vol. xii no. 4 — november 23, 2012

7/29/2019 VOL. XII NO. 4 NOVEMBER 23, 2012

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VOL. XII NO. 4 NOVEMBER 23, 2012

The BIG LIE of aPalestinian Peopleand the Significanceof Jerusalem and the

Temple Mount

The BIG LIE of aPalestinian Peopleand the Significanceof Jerusalem and the

Temple Mount

DEDICATED TO ISRAELS BRAVE SOLDIERSMAY GOD BE WITH YOU


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3 Letters RABBI MOSHE BEN-CHAIM

Knowledge vs. Wisdom?Is eternal life guaranteed?

Should one pray for belief in Revelation?

6 Acquiring IsraelRABBI BERNIE FOX

Rabbi Fox explores the verses and

commentaries discussing Yaakovs

acquisition of the land of Israel

9 Gaza & Israels Role RABBI MOSHE BEN-CHAIM

We expose the Palestinian lie, andobtain unique insight from this weeks

Parsha into the significance of Israel

13Jacobs Ladder RABBI REUVEN MANN

Rabbi Mann shares his keen analysis of

Jacobs famous dream, and what exactly

it means to each one of us.

20 Lavans Last Move RABBI DR. DARRELL GINSBERG

Rabbi Ginsberg explores the mindsetLavan in his final tactics with Jacob.

C O N T E N T S

Knowledge or Wisdom?Reader: I love about 95% of your audio discussion on the

Torah and philosophy, but what is very disturbing is that the

Rabbi uses the word knowlegde of the Holy Torah, when I

feel he should say wisdom which is Holy. I have this issue

because Adam and Eve were defiant and ate of the Tree of

Knowlege of Good and Evil within an hour of when God told

them not to eat from it. To me, thats a major mistake for any

Rabbi to say knowlege of the Holy Torah, when its truly Holy

Wisdom. Please correct all including myself.

Rabbi: Not knowing the context to which you refe

cannot determine if I was in error using knowledg

(daas) instead of wisdom (chochma).

With regards to the Tree of Knowledge (daas), Adam a

Eve immediately received that knowledge, or an awa

ness (of morality). In contrast, I understand wisdom to re

not to awareness, but the ability to analyze and discern,

God granted Solomon wisdom (Kings I, 5:26). Sub

quently, Solomon was shown to have greater analysis a

discernment.

e Jewsihtimes is

blished every Fridayd delivered by email.bscriptions are FREE.subscribe, send any

mail message to:[email protected] will also receive ourertisers' emails and our regularail announcements.

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eekly Journal on Jewish Thought

LETTERS

(continued on page

WWW.MESORA.ORG/JEWISHTIMES NOV. 23, 2012 |


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6 | WWW.MESORA.ORG/JEWISHTIMES N O V . 2 3 , 2 0 1 2

REVIEWS

RELIGIONofREASONRELIGIONofREASONRELIGIONofREASON

AstrologyReincarnationPraying to the DeadSuperstitionDemonsBashert

Evil EyeRebbe WorshipSegulasSatanAngelsWestern Wall Prayers

Red BendelsKabbalaMysticismMiraclesWhat is God?Jewish Souls

Talmudic StoriMetaphorsBelief vs. ProofDo Rabbis Err?Gentile EqualitMans Purpose

PARTIAL CHAPTER LIST

RABBI REUVEN MANN Rabbi, Y. Israel of PhoenixRabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim has written extensively on Jewishphilosophy for many years. His ideas are rooted in a rationalapproach. He follows the great philosophers like Rambam andSaadia Gaon. He is opposed to all forms of mysticism and seeksto debunk all practices and beliefs which are rooted in superstitionand contrary to reason. This work covers a wide variety of topics, of

interest to contemporary; insightful analyses of Biblical narratives as well as thesignificance of many mitzvot. Rabbi Ben-Chaim demonstrates that Judaism canbe harmonized with human reason. He is not afraid to ask the most penetratingand challenging questions as he is convinced that Torah is the Word of God andbased on the highest form of wisdom. Jews who have a profound desire to makesense out of their religion will benefit greatly from reading this book.

