Torah Parallels

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~ Parshas Vayeitzei Truth Be Told By: Daniel Listhaus וְלָבָן הָלַךְ לִגְזֹז אֶת צֹאנוֹ וַתִּגְנֹב רָחֵל אֶת הַתְּרָפִים אֲשֶׁר לְאָבִיהָ :   וַיִּגְנֹב יַעֲקֹב אֶת לֵב לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי עַל בְּלִי הִגִּיד לוֹ כִּי בֹרֵחַ הוּא “Lavan had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole the  teraphim  that belonged to her father. Yaakov deceived Lavan the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing” - Vayeitzei  31:19-20             In this week's  parsha , we continue to follow Yaakov around and learn from his  middos  (traits)   and qualities. We were introduced to Yaakov  avinu  in  parshas Toldos  as the “ ish tam yosheiv ohalim ” [1]  - the wholesome man who sat and learned Torah.  Rashi [2]  further   describes Yaakov as a person who was real – someone whose actions and speech purely reflected who he was. After learning these things and getting a glimpse of Yaakov's character, a few of the events in this week's  parsha  should come as a surprise to

~ Something to Think About ~ פרשת ויצא Parsha Stumpers By: Daniel Listhaus 1.       Three types of people are called “dead” even while they are alive. All three appear in this week's parsha and Rashi . What are they and where do they come up in the parsha ? 2.       (28:11) Rashi comments that the stones were all fighting which would be the one to have Yaakov’s head rest on. Since when do rocks fight? 3.       (28:12) Rashi writes that the angels first ascended the ladder before the others descended. Shouldn’t it have been the opposite in order for Yaakov not to be left alone even for a moment without “protection”? 4.       (28:15) Rashi writes that Hashem needed to reassure Yaakov that everything would be okay. Why did Yaakov need the reassurance? Did he not know on his own that Hashem was with him? 5.       (29:11) Rashi writes that instead of killing Yaakov as his father, Eisav, commanded, Eliphaz robbed him of everything he had. If Eliphaz really came to kill Yaakov, what conv

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~ Parshas Vayeitzei Considerable Consideration: Pareidolia and The Way of a Tzaddik By: Daniel Listhaus וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם יַעֲקֹב אַחַי מֵאַיִן אַתֶּם וַיֹּאמְרוּ מֵחָרָן אֲנָחְנוּ : וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם הַיְדַעְתֶּם אֶת לָבָן בֶּן נָחוֹר וַיֹּאמְרוּ יָדָעְנוּ : וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם הֲשָׁלוֹם לוֹ וַיֹּאמְרוּ שָׁלוֹם וְהִנֵּה רָחֵל בִּתּוֹ בָּאָה עִם הַצֹּאן : וַיֹּאמֶר הֵן עוֹד הַיּוֹם גָּדוֹל לֹא עֵת הֵאָסֵף הַמִּקְנֶה הַשְׁקוּ הַצֹּאן וּלְכוּ רְעוּ “Yaakov said to them, 'My brothers, where are you from?' And they said, 'We are from Charan.' He said to them, 'Do you know Lavan the son of Nachor?' And they said, 'We know.' Then he said to them, 'Is it well with him?' They said, 'It is well; and see – his daughter Rachel is coming with the flock!'” - Vayeitzei 29:4-7             The Torah describes that Yaakov found himself by a well in a field. At that well, Yaakov saw three flocks of sheep alongside their shepherds, who we

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~ Parshas Vayeitzei Mirror Mirror on the Wall: Look Within or Be Without By: Daniel Listhaus וַתֵּרֶא רָחֵל כִּי לֹא יָלְדָה לְיַעֲקֹב וַתְּקַנֵּא רָחֵל בַּאֲחֹתָהּ וַתֹּאמֶר אֶל יַעֲקֹב הָבָה לִּי בָנִים וְאִם אַיִן מֵתָה אָנֹכִי : וַיִּחַר אַף יַעֲקֹב בְּרָחֵל וַיֹּאמֶר הֲתַחַת אֱלֹ ק ים אָנֹכִי אֲשֶׁר מָנַע מִמֵּךְ פְּרִי בָטֶן : וַתֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה אֲמָתִי בִלְהָה בֹּא אֵלֶיהָ וְתֵלֵד עַל בִּרְכַּי וְאִבָּנֶה גַם אָנֹכִי מִמֶּנָּה “Rachel saw that she had not borne children to Yaakov, and Rachel became envious of her sister she said to Yaakov, 'Give me children - if not I am dead.' Yaakov's anger flared up at Rachel, and he said, 'Am I instead of G-d Who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?' She said, 'Here is my maid Bilhah, come to her, that she may bear upon my knees and I too will be built up through her.'” - Vayeitzei 30:1-3             It is hard to imagine the emotional distress that Rachel was going through during