Good Shabbos Gen. 25:19 – 28:9
Parsha Toldos
Last week, we read about the Shidduch
and Marriage of Yitzchak and Rivka. This week, after the burial of Avraham, it
is appropriate to continue with Yitzchak who physically and spiritually
inherited his father.
25:19 And these are the generations of
Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begot Isaac.
Avraham, who spread his religion
from Iraq, Turkey, Israel and Egypt is replaced by the Holy Sacrifice Yitzchak.
Yitzchak was too holy to leave Eretz Yisrael (or in his day Eretz Canaan).
20
And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the
Aramean, of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. 21
And Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD
let Himself be entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Last week, we read that Yitzchak was
comforted by Rivka as woman of the house and that he loved her. According to
the authorities that hold that Rivka was three when she married, so nine out of
the first ten years were not normal for a wife to have children. [Pedophilia is
a western concept and foreign to the region of the fertile crescent through
India – thus we have the Halacha of a poor man selling his daughter as a
‘slave/servant’ of a rich man in order that she should marry him or his son if
not upon puberty she goes free.] Only after another 10 years and they were
married around 20 years did he worry that she might be barren.
22
And the children struggled together within her; and she said: 'If it be so,
wherefore do I live?' And she went to inquire of the LORD.
At first she was worried that she
had one schizophrenic child trying to get out by an idol house or the Beis
Medrash of Shem.
23
And the LORD said unto her: Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall
be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the
other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
Shem (aka Malchizedek) was the
prophet.
24
And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in
her womb. 25 And the first came forth ruddy, all over like a hairy mantle; and
they called his name Esau.
He was full of small hairs like
grass growing hence Esav.
26
And after that came forth his brother, and his hand had hold on Esau's heel;
and his name was called Jacob. And Isaac was threescore years old when she bore
them.
After 20 years of marriage.
27
And the boys grew; and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob
was a quiet man, dwelling in tents.
Esav had the
animal skin coat of Adam and could sneak up and capture prey. –
Midrash. Yacov was in a tent attending the flock and herd. He
also studied Torah in the tent.
28
Now Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison; and Rebekah loved
Jacob.
The father,
being busy with Torah, Mitzvos and the souls that Avraham made only saw
the external projection of Esav. Rivka, on the other hand, observed the boys as
she cleaned, cooked and they grew up. She loved Yacov as he was straight
forward. In essence what you see is what you get.
29
And Jacob sod pottage; and Esau came in from the field, and he was faint.
Midrash: It
was the day that Avraham died. He went out to hunt venison.
He came upon an engaged woman by contract (status married) and ignored
her “no”, idolatry either he worshipped or mentioned
power of gods, he saw what he thought was an animal (Nimrod in
the suit of Adam) and killed him, he ate a limb of a living animal
and one other thing that I forgot. That is why he was exhausted and
faint.
30
And Esau said to Jacob: 'Let me swallow, I pray thee, some of this red, red
pottage; for I am faint.' Therefore was his name called Edom.
Edom from the
Hebrew word for red which is similar sounding and perhaps his red hair.
31
And Jacob said: 'Sell me first thy birthright.' 32 And Esau said: 'Behold, I am
at the point to die; and what profit shall the birthright do to me?'
It was not
only his birthright to Eretz Yisrael but also his portion in the next world.
33
And Jacob said: 'Swear to me first'; and he swore unto him; and he sold his
birthright unto Jacob. 34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and
he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his
birthright.
He was only
interested in Olam HaZeh (this world) not Olam HaBa (next world).
26:1
And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the
days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto
Gerar. 2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said: 'Go not down unto Egypt;
dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of. 3 Sojourn in this land, and I
will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I
will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore unto
Abraham thy father;
Since you were on the level of a
sacrifice, you cannot leave Eretz Yisrael.
Do not go down to Egypt. For he had in mind to go down to
Egypt as his father had gone down in the days of the famine. He [God] said to
him, “Do not go down to Egypt.” You are [as] a perfect burnt offering, and
being outside the Holy Land is not fitting for you. [Tanchuma Buber, Toledoth 6; Gen.
Rabbah 64:3]
4
and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy
seed all these lands; and by thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bless
themselves; 5 because that Abraham hearkened to My voice, and kept My charge,
My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.'
He was
promised future generations.
6
And Isaac dwelt in Gerar. 7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and
he said: 'She is my sister'; for he feared to say: 'My wife'; 'lest the men of
the place should kill me for Rebekah, because she is fair to look upon.' 8 And
it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the
Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting
with Rebekah his wife. 9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said: 'Behold, of a
surety she is thy wife; and how said thou: She is my sister?' And Isaac said
unto him: 'Because I said: Lest I die because of her.'
There is
no fear of heaven in this place and will murder me for my wife.