RABBI STEVEN WEIL Executive Vice President, The Orthodox UnionRabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim asks critical, crucial and defining ques-tions that any thinking Jew needs to ask. His method enables thereader to explore and engage our theology in a meaningful andserious way. Following the Rishonim, he forces us to define, weighand analyze each phrase of chazal, showing there is no contradic-

tion between an investigation of Science and an investigation ofJudaism. Rabbi Ben-Chaim has written a work that addresses the thinking personof all faiths. This work speaks to the scholar and lay person alike and will helpyou gain insight into how the great Rishonim define how we view the world.Rabbi Ben-Chaims website, Mesora.org is a very serious tool and resource forthinking human beings who want to engage and explore the Almighty, theAlmightys universe and do so within the realm of wisdom, rationality andintellectual honesty.

by JewishTimes publisherRabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim

Is Torah mysticalor rational, just likeGods natural laws?Its time a book unveiled the truth.Is Torah a set of incomprehensible mystical beliefs, as kabbalistssuggestor perfectly reasonable and brilliantly insightful?Finally learn directly from Torah texts and our greatest Rabbis,precisely why mysticism is false, not Torah, and not Gods will.Religion of Reason unveils widespread Jewish mystical beliefsas false, and prohibited. Torah is presented in its rational andprovable naturejust like Gods natural laws. There are nopowers besides God, and He prohibits belief in mysticism.

Cryptic Talmudic stories are explained metaphorically offeringastonishing insights as intended, and beautiful insights into manyParshas are revealed. Finally, Jews can understand the falsehoodsthey have accepted, and abandon them in place of true Torah.

Free 33-pg Preview:https://www.Mesora.org/ReligionofReason


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And Hashem stood over Him. AndHe said: I am Hashem the G-d of yourfather Avraham, and the G-d ofYitzchak. The land upon which you layI shall give to you and to your descen-dants. (Sefer Beresheit 28:13)

1. Hashem told Yaakov hewould acquire the land uponwhich he lay

Yaakov leaves the home of hisparents to travel to Charan. Night fallsand he suspends his journey untilmorning. That night Yaakov has adream. In that dream he observes aladder whose feet rest upon the ground

and whose top extends into theheavens. Hashems angels are ascend-ing the ladder and other angels aredescending. Hashem stands overYaakov and addresses him. The firstelement of Hashems message isdescribed in the above passage.Hashem tells him that the land uponwhich he lay shall be given to him andto his children.

The intention of Hashems message isclear. He is telling Yaakov that he willgive the Land of Canaan to him and tohis descendants. However, the phras-ing of Hashems message is odd.Hashem does not tell Yaakov the Hewill give to him the Land of Canaan.Instead, He describes Yaakovs legacyas the land upon which you lay. Whydoes Hashem use this description?

2. The entire Land of Israel wasfolded under Yaakov

Rashi quotes the Sages of the Talmudwho explain that Hashem folded all ofthe Land of Israel under Yaakov. WhenHashem said to Yaakov that He wouldgive to him and to his descendants theland upon which he lay, He wasdescribing the entire Land of Israel. Atthat moment the entire Land was

folded under Yaakov.

Of course, these comments onlycreate a far greater difficulty. The Sageshave explained that the reference to thethe land upon which you lay is in facta description of the entire Land ofCanaan. Yaakov in fact lay on theentire Land. However, these commentsdo not explain why Hashem did notdescribe Yaakovs legacy in moresimple terms the Land of Canaan.Why did Hashem resort to folding theLand under Yaakov and describing theLand as the land upon which you lay?

The Sages respond that this expres-

sion was used in order to allude to theease with which the Land would becaptured. It would be possessed byYaakovs descendents with the sameease that Yaakov took for himself thisplace to lay for the night. In otherwords, the message was that the entire

Land of Canaan would be captured aseasily as one occupies a space of a fewsquare feet.

What are the Sages teaching throughthis interpretation of the passage? The

Sages seem to begin their discussion byobserving a difficult phrase in thepassage and resolve the difficulty bypresenting an interpretation that iseven more enigmatic! Before consider-ing this question, it will be helpful toreview an alternative interpretation of

the passage.

3. The passage demonstrates alegal principle

The Midrash suggests an alternativeexplanation of the passage. Accordingto the Midrash, the passage reflects alegal ruling found in the Talmud. Theruling deals with the following case:Reuven agrees to sell Shimon ten fieldsin ten different locations. They agreethat the fields will become Shimonsupon his assumption of possession.

Shimon travels to the closest field andassumes possession of that single field.The Talmud rules that by assumingpossession of one field, all ten of thefields become Shimons. The Talmudexplains that the fields are joinedtogether by the terms of the agreement.Therefore, assuming possession of a

single field transfers ownership of all ofthem to Shimon.

According to the Midrash, this law isderived from or at least reflected in theabove passage. Yaakov lay on a smallpiece of land. Yet, through his assum-ing control over this single small area,he acquired all of the Land of Canaan.

