Congratulations to my grandson Benyamin Shmuel who
reaches the age of Mitzvos this Shabbos on the English Calendar and on the 29th
of Kislev on the Hebrew Calendar. Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend
the upcoming party as planned but want to bless him.
Chanucha is upon us already. Sometimes you learn a Halacha once,
twice even 10 times but when it does not apply you forget. So review and review
the Halachos. Remember that there is a free copy of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch
on www.yonanewman.org under part 2 for Chanucha.
Also this coming week we have Rosh Chodesh.
Rabbi Kovacs Shlita explains the name Yisrael. Gematria - The name
from the wrestling of the Angel Satan Sin +Tet +Nun is 359 and Yacov Yu +Ayin +Kuf
+Bet is 182 together they form Yisrael Yud +Sin +Resh +Aleph +Lamed or 541
Parsha Vayeishev Part 1
This week’s Parsha
starts out that finally the Tzaddik, Yacov-Yisrael, has a little pleasure in
his life and his sons are taking over the business in their 20’s and Yosef is
an older teen. In our Parsha, both Yehuda and Yosef are starting out to make
the Moshiach. It will only be in next week’s Parsha that Yosef marries.
37:1 And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojornings, in the
land of Canaan. 2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen
years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren, being still a lad even with
the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph
brought evil report of them unto their father.
Yacov has 12 sons and yet only one is mentioned. For because of a
few colored bans on Yosef’s garment and giving him more love than the other
sons, Yacov caused jealousy to arise. Always there will be one child that feels
left out whether the case is so or not and it can be, no matter how fair a
person is, that one will get just a wee bit more than another. Yosef’s dreams
just added to the jealousy and hatred and Yacov could see it and rebuked him.
3
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of
his old age; and he made him a coat of many colors. …
I shall repeat the last commentary next week hopefully a full
Drasha and Parsha Mikeitz too. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I had to
cancel my stay in the States and arrange for a quicker return trip. Hopefully
despite the return trip, I hope to finish both Parshiyos next week.
Rebbetzin
Jungreis’s Tell-It-Like-It-Is Dating Advice
“Can I tell you a story about your mother?”
The young woman approached me after a recent lecture. I am always happy to hear another story about my beloved mother, Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis, obm. It’s as if I am receiving precious regards from Above.
But this anecdote was different. It’s a message to all those who are dating or know someone contemplating marriage.
The woman explained that she was ‘an older single.’ After running to too many single events, endless dating online, and meeting countless shadchanim/ matchmakers, she was ready to give up the search. What else was there left for her to do?
A family member suggested that she attend a monthly lecture that my mother gave. Perhaps meeting in person would help bring about a successful connection.
At the end of the class the woman worked through the crowd to speak to my mother. “Rebbetzin, can I talk to you for a few moments? I think someone called to tell you that I’d be here today.”
“Yes, of course. Follow me. Let’s have a conversation outside in quiet while I gather my things and get ready to go home.”
They walked together until they reached a private spot.
“I am dating for marriage but I feel as if I’m not getting anywhere. Here I am still single after all these years and still…..nothing.”
Not a minute went by before my mother responded.
“So now I am going to tell you something. You need to change.”
“Sheyfelah (sweet dear), I am known to tell it like it is.
If you need to improve your makeup I will tell you to go for a makeover. If
there is a run in your stockings I will tell you to look yourself over and get
a new pair. And if you have bad breath I will tell you to brush your teeth. So
now I am going to tell you something. You need to change.”“Rebbetzin, I must tell you that I try so hard. I take really good care of myself to look good. I always keep an extra pair of stockings handy just in case. And my bag is filled with breath mints whenever I am on a date.”
“That’s not what I mean. I mean your attitude needs changing.”
“My attitude? Why do you say that? What needs to change?”
“You do. You give off this really tough attitude.”
“Huh?”
“The entire time I spoke you sat there with your arms folded. I know people and I am telling you that you need to soften up. There is a tough attitude you’re giving off and it’s not good for dating or marriage.”
“But that’s how I sit.”
“Sheyfelah, I’m telling you that I’ve been a Rebbetzin for many, many years. I see things. If you’re honest with yourself you will know what I’m talking about.”
“I went home,” the woman told me, “closed my door and sat for a long time. I may have even cried a little because I realized that if I wanted to be totally truthful, your mother was right. I was tough. I had just been dating a sweet and wonderful guy. And you know what I told him? Just that week I had said, ‘Listen, this is not going to work. You’re great but you’re just too nice. I can’t relate to such a super nice guy.’ What was I thinking?”
She paused for a moment and then gave the clincher.
“That night I called him up and I told him that I’d like to try again. And here we are ten years later. We got married, have adorable kids and he is just the best husband a girl could ask for. I never would be having this conversation with you today if your mother didn’t wake me up that day. She gave me the best advice I ever got. I needed to seriously change my attitude. “
I told her how impressed I was that she took my mother’s advice to heart.
“Well to tell you the truth, at first I felt that being single is hard enough and I didn’t need someone telling me what to do or how I need to change as if it is my fault. But then I took a quiet moment to think and realized that it’s not about blame or fault. It’s about being brave and strong enough to take on a new direction.”
I asked her permission to share and she, herself, felt that it was crucial. Perhaps somebody else could transform their lives the way she did.
There are times in every person’s life that one needs to take a good look in the emotional mirror and be truthful. Whether it is a tough attitude while dating, looking down on a spouse, being harsh with family members or condescending with people in our lives, it becomes easy to push people away. Without realizing it, we build walls and then wonder why we feel stuck.