10
And Abimelech said: 'What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people
might easily have lain with thy wife, and thou would have brought guiltiness
upon us.'
He was
capable of murder for this woman and would take her by force.
11
And Abimelech charged all the people, saying: 'He that touches
this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.'
Avimelech
understood that Yitzchak was a prophet.
12
And Isaac sowed in that land, and found in the same year a hundredfold; and the
LORD blessed him. 13 And the man waxed great, and grew more and more
until he became very great. 14 And he had possessions of flocks, and
possessions of herds, and a great household; and the Philistines envied him.
This is
perhaps the first recorded case of antisemitism and it appears out of jealousy
for the success of Yitzchak (the Jew, who is not one of us).
15
Now all the wells which his father's servants had dug
in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled
them with earth. 16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac: 'Go from us; for thou art
much mightier than we.'
Your G-D
is better than our gods, your crop yield is better, etc.
17
And Isaac departed thence, and encamped in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt
there. 18 And Isaac duigged
again the wells of water, which they had duigged
in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after
the death of Abraham; and he called their names after the names by which his
father had called them. 19 And Isaac's servants diugged in the valley,
and found there a well of living water. 20 And the herdmenherdsmen
of Gerar strove with Isaac's herdsmen, saying: 'The water is ours.' And he
called the name of the well Esek; because they contended with him.
Esek =
strife.
21
And they diugged another well,
and they strove for that also. And he called the name of it Sitnah.
Sitnah =
hatred.
22
And he removed from thence, and dug
another well; and for that they strove not. And he called the name of it Rehoboth;
and he said: 'For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful
in the land.'
Rehovot =
wide enough.
23
And he went up from thence to Beersheba. 24 And the LORD appeared unto him the
same night, and said: 'I am the God of Abraham thy father. Fear not, for I am
with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for My servant Abraham's
sake.'
Avraham
was proactive regarding HASHEM while Yitzchak was trying to consolidate what
Avraham had achieved but did not expand upon.
25
And he built an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched
his tent there; and there Isaac's servants dug
a well. 26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend, and
Phicol the captain of his host. 27 And Isaac said unto them: 'Wherefore are ye
come unto me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?'
You
kicked me off your portion of the land and so why to you come to me.
28
And they said: 'We saw plainly that the LORD was with thee; and we said: Let
there now be an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a
covenant with thee; 29 that thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched
thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away
in peace; thou art now the blessed of the LORD.'
The
basically bullied him to a bris (treaty) through their army and might.
30
And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink. 31 And they rose up
betimes in the morning, and swore one to another; and Isaac sent them away, and
they departed from him in\
peace. 32 And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and
told him concerning the well which they had diuggged,
and said unto him: 'We have found water.' 33 And he called it Shibah. Therefore
the name of the city is Beer-sheba unto this day.
Called it
the place of swearing but the name Beersheva stuck.
34
And when Esau was forty years old, he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri
the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35 And they
were a bitterness of spirit
unto Isaac and to Rebekah.
The
Yiddishe Mama in Rivka did not like her son picks for wives from Hittite/Canaan
background and not from a family background that was worthy of her son.
27:1
And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he
could not see, he called Esau his elder son, and said unto him: 'My son'; and
he said unto him: 'Here am I.' 2 And he said: 'Behold now, I am old, I know not
the day of my death.
Sarah
died at the age of 127 and he had just turned 123 or around 5 years prior to
the age of her passing.
3
Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go
out to the field, and take me venison;
Only a crack shot could perfectly
kosher slaughter with a bow, but shooting a net or trap and then slaughtering with a knife as weapons are mentioned.
your sword. Heb. תֶּלְיךְָ, your sword, which is usually hung לִתְלוֹתָה. So, now,
sharpen. שָׂא נָא an expression of sharpening, as
we learned in the Mishnah (Beizah 28a): “We may not sharpen a knife [on a whet-stone] but we may
sharpen it (מַשִּׂיאָה) against another one [on Yom-Tov].” [Isaac said]: “Sharpen your
knife and slaughter properly, lest you feed me Nevaila ” [an animal not slaughtered according to ritual law] (Gen. Rabbah 65: 13). and hunt for me. from ownerless [game], and not
from stolen [animals]. [Gen. Rabbah 65:13]
4
and make me savoury food, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat;
that my soul may bless thee before I die.'
That you
will receive my blessing.
5
And Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field
to hunt for venison, and to bring it. 6 And Rebekah spoke unto Jacob her
son, saying: 'Behold, I heard thy father speakunto Esau thy brother, saying: 7 Bring me venison, and make me
savoury food, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death. 8
Now therefore, my son, hearken to my voice according to that which I command
thee. 9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the
goats; and I will make them savoury food for thy father, such as he loves;
10 and thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, so that he may bless
thee before his death.' 11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother: 'Behold, Esau
my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12 My father peradventure
will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a mocker; and I shall bring a curse
upon me, and not a blessing.'