4. The entire Land of Israel is asingle integrated whole

The suggestion of the Midrash thatthe Talmuds ruling is referenced in thispassage requires further analysis. Inthe case in the Talmud all of the fieldsacquired by Shimon are groupedtogether by the terms of his agreementwith Reuven. Therefore, his possession

of a single field provides Shimon withlegal possession of all of the fieldsidentified in the transaction. How doesYaakovs seizure of a small parcel ofland on an isolated hilltop in the Landof Canaan provide him possession ofthe entire land including territoryhundreds of miles away? Apparently,the Midrashs position is that the entireLand of Israel is a single integratedwhole. It is a single continuous entity.Therefore, by taking possession of the

RABBI BERNIE FOX

(continued on next page)

VAYETZE

Yaakovs Acquisition of the

Land of Israel

Weekly Parsha


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thereby, acquired it. The secondinterpretation suggests thatalthough he lay only upon a smallportion of the land, this portion ispart of an integrated whole. Byseizing possession of a portion ofthe whole, he gained possession ofthe entirety.

Perhaps, the Midrash and theTalmud are not disagreeing butare simply addressing two differ-ent issues. The first interpreta-tion suggests that the entire land

was folded under Yaakov.Reduced to its most basicelement, this statement meansthat the land on which Yaakovslept was connected to andrepresentative of the entire Landof Israel. The interpretation isdescribing the relationship of thesmall piece of earth on which

Yaakov lay to the entire Land ofIsrael. It is explaining that byresting on this small plot of land,Yaakov lay himself down on theentire Land of Israel. Thisinterpretation uses a figure todescribe this phenomenon theLand was folded beneath him. It

is not attempting to explain thetechnical basis of the relationship.In other words, the interpretationsimply asserts a fact Yaakovsresting on this plot was equal toresting his body on the entireLand of Israel. The how andwhy of this equation is not thesubject of the interpretation.Instead, this interpretation isfocused upon why the Torahexpresses itself in this manner.

The Talmud responds that thisexpression is intended to suggest

the ease with which Yaakovsdescendants will capture theLand.

The second interpretation doesfocus on the mechanics of the

relationship and through thisanalysis suggests that a legal

principle is expressed in thepassage. It explains that thepassage is treating the entire Landof Israel as an integrated whole.Through his acquisition of aportion of this whole, Yaakovacquired the entirety. However,this interpretation focuses solelyon the issue of mechanics howthe acquisition was affected. Thisinterpretation does not addressthe question of why the Torahdoes not express itself in moresimple terms.

Weekly Parsha

land upon which Yaakov made hisbed, he took possession of theentire integrated whole of theLand of Israel. In other words, inthe Talmuds case the fields arejoined into a unit by the terms ofthe agreement. The Land of Israelin merged into a single entity by

halachah Torah law.

5. Comparing the two inter-pretations of the passage

Torah Temimah suggests that

these two interpretations of thepassage are at odds with oneanother. Both understand thatYaakov acquired the land uponwhich he lay. The first, suggeststhat all of the Land of Israel wasfolded under him. He lay uponthe entire Land of Israel and

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The unprovoked hatred and Arab

murdering of Jews is age-old. The Jewwas selected by God; not them. Theirreligion of murder is their attempt toreject the Jews' "Chosen" status. Knowl-

edge alone will once and for all layanti-Semitism to rest. Unfortunately,the UN, and those reporting "facts" andthe news worldwide expose their utterignorance of the facts and readily-available world history. And the publictoo has bought in to the Big Lie of a"Palestinian People."

Before 1947, "Palestina" was a landowned by the Ottoman Empire. Thename came down from the Philistineswho did not live there. From the 1500sthrough the 1800s it was reported therewere about 300,000 citizens (Arab,

Christian and Jews). And then in 1917 itwas owned by the British Mandate andrenamed "Palestine", (about same

amount of people, Arabs, Christians andJews). The Arab country of Palestinenever existed. When a different perim-eter of that land was offered to the Arabsto be named "Palestine" and become anArab country, the Arabs refused it. Atthe same time a different partition ofland was offered to the Jews as a Jewishcountry in 1947 as a way of stoppingthe Arabs from continually killing theJews. The Jews accepted their portion

of land, Israel. The very next day, theArabs started murdering the Jews whoalready lived there, as well as the newcivilians who just arrived after survivingthe Holocaust. The people the Arabs arenow calling "Palestinians" are thechildren and grandchildren of thoseArabs, and they are calling themrefugees even if they never lived there,even though they lived in a different

Lets be clear: Israel is named after the patriarch Jacob,

whom God renamed to Israel. Jacob fathered the 12

Tribes who commenced our great nation. In this weeks

parsha, Vayeitze (Gen. 28:13), God promised the land of Israel

to Jacob and his seed. God rejected all other nations claims

to Israel, and the Chosen People status claimed by Chris-

tians and Muslims (www.mesora.org/chosen). In that article,

we clearly show Gods intent, that the land of Israel remain

eternally the possession of Jacobs seed. What the world

needs to learn, is why Israel is so vital: not to Jews, but to all

mankind.