Change requires real courage. Not many have a person who will be the spiritual compass pointing to which direction is now needed to transform one’s life. And even if you are fortunate enough to have someone with that wisdom, you then need an open heart and mind to take the necessary steps to change.
When Adam and Eve found themselves hiding among the trees in the Garden of Eden, God asked a question of just one word.
“Ayacha – where are you?”
More than a physical awareness, it was a spiritual perception that God was trying to relay. Where are you? How did you get into this situation? What happened to you?
The Torah tells us that Adam was afraid. He felt ashamed. He hid.
‘Ayacha’ is the question we are obligated to ask ourselves when we feel as if we stand alone and nothing is going our way. But instead of falling into fear, shame or seeking a place to hide, we must seek the truth and recognize where we need to change to bring about hope and healing. We can challenge ourselves to climb higher and look for people who will bring goodness into our lives.
Confronting ourselves is difficult. But once we make a decision to do better we can then live better. Take a moment, contemplate where you would like to change, chart your course, begin today. You can transform your life.
The fluctuating
Price of Lumber by R’ Yerachmiel Tilles
Before Rabbi
Simcha-Bunim became the Peshischa Rebbe, there were years when he earned his
living as a lumber merchant, working for the famous wealthy man, Mr. Dov-Ber
Zitkover.
Once R. Bunim took a
large shipment of wood from Warsaw to Danzig, where the annual grand trade fair
was being held. By the time he reached Danzig, the price of wood had fallen
drastically. All of the other lumber merchants were forced to dump their
merchandise at a great loss. He, however, decided to hold on to his goods and
wait for the price to rise again, even though his financial situation could ill
afford the delay.
When his condition
became critical, he lifted his voice in prayer, saying, "G-d Al-mighty, we
see in Your Torah that Potifar's house was blessed in Yosef's merit. I cannot
begin to compare myself to Yosef, but neither can I compare my Jewish master,
Reb Dov Ber, to Potifar the Egyptian. Let me plead, therefore, that you help my
employer and bless him, as you did Yosef!"
His prayer did not
go unanswered. Moments after the words were out of his mouth, a lumber merchant
rushed in to the room, announcing that, somehow, the price of wood had just
soared again. Rabbi Simcha Bumin was able to sell the wood at a great profit
for Reb Dov-Ber!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from "Tales of Tzaddikim" (ArtScroll) by G. Matov.
Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from "Tales of Tzaddikim" (ArtScroll) by G. Matov.
Biographic note:
Rabbi Simcha-Bunim of Peshischa (1765 - 12 Elul 1827), before becoming a Rebbe, spent many years as a business man and a pharmacist. He was a beloved disciple of "the Seer" and of "The Holy Yid" whom he succeeded. Known as "a Rebbe of Rebbes," his major disciples included the Kotsker Rebbe and the first Rebbes of Ger and Alexander.
Rabbi Simcha-Bunim of Peshischa (1765 - 12 Elul 1827), before becoming a Rebbe, spent many years as a business man and a pharmacist. He was a beloved disciple of "the Seer" and of "The Holy Yid" whom he succeeded. Known as "a Rebbe of Rebbes," his major disciples included the Kotsker Rebbe and the first Rebbes of Ger and Alexander.
Connection: Weekly Reading -
Yosef & Potifar (Gen. 39:1-5)
Milestones at close to 100 this lady fled the Nazis with her
siblings. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zsa_Zsa_Gabor
Israeli Courts on a he said she said always rule in favor of the
woman. He complained of blackmail and went to jail http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4894677,00.html
Not a reindeer. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/12/17/dashing-through-home-teen-shoots-deer-in-living-room.html?refresh=true
Very poor Jewish
education for the non-religious: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4897092,00.html
Chelsea Clinton’s good friend harassed on Jet Blue Flight. http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ivanka-trump-children-harassed-on-jetblue-flight-report/ar-BBxseBW?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartanntp
Inyanay
Diyoma
Aviation expert murdered in Tunisia. Israeli Mossad? http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/221868
Amona compromise accepted averting a dismantling of the Yeshuv: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/221898
Debka on new ME Policy: http://debka.com/article/25843/Who’s-afraid-of-Donald-Trump-in-the-Middle-East-
Industrial Scale Weapons Factory found in Chevron home. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4895156,00.html
New Russian Fighter: http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/19/europe/russia-new-stealth-fighter-jet-t-50/index.html
One could be an honor killing the other terror or plain murder: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4895969,00.html
Iran before Trump speeds up Nuclear Ballitic Playload Systems. https://www.algemeiner.com/2016/12/19/with-trump-presidency-looming-iranian-officials-vow-to-accelerate-nuclear-propulsion-ballistic-missile-systems/
IDF prepares for Chemical and Biological War in the north: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4896610,00.html
Arab MK who smuggled cellphones to Arab Inmates stripped of
immunity: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/222069
US weapons given to the Lebanese Army are used by Hezballah in
Syria: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4896860,00.html
Montana Nazis in the Daily Stormer threaten 25 Jews in the area. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/222129
Ed-Op by Alex Fishman on the assassination of the Aeronautical
Engineer of Hamas: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4894506,00.html
Shin Bet exposes Hamas Murder Squad: http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Hamas-suicide-bombing-plots-in-Haifa-Jerusalem-foiled-by-Israel-476216
Have a wonderful Shabbos, Chanucha Samayach and Chodesh
Teves Tov,
Rachamim Pauli
