"חוצה", "שרו של עשו", ואין ממה להתפעל!א' השיחות דהתוועדות שמחת בית השואבה ה'תשט"ז ל"הנחה פרטית" או התרגום ללה"ק של השיחה: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=23-11-2025 Synopsis The verse states (in rishon of Parashas Vayeitzei), “…Angels of G-d were ascending and descending it.” Seemingly, as Rashi asks, it should have said “descending” and then “ascending”? (When the Ruzhiner was a child studying Chumash, he was known to always come up with Rashi's question on the verse. But he didn't ask this question on this verse. When his teacher asked why, the Ruzhiner replied, “On a dream, there are no questions….”) The explanation according to the inner dimension of Torah is that when an angel comes down to a Jew, it is in fact an ascent for the angel, because an angel is limited, whereas a soul in this world is connected to the Hashem's Essence and Being, which is infinite. And this is true even if the Jew is “sleeping” (as was Yaakov, whose soul encompassed the souls of all Jews etc.), because even then, in a single moment, a Jew can break free from his limitations. This is also the response to those who ask how we have the power to spread the wellsprings outward etc.: Every Jew has unlimited strength to combat the “outside” and to combat “Esav's guardian angel,” and there is nothing to be intimidated by.Sichah from farbrengen of Simchas Beis Hashoevah 5716 For a transcript in English of the Sicha: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=23-11-2025 לע"נ הרה"ח הרה"ת ר' מרדכי דוב ב"ר צבי הירש ע"ה אלטיין ליום היארצייט שלו ג' כסלו. ת.נ.צ.ב.ה.

Parshas Toldos: When Nations Stir This week's Parsha brings us into the very beginning of a struggle that started before Yaakov and Esav were even born. Rivkah feels something inside her that no one can explain, leading her to cry out in fear, a moment that opens one of the most meaningful revelations in the Torah. From this inner turmoil comes a story that shapes the destiny of our people: twins drawn to opposite worlds, blessings that determine the future, and a mother who sees the truth long before anyone else. With the Radak's clarity and the Lubavitcher Rebbe's deeper insight, we explore how Rivkah's fear became the first sign of a divine plan already unfolding. It's a Parsha about confusion that becomes clarity, struggle that reveals purpose, and the quiet beginning of a destiny still alive within us.

Was Esav destined to fail or did he fail his destiny?

Two brothers step onto the world's stage and show us two kinds of power. Esau strides forward with muscle and heat, living for the rush of now. Jacob moves quieter but surer, holding fast to covenant and truth. When Isaac mutters, “the voice is Jacob's, but the hands are Esau's,” he leaves us a compass for every age: power that grabs close versus power that travels far. We follow that thread from the birthright and the blessing straight into daily life, where anxiety, headlines, and deadlines test our center.We explore how classic commentators reframe “the voice of Jacob” as more than tone or manners. It's the practice of prayer itself—speech that bridges distances and changes the one who prays. The Midrash argues that when we learn and pray aloud, adversaries lose their edge. That's not magical thinking; it's a way of ordering our world so courage beats panic and purpose outlasts pressure. We also name the modern Edoms that spark fear and ask how a spiritual tool can meet a public storm. The answer returns us to the voice: refine it, use it, and let it do the work hands can't.Then we get practical. Shacharis sets perspective. Maariv settles the night. Mincha—the hardest one to focus on—becomes the secret weapon. The Torah calls Isaac's afternoon prayer “sicha,” conversation, and that word unlocks a daily habit: pause at peak chaos and tell God exactly what's on your plate. We walk through when to insert your own words, how to think specifics inside the blessings, and how a short, honest pour-out can turn stress into strength. If you've struggled to care about Mincha, this simple shift may change your afternoons—and your week.If this resonated, share it with a friend, subscribe for more, and leave a review with one line on what you'll try at your next Mincha. Your voice might be the nudge someone else needs.Support the showJoin The Motivation Congregation WhatsApp community for daily motivational Torah content!------------------Check out our other Torah Podcasts and content! SUBSCRIBE to The Motivation Congregation Podcast for daily motivational Mussar! Listen on Spotify or 24six! Find all Torah talks and listen to featured episodes on our website, themotivationcongregation.org Questions or Comments? Please email me @ michaelbrooke97@gmail.com

This episode discusses what we can learn from how Esav performed Kibud Av Vi'Aim.

La verdadera batalla entre Yaakov y Esav era más profunda de lo que pensamos. Veamos cómo ganar esa batalla.