RABBI MOSHE BEN-CHAIM

Israel/Parsha

The BIG LIEof aPalestinian Peopleand the Significanceof Jerusalem and the

Temple Mount


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country, but their grandparents lived inthe British mandate. Never in History

has anyone called generations whonever lived in a country "refugees" ofthat country, and given them rights asrefugees. So there never was, and thereis not today, a "Palestinian People." But

as that term has been used for so long,the ignorant public and the mediablindly believe facts that contradicthistory.

In contrast, not only has there been aJewish people for thousands of years,but historically, God gave the land ofIsrael to the children of Jacob, to theexclusion of all other peoples. This wasand is an eternal territorial gift, from theCreator of all territories.

Let us understand why God gave aland in the first place; what is so vitalabout the land of Israel? And I don't

mean for the Jews, but for all mankind.As the Torah are God's choice words,

there must be a deep lesson enclosed inevery verse.

Parshas VayeitzeWe are told that Jacob travelled from

Beer Sheva towards Charan. The sunhad set, so he took a stone from thatplace and placed it to protect himself(Rashi). He dreamt of a ladder standingon the ground with its top reachingheaven; God's angels were ascending

and descending upon it. God stoodupon it and said,

"I am God, God of your fatherAbraham and Isaac. The land uponwhich you lie, I give to you and yourseed. And your seed will be as thesands of Earth, and you will flourishwestward, eastward, to the northand south, and in you will be blessedall the families of the land and inyour seed. And behold, I will be withyou and guard you in all yourtravels, and I will return you to this

land, for I will not forsake you until Ifulfill what I have spoken of to you."

Jacob awoke from his sleep and said,"God is certainly in this place and I didnot know." Jacob was fearful and saidfurther, "How awesome is this place,this can only be the House of God, and

this is the gate to heaven."When Jacob arose, he took the stone

that he placed for his head, and made itinto a monument and anointed it withoil. He called the name of that place"House of God", for it was called Luzprior to that. Jacob then swore, inresponse to God's providence, that thestone monument he erected would be a

monument to God's House, and that hewould tithe what he received from God.

A number of questions arise. What isso important about Jacob protecting

himself with a stone, that God recordsit? And why must Jacob use "that" stoneas a monument to God? Quite puzzlingare Jacob's words,"God is in this place,and I did not know." Certainly, Jacob, ofall people, knew that God is not physi-cal, and certainly, God cannot be "onEarth" or in any place. Jacob (and theTorah) repeats, "How awesome is this

place." What is the function of thismonument? And of course, what is themeaning of this strange dream of theladder and the angels, and God's uniquemessage? Finally, where was this place?

The Significance ofJerusalem and theTemple MountAs we said, all verses are crucial. Why

then must we know that Jacob took ofthe stones to protect himself?

Jacob's behavior was underscored toteach a lesson. Here, he depended onnatural law to protect himself as he

slept, vulnerable to the beasts of thenight. And he was correct to do so.However, God revealed to Jacob that hewas to now be under His divineprovidence, in literally all matters. Thehumble prophets did not assume Godprovided in all areas, for who fullyknows God's methods, or one's worthi-ness of providence at any givenmoment? God showed Jacob this truthof His providence through the image of

angels traveling from Earth to heaven,and back. These angles are God'smetaphysical forces employed to shieldHis righteous servants. The ladderteaches of the metaphysical laws thatgovern Earthly events (Ibn Ezra, Gen.28:12); a connection or "ladder" of sortsbetween the metaphysical and physicalworlds.

Jacob now learned that he was under

complete providence. Realizing thistruth, he naturally desired to share thiswith all others. Thus, he created amonument to this reality, at the placewhere he received this message. Amonument serves to mark a location orevent of significance. He also renamed

that place the House of God. The monu-ment was intended to publicize thisconcept of God's providence.

It is significant that Jacob used the

very rock he placed to protect himself.For he wished to demonstrate his"transfer" of relying on nature i.e.,"that" rock to trusting God's word.Taking the very rock he used in a "natu-ral" manner, and now transferring itspurpose to publicize God's providence,he perfectly embodied his own transferof trust. An enlightening insight to saythe least. We fully appreciate the story's

opening of Jacob taking the rock, for itforms the central message of how heoperated before he was promised God'scomplete providence, and how heimmediately trusted God's word subse-quent to his prophetic dream.