My father
will grab my hand and head before the blessing and will feel my smooth skin vs.
Esav hairy, grass like body. He may become infuriated at my Chutzpa (audacity)
and bring a curse upon me.
13
And his mother said unto him: 'Upon me be thy curse, my son; only hearken to my
voice, and go fetch me them.'
I will
bear the curse. [Little did Yacov know that through his talking he would in the
future bring a curse of death upon Rachel, his beloved.]
14
And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother; and his mother made
savoury food, such as his father loved. 15 And Rebekah took the choicest
garments of Esau her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them
upon Jacob her younger son. 16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats
upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck.
He had
gloves and a neck cover that made him hairy.
17
And she gave the savoury food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the
hand of her son Jacob. 18 And he came unto his father, and said: 'My father';
and he said: 'Here am I; who art thou, my son?' 19 And Jacob said unto his
father: 'I am Esau thy first-born; I have done according as thou bade me.
Arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.'
I am…Esau…your firstborn. [He meant]: I am the one who is
bringing you [food] and Esau is your firstborn. [From Tanchuma Buber] I have done. many things, as you have spoken
to me. sit down. Heb. שְׁבָה, an expression of
sitting around the table [at a meal]. Therefore, it is rendered [by Onkelos] אִסְתְּחַר.
20
And Isaac said unto his son: 'How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my
son?' And he said: 'Because the LORD thy God sent me good speed.'
A good
answer for a man who experienced miracles of 100 times crop yield, a ram caught
in the bush near the area of sacrifice, and many more.
21
And Isaac said unto Jacob: 'Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my
son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.' 22 And Jacob went near unto
Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said: 'The voice is the voice of Jacob,
but the hands are the hands of Esau.'
My Rabbis
taught me that the voice is the prayers and Torah recital of Yacov and the hand
is the hand of war (and mayhem - RP) of Esav.
the voice of Jacob. who speaks entreatingly: “Please
rise,” but Esau spoke harshly, “Let my father arise!” [From Tanchuma Buber, Toledoth 15]
23
And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's
hands; so he blessed him. 24 And he said: 'Art thou my very son Esau?' And he
said: 'I am.'
One who
lies brings on the Angel of Death but telling the truth and letting the listen
draw his own conclusion is not a lie. And he said, “I am.”. He did not say, “I am Esau,” but
“I am.” [From Num. Rabbah 10:6]
25
And he said: 'Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my
soul may bless thee.' And he brought it near to him, and he did eat; and he
brought him wine, and he drank. 26 And his father Isaac said unto him: 'Come
near now, and kiss me, my son.'
He still
suspected that Yacov was trying to steal the Bracha so he brought him close
enough to smell his garment.
and he smelled, etc.. Is it not so that there is no
odor more offensive than that of washed goat skins? But this teaches us that
the fragrance of the Garden of Eden entered with him. [From Tanchuma Buber 16] is like the fragrance of
a field, which the Lord has blessed. for He gave it a pleasant
fragrance, and this is a field of apples. So did our Sages explain it. [From Ta’anith 29b]
27
And he came near, and kissed him. And he smelled the smell of his raiment, and
blessed him, and said: See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field
which the LORD hath blessed. 28 So God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of
the fat places of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine. 29 Let peoples serve
thee, and nations bow down to thee. Be lord over thy brethren, and let thy
mother's sons bow down to thee. Cursed be every one that curses
thee, and blessed be every one that blesses
thee. 30 And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing
Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father,
that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
HASHEM
made a miracle that Yacov and Rivka could perform the act of getting the
blessing without Esav knowing what was happening.
31
And he also made savoury food, and brought it unto his father; and he said unto
his father: 'Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul
may bless me.' 32 And Isaac his father said unto him: 'Who art thou?' And he
said: 'I am thy son, thy first-born, Esau.' 33 And Isaac trembled very
exceedingly, and said: 'Who then is he that hath taken venison, and brought it
me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and
he shall be blessed.'
He ‘saw’
hell as Esav entered and shuttered but then realized that Yacov wanted the
blessing so badly that his heart also softened to Yacov.
And Isaac shuddered. [וַיֶּחרָד is to be explained] as the Targum, וּתְוָה, an expression of bewilderment. According to the Midrash, however, he [actually shuddered because] he saw Gehinnom open
beneath him. [From Tanchuma,
Vezoth HaBracha 1] Who then. [the word] אֵפוֹא is an expression by itself, which
has many usages. Another explanation: אֵפוֹא is a combination of אַיּה [where] and פֹּה [here], [so that מִי אֵפוֹא means]: Who is he and where is
he, who hunted game? and I ate of everything. Any flavors I wished to taste, I
tasted in it (Gen. Rabbah 67:2). He, too, shall be
blessed. That you should not say that had Jacob not deceived his father,
he would not have received the blessings. Therefore, he concurred and blessed
him intentionally (Gen.
