emek toldot rabbi shifman
TRANSCRIPT
8/14/2019 Emek Toldot Rabbi Shifman
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/emek-toldot-rabbi-shifman 1/2
UP AND COMING EVENTS:
A Shabbat of InspirationThis Shabbat Rabbi MordechaiShifman will be guest lecturerat various Shuls in the Encino Jewish community. To haveRabbi Shifman or any of theEmek faculty lecture in your
community, please call 818-783-3663 ext.2001 or [email protected].
Did You know?In the last two years, 7 out of8 Valedictorian awards from YULA and Valley Torah highschools were given to Emekgraduates!
IN THIS ISSUE:
• Parsha Toldos
• Emek’s 9th Annual Golf
& Tennis Tournament
Raises $120,000
• Emek Reaches600 Students!
15365 Magnolia Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 818.783.3663 [email protected] www.emek.or
November 1, 2013 | 28 Cheshvan, 5774 | Volume 1 Issue 2
THIS WEEK’S NEWSLETTER
IS SPONSORED BY:
Rabbi Mordechai and Debbie
Shifman in Honor of the Bar
Mitzva of Jonathan Lapidot
To sponsor a Weekly D’var in honor
or in memory of a loved one and/or
to donate to Emek Hebrew Academy
Teichman Family Torah Center, please
contact 818-783-3663 or email info@
emek.org
From Scorn To ScornedBy Rabbi Mordechai Shifman, Head of School
“...and Eisav spurned the birthright” (25:34)
On the day that Avraham died, Eisav committed five heinous offense
he violated a betrothed maiden, murdered, denied Hashem’s existenc
denied the notion of Hashem resurrecting the dead, and spurned the birthright. The Talm
cites all of the allusions found in the verses for these transgressions. Why is the spurning the birthright the only transgression to be mentioned by the Torah explicitly, when it wou
appear to be the least severe of the five?
The Torah introduces the episode of the selling of the birthright with Yaakov cooking len
stew. The Talmud explains that Avraham had passed away that day and Yaakov was pre
paring the traditional mourner’s meal for his father, Yitzchak. Rashi cites the Talmud th
although Avraham was supposed to live to the age of one hundred eighty, he died five yea
early to prevent him from witness-
ing his grandson, Eisav’s abhorrent
behavior. Eisav was fifteen years of
age at the time of Avraham’s death.
Commenting upon the verse “and
the youths grew up”, Rashi statesthat although Yaakov and Eisav were
distinctly different in nature, as chil-
dren there was no conspicuous dif-
ference between them. Once they
reached the age of thirteen, the stark
contrast became apparent; Yaakov
frequented houses of study and Ei-
sav, houses of idol worship. Why did
Avraham’s premature death occur
when Eisav was fifteen and not two
years earlier, when it became evi-
dent that he engaged in idolatry?
Rashi comments on the verse “vay-
ivez Eisav es habechorah” - “Eisav
spurned the birthright”, that Eisav
rejected and showed contempt for
the service of Hashem, which was
linked to the firstborn’s birthright.
Eisav is not being held accountable
for selling the birthright, rather it is
the fact that he holds the birthright
in contempt, thereby showing a lack
of respect and sensitivity towards
נת העמקיםEMEK BLOSSOMS
CONTINUED ON BACK
8/14/2019 Emek Toldot Rabbi Shifman
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/emek-toldot-rabbi-shifman 2/2
Emek’s 9th Annual Golf & Tennis Tournament took
place on Monday, October 28th at Braemar Country
Club in Tarzana, CA. We welcomed over ninety
golfers and ten tennis players and hosted over one
hundred thirty guests for dinner. We were honored
to have join us Chief of Police Jorge Villegas, Chief
Assistant Regina Scott and Captain Ivan Minsal. The chief addressed our dinner guests
and expressed his hopes for a long-standing relationship between Emek Hebrew
Academy Teichman Family Torah Center and the LAPD. Our event raised over $120,000
which will directly benefit our scholarship fund. We want to take this opportunity to
thank our many sponsors: Special thanks to Division 6 and Mr. and Mrs. Ira Leibowitz,
our title sponsors, Skechers USA, Inc., Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Aharonoff, Drs. Roy and Aviva
Mansano, The Teichman Family, Dr. & Mrs. Shahram Jacobs, and Mr. Lyle Weisman. The
success of our event could not have been possible without their support.
Emek’s 9th AnnualGolf & Tennis TournamentRaises $120,000
THIS WEEK’S NEWSLETTER
IS SPONSORED BY:
Rabbi Mordechai and Debbie
Shifman in Honor of the Bar
Mitzva of Jonathan Lapidot
CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES:
Encino 5:44PMLos Angeles 5:43PM
Northridge 5:44PM
Valley Village 5:43PM
Emek Hebrew Academy Teichman
Family Torah Center, located in Sher-
man Oaks and Valley Village, is an
ECC, K-8th grade school dedicated to
providing an academically challeng-
ing and strong Orthodox education
for Jewish children. Emek providescomprehensive, well balanced cur-
riculums in both Torah and general
studies in a warm and nurturing en-
vironment.
the service of Hashem, for which he is being taken to task.
All transgressions can be attributed to compelling forces which, although they do not ex
cuse the behavior itself, to a certain extent they can be a mitigating factor. Whether a perso
is motivated by desire, wealth, egotism or self-preservation, as heinous as the transgre
sion may be, the path for reconnecting himself to his Creator is still accessible. In contras
the person who acts out of contempt, reaches a point of no return. Such behavior can nev
be mitigated or excused.
The Torah highlights Eisav’s contempt above all his other transgressions, for it is specifica
this behavior which characterizes the reason why Eisav is an unworthy progenitor of h
grandfather Avraham’s legacy. Even after performing idol worship at the age of thirtee
Eisav was still spiritually redeemable. Only once he exhibited his disdain for all that is ho
did it become necessary for Hashem to protect Avraham from witnessing Eisav’s spiritu
demise.
This year, B’ezrat Hashem, our 600th enrolled student attending our school. This milestone could not have beeaccomplished without the efforts and support of our laleadership and our strong parent base. Yeyasher Kochachemto all of you.
Kol Hakavod,Rabbi Mordechai Shifman, Head of School andMr. Daniel Aharonoff, Board President
Emek Reaches 600 Students!
FROM SCORN TO SCORNED CONTINUED