However, God is not physical; He doesnot occupy space. He has no location. Sowhat did Jacob mean by, "God iscertainly in this place and I did not

know""How awesome is this place,this can only be the House of God, andthis is the gate to heaven"?

Here we come to another fundamen-tal. That is, God creates divine events onEarth. These events intend to concretizein man's mind, the truth of God'sprovidence. God rules the Earth. He didnot merely create it and abandon it.

It is essential that mankind have areference point. Historical sites of God'sprovidence confirm this truth. Ofcourse, there is nothing that can differ-entiate one parcel of land from another:that one parcel "contains" spirituality,as falsely assumed. Physical entities are

"physical", and therefore notmetaphysical, and are unrelated todivinity. This is the sin of pantheism,where people project fantasies of

divinity onto the physical world. Similarsinful misconceptions include the beliefin magical amulets and auspicioustimes, and deifying people as infallibletzaddikim and rebbes. In Judaism, wehave an idea of designation, such as an

Israel/Parsha


11/15


animal designated for Temple worship,or in the restrictions to enter the

Temple. These laws intend, asMaimonides teaches, to elevate theestimation of those objects and placesconnected with worshipping God.Sanctity kedusha is a halachik

construct intended at sustaining arespect for God. But the physical objectsand locations do not possess an superiorqualities. Israel's soil is no different thanthat of other lands.

Jacob's exclamation that this "place"is awesome means that this site of hisdream was the primary location Goddeemed vital to teach of His providence."House of God" and "Gate of Heaven"convey this important principle. For it isthrough the fame of locations whereGod creates miracles or communicateswith man, that the reality of God, and

His providence might spread in theworld.

The Rabbis teach that this location ofJacob's dream was in Jerusalem, theTemple Mount. Maimonides teaches,"It is universally accepted that the placeon which David and Solomon built theAltar, the threshing floor of Ornan, isthe location where Abraham built theAltar on which he prepared Isaac forsacrifice. Noah built [an altar] on thatlocation when he left the ark. It was also[the place] of the Altar on which Cainand Abel brought sacrifices. [Similarly,]

Adam, the first man, offered a sacrificethere and was created at that very spot(Hilchos Beis Habechira 2:2)"

We thereby learn of the vital nature ofa reference point, where events arereiterated throughout time, going backto God's creation of man, and man'sworship of God. Such sites theTemple Mount in specific the greatest

site, continually remind man of God'sprovidence.

What initially gave distinction to theTemple Mount? It was God's creation ofAdam. From that point forward, promi-nent monotheistic figures and Jews,including Adam and his sons, Noah,

Abraham, and Kings David andSolomon each recognized the greathistorical and philosophical significanceof this location. They sustained greatrespect for God through this location viasacrifice. Their unanimous message isthat man must be subservient to God'swillprimarily, as we are His creations.Their altars, sacrifices and Temples at

this precise location throughout Biblicaltimes caused the masses to be remindedof the initial significance of the TempleMount: mankind was formed from thatspot. Sacrifice is a means of showing by

proxy that humans exist by God's willalone. We are not necessary. The deadanimal takes our place to display theunnecessary nature of our existence. Weexist only due to God's kindness. This istrue concerning the entire universe.God does not need it; He needs nothing.

GazaWhy should the world defend Israel?

Intelligent people correctly view Moses'Five Books as truth. Jacob's visionrecorded in Vayeitze teaches God's will,

that the land of Israel embody Hisdivine message of providence. Godwishes Jacob's seed alone to remain theowners of Israel. By doing so, Israelbecomes a beacon for all people,embodying the truth of the HebrewBible's verses. God's Bible and Histeachings of providence can be dissemi-nated to all the world, provided Israel

remains in the hands of those to whomHe gave it, which echoes God's will.

I believe that the more we publicizethe synonymity of Israel, God, andTorah, the less the world will be able todeny the true owners of the land, and

the more the Hebrew Bible will be

viewed as God's only word. But thismeans we must all constantly refer tothe Torah: studying it, teaching it, andcarrying out all of its laws. Not just forthe Jew, but for all mankind.

By defending Israel, we defend truth,i.e., God's will. This in turn publicizesGod's Torah, for all people, from whichHis promise of Israel originated. TheProphets speak of the messianic era,where the entire world will finally recog-nize there exists one mankind, andtherefore, one religion. There will bepeace. Perhaps, our proper actions can

contribute to usher-in that era.