Rabbah 67:2).
34
When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceeding great and
bitter cry, and said unto his father: 'Bless me, even me also, O my father.'
Amalek
came from Esav and would cause Mordechai to scream in the future.
35
And he said: 'Thy brother came with guile, and hath taken away thy blessing.'
36 And he said: 'Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these
two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my
blessing.' And he said: 'Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?' 37 And
Isaac answered and said unto Esau: 'Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all
his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I
sustained him; and what then shall I do for thee, my son?' 38 And Esau said
unto his father: 'Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me
also, O my father.' And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. 39
And Isaac his father answered and said unto him: Behold, of the fat places of
the earth shall be thy dwelling, and of the dew of heaven from above;
Yacov
received a blessing of the dew of heaven and Esav of the fat of the earth which
was the difference between Olam HaBa and Olam Hazeh.
40
And by thy sword shalt thou live, and thou shalt serve thy brother; and it
shall come to pass when thou shalt break loose, that thou shalt shake his yoke
from off thy neck. 41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the
blessing wherewith his father blessed him. And Esau said in his heart: 'Let the
days of mourning for my father be at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.' 42 And the words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah; and
she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him: 'Behold, thy
brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.
Rabbi Simon
Bar Yochai said: Halacha that is known that Esav hates Yacov. In modern terms
it can be hidden by a Tucker Carlson or J.D. Vance but it is there on one
disguise or another.
43
Now therefore, my son, hearken to my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my
brother to Haran; 44 and tarry with him a few days, until thy
brother's fury turn away;
It would
end up 14 years in the Beis Medrash of Shem and Ever in Salem and 20 years with
Lavan and still there was burning hatred.
45
until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou
hast done to him; then I will send, and fetch thee from thence; why should I be
bereaved of you both in one day?' 46 And Rebekah said to Isaac:
'I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob take a wife
of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, what
good shall my life do me?'
What good
is my life with these unworthy Canaanite daughters-in-law! Let Yacov marry a
nice Haran Woman.
28:1
And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him:
'Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. 2 Arise, go to
Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife
from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother. 3 And God Almighty
bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a
congregation of peoples; 4 and give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and
to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land of thy sojournings,
which God gave unto Abraham.'
This time
Yacov got a Bracha that he deserved and that to inherit the land.
5
And Isaac sent away Jacob; and he went to Paddan-aram unto Laban, son of
Bethuel the Aramean, 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 thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge,
saying: 'Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan'; 7 and that
Jacob hearkened to his father and his mother, and was gone to Paddan-aram; 8
and Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; 9 so
Esau went unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives that he had Mahalath the
daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife.
It takes
the blessing from Yitzchak to make Esav begin to think that his marriage to
idol worshipping women did not bring pleasure to his parents.
After you
finish reading, you will understand why it is necessary
to pass it on to as many people as possible.
And so, as
Shkula writes: On the upcoming Memorial Day, I would like
to tell the story of Keren, my daughter, who was killed in Lebanon.
The helicopter
pilot, who was in the helicopter a few minutes before
this, was forced to witness the terrible scene, and thanks to his bravery, the
kidnapping of Keren's body was prevented. Her body was not found.
The message
about Keren's death in Lebanon and that her body is currently missing was
received on the night
following August 12, 2006. Not only did we lose Keren in such a tragic and
sudden way, but we were also certain that there would be no more body of Keren
to be buried in the grave Israel.
In order to
find the remains of Keren's body in Lebanon, the 669th
unit and "Shaldag" were sent into Lebanon.
Those who
assisted them in the search were the battalion commander of the paratrooper’s unit who was
stationed in the area, and after the war, he was also awarded a Medal of Merit
for his bravery.
Three days
after the helicopter was shot down by Hezbollah, the remains of Keren's body
were found under a certain part of the helicopter. 669 fighters
and Shaldag were forced to hide with parts of Keren's body in a hiding place in
Lebanon. Out of fear that Hezbollah
terrorists would be watching them.
Under the
cover of darkness, on the night of August 16, 2006, Keren's fighters,
accompanied by paratroopers, carried her body to Israel’s grave. 20 years have
passed since Keren was killed. Keren, who was the only child
of her father and brother, is now a veteran. I am an adult myself, and my
father is also dealing with Parkinson's disease these days.
The thought
that there will be no one to tell and continue to pass on Keren's story, who
was killed for the State of Israel at the age of
26 before she was able to get married and have children of her own - breaks my
heart and soul.
