Month: November 2001

Berashis Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Vayishlach (5762)

Bs”d

Parshas Vayishlach (5762)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

I was asked, wasn’t it wicked to kill the whole town of Shechem?  I think the explanation is that they were supportive of the terrible atrocity to the point that they were willing to be circumsized which shows a tremendous commitment to the wickedness of Shechem, their leader.

We are living in a society and culture which has terrible ideas, ideals and condones wickedness.  Just to mention a few—hard core pornography, the gays, abortions, leniency in the mixing of men and women, women’s lib.  How much effort and care must be invested not be supportive of the wickedness of Esav.

Have a lovely Shabbos.

Berashis Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Vayeitzei (5762)

Bs”d

Parshas Vayeitzei (5762)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

The brown sheep that Yaakov wanted for himself and not the brown goats may be explained as follows.  Sheep we find are symbolic for Klal Yisroel.  Rashi explains that “chum” (brown) was reddish (adom).  There are characteristics Esav had that in the Divine plan were intended to be harnessed for avodas Hashem.  Because Esav misused his free will Yaakov Avinu was now given many of these characteristics to harness and use for perfection.  We must be aware that we have within us these qualities and materialistic leanings which likewise must be harnessed for avodas Hashem.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Berashis Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Toldos (5762)

Bs”d

Parshas Toldos (5762)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

It is related in our parsha the puzzling episode of Yitzchok Avinu engaging in intimacy with his wife and being observed by Avimelelch, something which is opposed to the laws of decency and the Torah mentality.  Perhaps we can explain this with the understanding that Yitzchok Avinu was the pillar of Avoda, meaning that he was a giant in perceiving the essence of the world as a manifestation of the word of Hashem.  As the Nefesh HaChayim warns, greatness in this area can lead to a lack of being in touch with the reality of the boundaries in the creation.  For Yitzchok the intimacy was, as the Ramban relates to Adam and Chava, acts of complete holiness.  Yitzchok was partaking in “Shala Shudis” with his wife.  The lesson for us is when inspired to the idealism of holiness, not to lose sight of the sensitivity of the feelings of others and realistic requirements.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Berashis Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Chayei Sara (5762)

Bs”d

Parshas Chayei Sara (5762)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

We are accustomed to understand the connection of the akeida and the passing of Sara Immenu was the emotional devastation she experienced at the thought that her Yitzchok was slaughtered.  However, going through Rashi more carefully it is evident that the factor that disturbed her was that Yitzchok was subjected to the akeida.  The Medrash Tanchuma confirms this by its rendition that the Satan appeared before Sara in the form of Yitzchok himself who related to her the events of the akeida, which shocked her to the extent that caused her passing.  Obviously, it was that he was subjected to the akeida which disturbed her.  Food for thought.

Rashi points out that all of Sara’s years were complete with accomplishment.  The Mesilas Yesharim echoes this principle that above all we must keep in our sight our true goals—not to get sidetracked with issues and activities that are not our priority.  We should all be zocheh to fulfill our true purpose in the world.

Have wonderful Shabbos.

Berashis Weekly Parsha Rabbi Mordechai Dolinsky

Parshas Vayeirah (5762)

Bs”d

Parshas Vayeirah (5762)

We can’t neglect to relate to today’s loss of our Gadol Hador, Harav Shach zt”l.  Many don’t know that he was a talmid muvhak of the giant of Torah of our generation, the Brisker Rav.  Every criticism he expressed concerning R’ Velvel’s Torah was cherished by R’ Velvel as a gem.  In his son-in-law’s hesped, he read Rav Shach’s tzavaa, in which he expressed his love for Klal Yisroel and his talmidim and his extreme mesiras nefesh for them.  Torah and Chessed.  The theme of our parsha is Avraham Avinu’s chessed.  The formula for existence in this period before Moshiach is to preoccupy ourselves with Torah and Chessed.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

November 2001
S M T W T F S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  

Donate To Rabbi Dolinsky’s Kollel in $




Donate To Rabbi Dolinsky’s Kollel In ₪




Archives