Israel must recognize that the landwas given not as an end, but in orderthat the Jewish nation engage in theentire Torah. Currently, this is not thecase. Most Jews and Israelis defend the

land, but are not Torah observant. Thisis a contradiction, for they accept onlythat portion of Torah that promisesIsrael to the seed of Jacob, whileabandoning a majority of Torah. This isclearly a violation of God's will, one thatthe nation must address as a whole.

What the IDF fights for in Gaza is aGod-given land. But God is clear thatthe land is given on condition of ourTorah observance, which is truly for ourgood, and known by observant Jewswho have experienced a Torah life.

Jewish leaders and those withinfluence must show care for all otherJews, and teach this primary lesson.

Israel/Parsha


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12 | WWW.MESORA.ORG/JEWISHTIMES NOV. 23, 201212 | WWW.MESORA.ORG/JEWISHTIMES NOV. 23, 2012

LETTERS

Belief in RevelationChaim: Why isnt there a separate

paragraph in the Shemoneh Essrei devoted

to asking Hashem to help us strengthen ourbelief in Revelation? Many, many Jews

have gone astray because they lack the

important belief that Revelation occurred.

We should pray to God, everyday, to ask Him

to remove the elements of doubt in our

minds, that the Revelation did happen.

Why? Because our conviction and belief

that it really did occur is based on a

NEGATIVEconclusion; down through

time, there never was found written books,

nor is there other concrete evidence,

supporting the idea that the Revelation

never took place. Wouldnt belief, be better

reinforced through Positive proof? What

POSITIVE facts exist to bolster the proof

that the Revelation took place?

Doesnt the high rate of assimilation in

todays Jewish society justify our Rabbis'

adding another important paragraph to the

Shimoneh Essrei, namely, to remove the

elements of doubt in our minds, that the

Revelation ever happened, and strengthen

our beliefs that, indeed, it really did occur?

Thank you,Chaim

Rabbi: You mention two ideas: 1) that God

should grant man conviction, 2) that accep-

tance of Revelation is merely a result of no

negative data opposing Revelation.

Addressing the first idea, we must know

that our conviction in any idea can only be

the result of our own thinking. God cannot

coerce man to gain knowledge or become

convinced in what he does not agree with.This is against Gods fundamental of free

will. That is, He designed man with the

capacity to engage his mind of his own

choice. If man so wishes, he can waste his

time and not study, leaving him without

conviction in Revelation. Just as we do not

pray to God to lift the water off the table and

make us drink, we do not pray to God for

knowledge that He already enabled us to

grasp on our own.

And Revelation is not accepted based on

the lack of opposition. We possess positive

knowledge of Revelation that reached us

through the positive act of generations of

communication. When we say that fabrica-

tion and ignorance are impossible regarding

this story, we do not mean there is a lack of

something. We mean that the positive

phenomena of mass witness makes fabrica-

tion an impossibility, and the simple elements

such as fire, mountain and voice, remove the

opposing arguments that Revelation was

fabricated, or the reports of ignorant people.

We rely solely on the positive transmission,which could not have spread as witnessed

truth, had Revelation never occurred. Yes,

others religions based on belief and blind

faith also spread. But their lack of witnesses

makes them mere faith. We agree that fairy

tales can spread, but mass acceptance does

not equate to mass witnesses, something

found only in Judaism.

Roots of Eternal LifeChaim: After the Torah has been read, the

Oleh, (person who has been called up to

the Torah) recites,

Blessed are You, Hashem, our God,King of the universe, Who gave us the

Torah of truth and implanted Eternal Life

within us. Blessed are You, Hashem,

Giver of the Torah.

If Eternal Life has already been implanted

in us, why do we need to perform mitzvahs

and learn new Torah Concepts in order to

attain Eternal Life? Did God plant these

roots, UNCONDTIONALLY? When we make

negative choices, choices contrary to

Torah commandments, and perform

negative actions, are we destroying ourRoots of Eternal Life? Since we are

promised Eternal Life, why should we have

to repent? When we sincerely repent, will

God forgive us, and redeem us, and

resurrect us?

Rabbi: Chapter 10 of Talmud Sanhedrin

teaches (90a), All Israel have a portion in

the world to come. However, this portion is

predicated on one living as an Israelite

i.e., following Torah. This applies to one

born Jewish and one who converts equally.

The Torah lifestyle demands the conviction

in certain fundamentals. Rabbi Israel Chait

once lectured on the various levels of

importance throughout the Torah: Not all

commands and ideals are of equal weight.

If one eats non-Kosher, this sin is no where

as grave as idolatry. The latter causes one

to forfeit his eternal life. For how can man

enjoy a greater level of knowledge of God

after he dies, when during life, he denied

God and bowed to stone or deified men?

