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Parshas Vayeishev - The nes of Yosef's survival in the pit

The passuk says in this week’s sedrah (37:24) וַיִּקָּחֻהוּ וַיַּשְׁלִכוּ אֹתוֹ הַבֹּרָה וְהַבּוֹר רֵק אֵין בּוֹ מָיִם And they took him and they threw him into the pit and the pit was empty, it had no water in it. The Medrash Tanchuma comments on this passuk "וְהַבּוֹר רֵק אֵין בּוֹ מָיִם": "אמר רב כהנא, דרש רב נתן בר מניומי משמיה דרב תנחום: מאי דכתיב (בראשית לז) "וְהַבּוֹר רֵק אֵין בּוֹ מָיִם". ממשמע שנאמר: "וְהַבּוֹר רֵק" איני יודע שאין בו מים? אלא מה תלמוד לומר "אֵין בּוֹ מָיִם" - מים אין בו, אבל נחשים ועקרבים יש בו." If the passuk says, the pit was empty, we know it contained no water. Why does the passuk say “It had no water in it”? This teaches you that it contained no water, but it did contain snakes and scorpions. Thus it was a nes that Yosef survived in the pit. The Medrash Rabbah says (100:8) וַיָּשָׁב יוֹסֵף מִצְרַיְמָה הוּא וְאֶחָיו וְכָל הָעֹלִים אִתּוֹ לִקְבֹּר אֶת אָבִיו אַחֲרֵי קָבְרוֹ אֶת א

Parshas Vayishlach - the fight between Yaakov and the malach

The passuk says in this week’s sedrah וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחֲךָ כִּי אִם בֵּרַכְתָּנִי And he said, “Send me, because the morning has dawned.” And he said, “I will not send you unless you give me a berachah .” Rashi explains: כי עלה השחר - וצריך אני לומר שירה ביום Because the morning has dawned – and I need to say shirah by day. ברכתני - הודה לי על הברכות שברכני אבי שעשו מערער עליהם Unless you give me a berachah (the word ברכתני really means “unless you will have blessed me”, this is because Yaakov said to the malach ) – Acknowledge that the berachos that Yitzchak gave me are rightfully mine, because Esav is complaining about them. Why did Yaakov insist that the malach should acknowledge that the berachos were his before allowing him to say shirah ? The passuk continues וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא יַעֲקֹב יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שִׁמְךָ כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי שָׂרִיתָ עִם אֱלֹהִים וְעִם אֲנָשִׁים וַתּוּכָל And he said, “I

Parshas Vayetze - healing Yaakov's limp

The passuk says in this week’s sedrah וַיִּדַּר יַעֲקֹב נֶדֶר לֵאמֹר אִם יִהְיֶה אֱלֹקִים עִמָּדִי וּשְׁמָרַנִי בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ וְנָתַן לִי לֶחֶם לֶאֱכֹל וּבֶגֶד לִלְבֹּשׁ. וְשַׁבְתִּי בְשָׁלוֹם אֶל בֵּית אָבִי וְהָיָה ה' לִי לֵאלֹקִים. וְהָאֶבֶן הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי מַצֵּבָה יִהְיֶה בֵּית אֱלֹקִים וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר תִּתֶּן לִי עַשֵּׂר אֲעַשְּׂרֶנּוּ לָךְ. And Yaakov made a promise saying, “If Hashem will be with me and He will guard me on this way on which I go and He will give me bread to eat and clothes to wear. And I will return in peace to my father’s house then Hashem will be to me as a G-d. And this stone which I have set up as an altar will be the House of Hashem and all that He will give me, I will surely tithe to you.” Why did Yaakov start by saying אִם יִהְיֶה אֱלֹקִים עִמָּדִי and then conclude וְהָיָה ה' לִי לֵאלֹקִים ? The passuk says in Vayishlach ( בראשית ל"ב ל"ב ) וַיִּזְרַח לוֹ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָבַ

Parshas Toldos - the surprising madregah of Yitzchak

The passuk says in this week’s sedrah וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת יִצְחָק בֶּן אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָהָם הוֹלִיד אֶת יִצְחָק And these are the generations of Yitzchak the son of Avraham, Avraham bore Yitzchak. The gemara normally says that - ויו מוסיף על ענין ראשון - a vav adds on to that which was previously stated. Since Yitzchak did not have any children prior to Yaakov and Esav, why does the passuk say וְאֵלֶּה , with a vav ? The Medrash Rabbah says at the beginning of this week’s sedrah ואלה תולדות יצחק בן אברהם - (משלי כ"ג) גיל יגיל אבי צדיק ויולד חכם ישמח בו . גילה אחר גילה, בזמן שהצדיק נולד . The passuk says in Mishlei (23:24) - גִּיל יָגִיל אֲבִי צַדִּיק וְיוֹלֵד חָכָם יִשְׂמַח בּוֹ - The father of a tzaddik has great joy; a man who has a wise son rejoices. When the tzaddik is born there is rejoicing after rejoicing. What does the medrash add by saying that there is rejoicing after rejoicing when a tzaddik is born? When Yitzchak gave a berachah to Y