I ask you not
to let this happen. On the
upcoming Memorial Day, which will
mark 20 years since Keren's fall in Lebanon - tell the story of my
daughter, R.S. Keren Tendler, the first and only soldier to fall in Lebanon.
Thank you from
the bottom of my heart, Riya, Keren's mother.
Financial Problems When Turning 90 by Rabbi
Yerachmiel Tillis
https://ascentofsafed.com/Stories/Stories/5787/1509-10.html
For many years
until his death in 1969, Rabbi Yosef-Shlomo Kahaneman, would
annually visit Miami Beach, Florida, in order to raise funds for the Ponovez (or Ponevitch)
Yeshiva, which he headed. Rabbi Berel Wein (from whom this story is known), was
a rabbi in a Miami Shul during that period. He developed a close relationship
with Rav Kahaneman, and on many occasions, he would drive him around to the
homes of wealthy members of his congregation
to collect money.
Rav Kahaneman had a magnetic personality, and his
love for every single Jew was clear and apparent at all times. As a result,
these wealthy individuals enjoyed the time spent in their homes with the Rav, and looked forward to his visits while the Rav was
in town.
Rabbi Wein recalls that there was one man in his
congregation, a widower with no children, who had retired years earlier and
moved to Miami from New York City. This man had been a successful attorney until a number of medical issues stopped him
from working.
The doctors were not very optimistic about his
recovery, and the man decided to retire and move to Miami. He purchased an
annuity (a financial product that pays out income, a reliable means of securing a steady cash flow for an individual
during his retirement years, and to alleviate fears of outliving one's assets)
that would last until the age of ninety, bought a beautiful home and awaited
the inevitable, living in comfort.
Fortunately for this man, the inevitable was very long in coming,
and at the age of eighty-eight, he was still energetic, and sharp. He was also
an outstanding member and donor to the Miami community. Rav Kahaneman developed
an attachment to this gentleman, and the two would engage in hours of conversation. Rabbi Wein
would drive the Rav to the man's home at least two or three times each winter,
and the wealthy retiree would always conclude their meetings with a check of no
less than $5,000 each and every time.
However, Rabbi Wein became aware of a change in the man when
he turned ninety and his annuity ran out. Now, he had no more income and aside
from his home, he had very few assets. Rabbi Wein wasn't even sure if the man
had any cash available for necessary staples. So when the Rav Kahaneman came to town and asked him
one morning if they can go visit his elderly friend, Rabbi Wein was
uncharacteristically hesitant.
He explained to the Rav that the man's situation
had changed and he barely had enough money to live. He didn't feel it was appropriate to visit him at
this time and expect a donation, but the Rav Kahaneman wouldn't hear of it.
"Of course, we must go see him! Now, especially, he would want us to visit
him!"
The two got in the car and drove out to the man's home. They rang the bell and the man opened the
door. When he saw who was standing there, his face immediately fell and turned
white. He began to stammer that perhaps it was not a good time for visitors,
but Rav Kahaneman just smiled, shook his hand warmly and kissed him on the cheek.
They sat down together inside and the man began
telling the Rav how his income had dried up and he was sadly unable to write
out even a small check to the Yeshivah. The Rav Kahaneman stopped him in
mid-sentence and said, "My dear friend, you don't need to worry. For so many
years, you took care of the Ponovez Yeshivah. Now, the Yeshivah is
happy to take care of you!"
The Rav asked how much the annuity had paid him for
all the years, and then assured the elderly man that as long as he lived, the Yeshivah would continue making
payments in that exact amount! The man ended up living until the age of
ninety-six, and for the final six years of his life, he indeed received a check
every quarter in the amount he was accustomed to.
Rabbi Wein
later learned that the bulk of the money came from the Ponovicher Rav's
personal bank account and allowed the man to live out his years in comfort,
peace of mind, and with dignity. When the man passed away, the will contained
his final donation - he left his
beautiful expensive home to the Ponovez Yeshivah!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-
Source: Modified by
Yerachmiel Tilles from the posting on queensjewishlink.com, taken from
the popular
"Torah Tavlin" series of books by Rabbi Dovid
Hoffman.
Why This Week? The Torah
reading offers insights into problems of aging: teenage, mid-life and elderly.
Biographic
note:
Rabbi Yosef-Shlomo Kahaneman [1888 - 21
Elul 1969], a brilliant Torah scholar, served as the head of the Ponovez Yeshiva in
Lithuania, where he was born, prior to World War
II. Escaping war-torn Europe with his son Avraham [his wife and his other nine
children perished in the Holocaust], they immigrated to Israel in 1940. Three
years later, he became the founder and first head of the re-established institution
in Bnei Brak. He also served on the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah (Council of Torah
Sages). Rabbi Kahaneman was also a pioneer of Chesed (acts of
kindness). He founded Yarchei Kallah, a learning program that made Torah
accessible even to those not in
yeshivas, and established institutions for children who had survived the
Holocaust.