Such a person has no basis upon which to

increase his love of God after life.

Therefore, our negative choices and

failure to repent from evil ways and corrupt

notions will cause us to forfeit the Afterlife.

We can lose our portion, like the three

kings and four commoners whom that

Talmudic portion describes, who sinned so

grievously.


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In this weeks parsha, Vayetze, weread about Yaakovs journey to the

land of his mother in order to escapethe wrath of his brother. Eisav did nottake kindly to Yaakovs deceptionswhich had procured for him theblessings which Yitzchak had intended

for his older son. In spite of the factthat Yitzchak conferred a lesserblessing on Eisav in order to placatehim, the gesture did not work. Eisav

schemed in his heart to avenge hisbrother. Fortunately his respect forYitzchak was so great that he would donothing as long as he was alive. Hisplan was to wait until his father diedand then kill his brother. MiraculouslyRivka discovered the intentions ofEisav. She apprised Yaakov of thematter and advised him to take refugewith her family. She did not communi-

cate the danger facing Yaakov toYitzchak. She complained to him abouther fear lest Yaakov take a Canaanitewoman for a wife. The Canaanite wivesof Eisav, who were idolaters, were asource of great pain to his parents.Yitzchak agreed and sent Yaakov to theland of his forebears in order to find awife.

Yaakov departed from Bersheva andjourneyed toward Haran. We are told

that he stopped at a unique place andslept there. He had a dream in whichhe beheld a ladder whose base was

planted in the earth and which reachedall the way to Heaven. Hashem wasabove the ladder and told Yaakov thathe would not abandon him and that hewould return to Canaan and enjoy allthe blessings He had promised toAvraham and Yitzchok. It would seemthat the main purpose of this propheticdream was to strengthen Yaakov andreassure him that G-d would be with

him in the difficulties he would experi-ence on his journey. The questionarises: What is the significance of theladder and the meaning of the idea thatthe angels of G-d were ascending anddescending on it? Who are theseangels and what is the meaning ofclimbing up and down the ladder?Maimonides addresses this issue in hisGuide for the Perplexed. He says thatthe angels of G-d are those who seek toelevate themselves in their knowledgeand service of Hashem. Judaism doesnot believe in instantaneous conver-sions. One has to work arduously andsteadily over a long period of time inorder to gain a proper knowledge of

G-d. This is the meaning of the ascenton the ladder. One is constantly climb-ing, mastering his instincts and

immersing himself in study. As hegains true wisdom and reaches the topof the ladder he, inevitably, willencounter Hashem who is standingover it. The climb up the ladder repre-sents the first stage of a persons life.Each person is obligated to develophimself spiritually and reach thehighest level that he is capable of.There is no objective place on theladder to which all must aspire. Everyperson is unique and when he achieveshis personal potential, that becomesthe top of the ladder for him. One

should therefore not seek to copyothers as that is impossible and asource of great disappointment.Rather, one should be acquainted with

his own nature, his strengths andweaknesses and develop himself in thefullest possible manner. When aperson reaches the top of the ladderand confronts Hashem, he then beginshis descent. According to Rambamthis means he comes back to earth touse his knowledge to teach others.Every Jew has a responsibility towardhis fellow Jews. Whatever wisdom and

understanding he has been granted byHashem he must use for himself andgenerously share with others. We mustbe spiritually selfish, seeking the mostfor ourselves and beneficent in sharingour Torah with others. May we merit toattain a genuine knowledge of Hashemand be a source of blessing and inspira-tion to others.

Shabbat Shalom.

WeeklyParsha

VAYETZE

JACOBS

LadderRABBI REUVEN MANN


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this condition is Lavans insistence thatYaakov not withhold intimate relationswith his daughters. Thus, Lavan is notjust ensuring Yaakovs unyieldingdevotion to his daughters; he wants aguarantee that the marriages will neverturn into non-intimate relationships.

Lets suppose such a conversation tookplace between a chassan, kallah and thekallahs father. Imagine the words ofcaution coming from the father request-ing that the chassan never withholdintimacy from the kallah. Not a normalback and forth, to say the least. How canwe understand this condition placed onYaakov?

There is another condition Lavanmentions. He explains that neither oneengaged in this covenant ever cross the

line. The Ibn Ezra explains that thisrefers to the prevention of one person'sevil intentions towards the other. TheChizkuni goes further, writing that amutual defense pact was beingsuggested by Lavan. If Yaakov wasattacked by his enemies, Lavan would bebound by the covenant to join in hisdefense. And, if Lavan were attacked,Yaakov would have the same responsi-bility.