Esav's Shechitah (Toldos 5786)

Esav's Shechitah (Toldos 5786)

Today, we discuss the attitude of Esav vs. the attitude of his brother (Yaakov) and parents (Yitzchak and Rivka). We talk about the importance of seeing each day as an opportunity to further and deepen our connection with the Master of the Universe. Check it out to discover a beautiful story about Rav Yisroel Salanter and the shoemaker who was up late at night.My book on Chanukah -- DOVE TALES (VAYISHALACH ES HAYONAH) -- is NOW AVAILABLE on Amazon: https://a.co/d/7BzCpaBSubscribe and hit the bell to see new videos!!!#Rabbi #LearnTorah #TorahStudy #Judaism #Jewish #Torah  #Chumash #Parasha #Parsha #Parashat #Gemara #Mussar #Tefilla #Prayer

Yet I Love Yaakov. And I Hated Esav | Toldot | 5786, by Rav Eli Weber Malachi 1:1-2:7. How should we worship God?

Rivkah found out that Esav was planning to kill Yaakov, so she sent him away. What did she hear and how? And what lesson does that contain for us?Gen. 27:41-42 with commentators, Guide 1:65, Pesachim 54b.

Esav and Yaakob are twins who, with all of their differences have striking similarities. The differences between them can be subtle. But they are significant because they define us as a nation. In this episode we discuss the relationship Yaakob and Esav have with time. And how that has direct implications on how we as Jews, see the world and live every day. Link to Podcast mentioned in this episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6eVvopDpwg42TxiUMXKPVi?si=rM6ZcVZyQcC260Awdmwsrw

In this week's Parsha Rabbi Kohn looks at the story of Jacob stealing the blessings from Esav. How he listened to the plan thought of by his mother Rivka to "deceive" Yitzchak. What was Rivka thinking? What was her true intent? What is the message for us? He also gives over a powerful lesson on being careful with the feelings of others even when you are in the "right". Subscribe to The Practical Parsha Podcast. For questions or comments please email RabbiShlomoKohn@gmail.com. To listen to Rabbi Kohn's other podcast use this link- the-pirkei-avos-podcast.castos.com/  If you would like to support this podcast please use this secure link to donate: SUPPORT THE PODCAST Chapters (00:00:00) - Parshas Parshas(00:02:01) - The Parasha(00:06:23) - The Characteristics of Yaakov and Esav(00:10:38) - Stealing the Brachos from Esav(00:15:45) - Parsha 3, The Deception of Esav(00:18:33) - Parsha 5: Because Yaakov Stole the Blessings

Explore Parshas Toldos weekly Torah portion through Rav Pinkus's profound insights on character development, personal growth, and spiritual transformation for Torah learners.Why does the Torah define Esav by idleness rather than his eventual wickedness? Rav Pinkus in the Tiferes Shimshon reveals a startling answer: your deepest character isn't formed during mandatory obligations—it's forged in your free time. What you do with those unguarded 10 minutes between obligations isn't merely revealing who you are; it's actually creating who you're becoming.The episode contrasts Esav (ish sadeh—a man of the field, wasting time) with Yaakov (yoshev ohalim—dwelling in tents of learning). Through Torah commentary from multiple sources, including insights from Rav Kamenetsky, this shiur explores how two yeshiva students with identical abilities and identical sedarim developed completely different spiritual trajectories. The difference? Those 10-minute gaps between classes—where one pursued kedusha while the other chose idleness.Perfect for Orthodox Jews, Torah learners, and anyone balancing professional life with spiritual aspirations, this weekly Torah podcast offers practical wisdom for daily living. Your free time isn't insignificant—it's foundational. These episodes reveal how understanding your choices in unguarded moments transforms your entire trajectory, showing why what you do when no one's watching is what ultimately defines your destiny.

Toldot | The Gerar Conundrum, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What happened during Yitzchak and Rivka's twenty years of childlessness?  In reading through the presentation of Yitzchak's life in Parashat Toldot, there seems to be a disconnect between the opening narratives of the birth and early years of Yaakov and Esav, and the subsequent narrative cycle of Yitzchak and Rivka in Gerar (chapter 26:1-33). We propose what at first seems to be a revolutionary explanation for the puzzles this sequencing raises - but, on further reflection, note that it is built upon an approach that is well-anchored in rabbinic sources. Source sheet >>

Send us a textThe age of Esav

Parashat Toldot - The hidden potential in Esav by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

We hope you enjoy this shiur. If you would like to sponsor or dedicate any of our shiurim or help with the running costs please do not hesitate to get in contact with us at office@rabbiroodyn.com or WhatsApp +447791221449 May Hashem heal the wounded, free the captives and lead our soldiers to a swift and painless victory. #jew #jewish #torah #torahfortoughtimes #rabbiroodyn #bringthemhome #rabbi #torahanytime #Judaism #Israel #shiur #responsetotragictimes #jewishunderstanding

Shiur given by Rabbi Benzion Brodie on Rabbi Brodie Mussar. Shiur recorded in Yeshivas Ohr Reuven, Monsey, NY.

Before we leave Esav we list his extensive progeny - children, military generals and kings. Esav would appear to have a kingdom that is fully formed, way before Israel become a nation. And that might be the point!I referenced this article in the podcast https://www.alexisrael.org/single-post/2019/12/12/vayishlach-insignificant-verses-really