[Excerpted from hidabroot.com/article/9783. photo credit: NerTzaddik.com]
Milestone: Stanley Zabar,
94, https://www.timesofisrael.com/stanley-zabar-co-owner-of-iconic-new-york-jewish-grocery-dies-at-94/
Inyanay Diyoma
Nov. 76th
and Nov. 87th
Day 11287 & Day 11298 since Oct. 7th Roaring Lion Day 22928
& Day 23029
start of week 162
CENTCOM disables ship running
blockade. https://www.foxnews.com/video/6408077214112
Somebody is getting the wrong message.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/michael-oren-the-midterms-ended-the-us-israel-special-relationship/
Netanyahu relations with US growing stronger. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435771
197
https://www.timesofisrael.com/three-arab-men-shot-dead-within-24-hours-in-northern-israel/
In Michigan there are Mishuginers (crazies). https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-jews-continued-to-back-democrats-in-midterms-amid-generational-chasm-on-israel-poll/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/heavy-rain-flooding-forecast-across-israel-over-the-weekend/
More on Oct. 7th failure. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435665
Trilateral defense conference – Israel, Cypress and Greece.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435735
The IDF announced that troops from
the 188th Brigade, operating under the command of the 36th Division, have
discovered more than 340 Hezbollah weapons during operations in the security
zone in southern Lebanon. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435726
United Torah Judaism does not rule
out joining a government headed by Gadi Eisenkot and is willing to negotiate
with any political party that presents an agreed-upon solution
to the issue of military conscription for yeshiva students, Avraham Justman,
Agudat Yisrael's representative on the Central Elections Committee, said Friday
morning in an interview with Kan Reshet Bet. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435766
Herzog worried about US Aid stoppage. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435745
More people want Eisenkot. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435750
Hendel will continue fighting for draft law. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435773
Chief Rabbi time to talk to one another. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435767
Threats to Jews in Canada. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435772
https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/11/05/tankers-hit-hormuz-iran-keeps-up-pressure-us-vote/
More IDF equipment returns. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435774
Now is the time to compromise. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435769
Can Israel fix its broken election
system? https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-913905
John D. "Jay"
Rockefeller IV, the progeny of one
of America's most famous and wealthiest families who, during three decades in
the US
Senate, sought expanded healthcare for
the poor and excoriated former US president George W.
Bush's handling of the Iraq War, died on Friday at his home in Washington, The Washington Post reported. He
was 89. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-914065
Steven Miller new Chief of Staff for Trump: https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjpnniopzg
Shai Mizrachi to UN oversight
body. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjuu4ho6mx
Two lames ducks and the risk of an Iran War. https://www.ynetnews.com/opinions-analysis/article/bkxqzrq6me
This might
have an affect on Yarden and Egypt. Trump said Washington would
continue selling military equipment to Israel, shifting the question to who
will finance purchases already planned. A State Department document reviewed by
The Wall Street Journal indicated that Israel would need approximately $10
billion after 2028 to cover American
weapons orders outstanding as of April 1, 2026. The figure may have changed
since April. Ending annual grants would not immediately sever the financial and
industrial commitments linking the two countries. https://www.ynetnews.com/opinions-analysis/article/ry0qti5pzl
Normalization with the Saudis will not
happen under Netanyahu. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-914042
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/11/06/iodine-nuclear-strike-pickaxe-mountain-iran/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/woman-stabbed-to-death-in-tira-allegedly-by-her-partner/
Note that there will be less news if any from now to Tuesday, I
will be quite busy Sunday night to Monday Night is dedicated to the memory of
my mother, of blessed memory, who passed away 20 years ago on 29th
of Mar Cheshvan.
Nov. 9th and 10th
Day 1130 and Day 1131 since Oct. 7th Roaring Lion Day
231 and Day 232
Democrats vs. Sec. of War. https://www.foxnews.com/video/6408167951112
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gop-senator-withholds-support-thune-leadership-showdown-looms
https://www.timesofisrael.com/judo-legend-teddy-riner-joins-fight-for-french-presidency/
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/88-years-after-kristallnacht-why-are-jews-still-being-targeted/
https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/11/09/french-officials-accuse-iran-behind-refrigerator-hacks/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/11/10/trump-on-iran-militarily-its-effectively-over/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/11/10/change-bloc-agrees-to-name-matan-kahana-knesset-speaker/
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/11/09/lieberman-blinked-first-but-eisenkots-real-test-lies-ahead/
Jerusalem Light Rail L3 goes now to Damascus Gate. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-914417
Nov. 11th
Day 1132 since Oct. 7th Roaring Lion Day
233 Veteran’s Day
My mother, of blessed memory,
called this Armistice Day as she was
born before WW1. I remember people putting on their lapels poppies as the
fields in Flanders had many bodies of war dead surrounded by poppies.