Was Lavan being genuine here? Weknow Lavan was one of the reshayim parexcellence on the list of the enemies ofthe Jewish people. Was this a trick?

The key to understanding thiscovenant is in perceiving the state ofmind of Lavan in the moment. Lookingback at the events preceding the sugges-tion of the covenant, we see Lavanincensed. He discovers that Yaakov has

outwitted him, and amassed a consider-able fortune with his cattle. Lavan chasesafter Yaakov, only to be warned by Godnot to harm him. He then accusesYaakov of stealing his idols. Rochel hidesthem, and Lavan is left with an emptyJaccuse. His accusation of theft was, inessence, his last card to play. He had no

other moves. He was done.In this state of mind, he conjures upthis covenant. The first of the conditions,as we asked above, seems somethingstrange to ask for. What was Lavanconcerned with? Clearly, his relationshipwith Yaakov had been permanentlyaltered. He assumed that Yaakov wouldbear a tremendous amount of resent-ment, viewing Lavan as a ruthlessenemy. Therefore, Lavans first step wasto create a differentiation. Yaakov was

entitled to have any lingering aggres-sion towards him, but Yaakov could notview Lavans daughters as extensions ofLavan. Lavan was concerned thatYaakov would see his face when helooked at his daughters, and it wouldanger him. The underlying aggressionwould manifest in his lack of interest inLeah or Rochel. In reality, Lavan wasseeking to ensure that Yaakov wouldkeep the feud between them personal.

With this condition in place, Lavanmoves to the second consideration. Aswe mentioned before, Lavan had playedhis last card and failed. In this deal he

wanted Yaakov to enter into, Lavanwanted to make sure things stayedbetween the two of them. He was alsosensitive to the hatred Yaakov probablywould have against him. Now Lavanqualifies how this hatred would eventu-ally express itself as an act ofvengeance. Lavan feared Yaakov strikingback at him as a reaction to the falseaccusations and repeated deceit. There-fore, Lavan sought to create a futurewhere this potential for vengeance wasnever able to be realized. Lavan wouldnever act badly towards Yaakov, andvice versa. Yaakov, bound by thiscovenant, would keep those emotions ofrevenge in place. This would appear tobe the explanation of the Ibn Ezra. TheChizkuni builds off of this, picturing

Lavan as seeking more than simply theguarantee of never acting on the desire

for vengeance. Lavan, in fact, wantedYaakov to offer a positive demonstrationthat these feelings were not part of theequation. He wanted Yaakov to pledgehimself as an ally, knowing full well thatsuch a demonstration meant Lavan wassafe.

Based on these explanations, we seehow Lavan completely trusted Yaakov toabide by this covenant. At the same time,we are never quite sure what Yaakov isthinking; it is hard to imagine one of the

avos bearing such a grudge. However,we do see Lavans keen insights into thepsyche of the average person, and howhe was a wily negotiator. Possessingunderlying feelings of aggression, as wellas the need for vengeance, are hallmarkcharacteristics of those who fall prey tosuch deceit as proffered by someone likeLavan. Always worried about protecting

his own skin, he creates an everlastingcovenant with Yaakov, and succeeds inensuring he will live another day.

WeeklyParsha

LAVANS

LastMOVERABBI DR.

DARRELL GINSBERG

The feud between Yaakov andLavan reaches a climax of sorts at

the end of Parsha Vayeitzei. When thedust settles, Lavan suggests a covenantbe established between the warringparties--a reasonable suggestion. And,naturally, such a covenant would haveconditions and stipulations, which isstandard fare in such situations. Yetwhen we see the actual conditions placedon the covenant by Lavan, we are left

scratching our heads for some type ofexplanation.

The covenant is presented by the

Torah as follows (Bereishis 31:50-53):If you afflict my daughters, or if youtake wives in addition to my daughterswhen no one is with us, behold! God is awitness between me and you. AndLaban said to Jacob, "Behold this pileand behold this monument, which Ihave cast between me and you. This pileis a witness, and this monument is awitness, that I will not pass this pile [togo] to you and that you shall not pass thispile and this monument to [come to] meto [do] harm. May the God of Abrahamand the god of Nahor judge between us,

the god of their father. And Jacob sworeby the Fear of his father Isaac. There are numerous questions that

can be raised concerning this covenant;

we will focus on two of them. The firstquestion involved the initial conditionLavan placed on this pledge, namely thepossible affliction of his daughters, aswell as a warning to take additionalwives. The commentaries, based on theTalmud, offer a further clarification ofLavans condition. According to Rashi,


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