Iranian Threat to Bessent. https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/iran-war-news-trump-speaks-strait-hormuz-11-10-26
https://www.timesofisrael.com/jewish-support-for-democrats-weakened-slightly-in-us-midterms-poll/
4.5 earthquake near Eilat. https://www.jpost.com/environment-and-climate-change/article-914562
Huckabee compares Israel to Taiwan regarding
cyberthreats. https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/article-914576
I always had bad vibes about Tucker
Carlson who claimed to be against smugness but he was the epitome of smugness
now antisemite. https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/11/10/noahide-leaders-gather-jerusalem-historic-congress-tucker-carlson-spreads-conspiracy-theories/
From Iran. Iranian author
and dissident Marziyeh Amirizadeh recounted her imprisonment and threats of
execution for converting to Christianity in a conversation last week on The Jerusalem Post's Sits Down
With podcast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5eJvZSudFk&list=PLajQaF9zvcRrt4NPLf8z1J_5WdszY1YM9&index=1
A 52-year-old Orthodox Jewish
man was attacked on Saturday morning while walking to
synagogue in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New
York. The incident, captured on
surveillance footage and circulated on social media, ended with the suspect's arrest
after the victim fought back with punches and kicks before bystanders
intervened. https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-914452
US wants a better ceasefire in Lebanon in exchange for
pressure on Hezballah. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436005
Aguda Yisrael Proposal: Under the bill
regulating the status of yeshiva students, the defense minister would
be authorized to issue a service deferment order to a yeshiva student who
regularly studies at least 45 hours a week. For married students studying in a Kollel, the minimum requirement would be 40 hours a week. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436007
Dublin attack on Biden. Biden, 83, was
visiting Ireland with former first lady Jill Biden and made an unannounced
appearance at the university, where his son, Hunter Biden, received the Gold
Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Public Discourse, according to The Independent. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436000
The US
Department of Justice announced charges Tuesday
against three alleged Iran-backed terrorist operatives accused of orchestrating
attacks against Jewish communities and other targets in the United States and
Europe, including an attempted bombing of a British military base housing
American personnel.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435994
Neria Leiter, who was critically
injured in a ramming attack over a month ago, has been discharged from Shaare
Zedek Medical Center. He remains
unconscious but is breathing on his own, a hospital spokesperson said. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436010
Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu responded to criticism from the Board of Peace,
emphasizing that Israel remains committed to US President Donald Trump's
20-point peace plan but insisting that Hamas must disarm before reconstruction
of the Gaza Strip can begin. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435985
https://www.timesofisrael.com/new-us-oil-company-joins-gas-exploration-off-israels-shores/
Man threatens Jewish Mother and child. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435933
IDF Chief of Staff LTG Eyal
Zamir said on Monday that the flawed culture of assuming "It will be
fine" was one of the factors that contributed to the events of
October 7, urging military commanders to embrace personal responsibility for
their decisions and actions. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435940
Tax Proposal will add hundreds of Shekels on
Flights. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435938
Sharks return to Hadera Coast. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435943
Lots of new tents and supplies enter Gaza.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435915
Tensions between Hamas and Fatah. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-914453
Nov. 12th
Day 1133 since Oct.
7th Roaring Lion Day 234
Chinese Drones, Air
Conditioners, Computers, Cell Phones all spying on us.
This is the
reason for 1.5 Trillion loss on Wall Street. https://www.wsj.com/business/nvidia-is-preparing-to-oust-nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-30f421ad?mod=error_page_trendingnow_article_pos1
https://www.ynetnews.com/tech-and-digital/article/sylyubqczx
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436091
Surprise – two Iranians guilty of spying on anti-regime
journalists. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-914705
A 24-year-old South Carolina man
pleaded guilty in federal court
on Tuesday to a hate
crime after vandalizing several
buildings at the Shalom Park Jewish community complex in Charlotte, North
Carolina, according to a press release from the US Justice
Department. https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-914633
Gog U’Magog (Armageddon)
preparations: French warship visits Syria. P. S. I read the prophecy how this
turns out. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-914730
https://www.timesofisrael.com/senior-settler-leader-yossi-dagan-denied-entry-into-france/
Charedi Parties welcome
Eisenkot. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-914712
The panel hearing the criminal
trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered
Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara on Thursday to appear at the Jerusalem District Court
to discuss how the proceedings concerning the prime minister are being managed
and the options for moving them forward. She has no case and the trial is
wasting the time of the Judges. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-914732
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-blood-test-detects-early-breast-cancer-with-95-accuracy/
Shabbos times for this week
accurate for Israel sundown for US. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/shabat
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-threatens-double-tariffs-mexico-migrant-caravans-not-stopped
NYPD investigating attack on
Jewish Man. https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-914452
A US robotics company in which
Eric Trump, the son of the US president,
holds shares says it is in talks with the IDF to supply up to 1,000 humanoid
robots capable of operating in Hamas tunnels in the Gaza Strip, the British
newspaper
Financial Times reported. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436090
Miriam Peretz, the mother of
Yashar Party MK Elyasaf
Peretz, said in an interview with Kol Berama radio on Thursday that her son
would leave the Knesset if his party were to sit with anti-Zionist Arab parties in the government. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436092
Israel reopens criminal neglect
in Meron Disaster. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436084
Gunfire in Logan Circle DC. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hk28blqcmx
Israel new defense with Morocco.
https://www.ynetnews.com/opinions-analysis/article/skcdttxcgl
Guess who is converting to
Judaism! https://www.ynetnews.com/jewish-world/article/ry9a9re6mg
Flu hits 2year old causing
hospitalization. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436087
Bennett poses
obstacles to gov. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436013
Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu on
elections. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436086
https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/11/12/jordans-water-crisis-deepens/
Elbit wins $260M contract with
NATO. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436076
Chinese Air Conditioners on IDF
bases spying on Israel for Iran. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436065
LA SUV hits and
kills pedestrians and injures others. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-914540
Trump’s lawsuit against the BBC moves ahead. https://www.jpost.com/american-politics/article-914536
Former Pakistan PM back in
jail. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-914545
Yehuda and Shomron plus
Religious well represented. https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-914525
Last of the Righteous Among the Nations
living in Israel passes away buried in Haifa. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-914546
Raam says Netanyahu trusted
Hamas. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-914515
Ethiopian Israeli festival. https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-914516
Laser Beams to play a bigger
role by the end of the year. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-914490
Rafael’s Drone a threat to
Iran. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-914507
Iran unveiled
what it claimed was a new missile city on November 10. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-914507
Israel will soon face pressure
to accept a nuclear Iran. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-914488
Nov. 13th
Day 1134 since Oct.
7th Roaring Lion Day 235 end of week
162
Date number correction
Make my day and tell me this is
not Iran:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/iranian-women-defy-restrictions-to-embrace-clothing-freedom/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/saudi-arabia-pressures-eu-to-label-yemens-houthis-a-terrorist-group/
Victims named: https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/building-collapse-ny-city-search-rescue-first-responders-november-12
Barnea warned on Thursday that
as long as the current regime in Tehran remains in power, it will continue to
pursue nuclear weapons. Tomer agreed with his assessment and pointed to recent
statements by Iranian officials.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436136
Miriam Bracha Ben Hamo, a
40-year-old mother of eight from Modiin
Illit, died early Friday morning at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer after
developing a rare medical complication while giving birth at Mayanei Hayeshua
Medical Center in Bnei Brak. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436133
A loaded handgun concealed on a
20-year-old woman's body and NIS 315,000 in cash were seized Thursday during a
police operation at a compound in the dispersed Azazme Bedouin communities in
southern Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436135
Anti-Israel Activists seek to
ban Israel Real Estate fair in Paris. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436120
Arkia to be sold. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436123
Hakeem Jefferies calls for a
reassessment of Israeli Policy. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436124
Trump questions
Jewish Support for Abdul El-Sayed. In
the 1930’s German Jews voted for Adolph. History repeats
itself. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436121
Law enforcement officials have
sharply criticized the handling of the legal proceedings in the murder
case of Binyamin Yamano Zalka in
Petah Tikva.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436116
Chassidim: The main
demands formulated at the gathering include military service deferments for
anyone engaged in full-time Torah study,
a signed commitment to pass a conscription exemption law, and an override
clause to protect the law from being struck down by the High Court of Justice. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/436113
Russian spy in US Army. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-914783
Smuggling ancient
scrolls in FL. https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-914605
Israel fears US rupture. https://www.ynetnews.com/opinions-analysis/article/rkjbemlaze
Anthropic launches AI Systems that
worry their creators. https://www.ynetnews.com/tech-and-digital/article/bjuz2wgagg
Apple fears being behind in the
AI Race. https://www.ynetnews.com/tech-and-digital/article/sji1700k0zl
Lights out in Teheran. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r106rdl0ml
Earlier this week there
was a crackdown. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435905
Iran seals some restaurants. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-914456
Record number of female MKs. https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-914424
Temporary Interior Minister. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-914448
Iran targeted early warning radar. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-914794
Have a
healthy, peaceful and restful Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
