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Parsha Vayetze: The First Step (Gen 28:10 – 32:3)

November 16, 2015 by Jeremiah

When I was still a child it just blew my mind every time I heard the story of Moses descending from Sinai with the Ten Commandments. Back then I pictured the ancient world as a disorganized violent place where incredible muscle bound hulks traipsed about dragging damsels in distress by their hair and killing at will. Nothing could be further from the truth. The same societal ills that plagued our fore fathers plague us today. Growing up in the United States it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that since the Emancipation Proclamation slavery is no more or since the Wolf of Berlin placed the barrel of his luger to his head and pulled the trigger genocide is a cruel joke from the past. Vayetze addresses this naivety .

Almost half way through Genesis this week’s portion reads almost the same as the previous portions just with different names. Jacob is deceived in a similar way in which he deceived his father Isaac, Rachel becomes increasingly jealous at Leah and Bilhah for conceiving Jacob’s children, Laban covets Jacob’s wealth, and Hashem intervenes once again this time with dreams.

What sets Vayetze apart is Jacob’s ladder dream with celestial beings climbing up and down. At first I am a little puzzled that a ladder and not a tree appears in his dream. Trees are so important to Jews of all walks, trees represent life, knowledge, and mysticism, plus like a ladder you can climb up and down. So why a ladder and not a tree? Trees are climbed for fun but ladders are climbed for work. When you climb a ladder you look up or down and then move a rung consciously in your desired direction. Climbing a tree you scurry, reach, jump, swing, and smile your way around and down. Hashem placed a ladder in Jacob’s dream to show him and us that just living life in a way where you just go with the flow while easy is not what is expected from us. Hashem forgets nothing and through his covenants He is being patient and working really hard with humanity to get us back to a Eden-esq or Messianic state of being. The Ten Commandments are being written one by one on the tablets in Sinai they just will not be finished until many years later after Moses climbs the mountain like a ladder a second time.

Today we may have better technology, more comfortable lives, and more transparency in society but at our core our dilemmas are no different than those faced by Jacob. The ancient world is no more or less savage than the one today. Not just in war zones or developing countries but everywhere even in the only super power left in the world. I remember once when I was kid I decided to climb a pine tree. For over an hour I battled with bark in my eye, limbs scrapping open my skin, sap dripping all over me. It was a slow and painful process but I kept reaching and striving for that next rung of branches. When I made it to the top sure I was happy but I knew I would have to start the same painful process to descend. I may have went home with my eyes red and swollen, with blood oozing out of my hands and arms, and my clothes and hair matted with sap but I learned a lesson that is still with me to this day. The easy way is to just stay where your at flowing with the good and bad at the same time. Taking the first step in either direction is hard work in fact so hard that each additional step after the first is just another first step.

I challenge all of you to strive for that first step up, counter complacency and the wicked who are taking steps down. Tikkun Olam can only start inside of you.

What first steps have you worked hard to take? Do you ever stop for a break? Tell us about it comment below.

Filed Under: Community Member Blogs, Jewish Text (Torah/Haftarah/Talmud) Tagged With: Bilhah, circlepit the bimah, convert to judaism, convert to judaism online, darshan yeshiva, genesis, jacob, jeremiah, Laban, leah, online conversion, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier, rachel, Vayetze

Parsha Toldot: The Age of Quarrel (Gen 25:19 – 28:9)

November 9, 2015 by Jeremiah

Parsha Toldot like many other Torah Portions has a sense of ambiguity to it. This ambiguity is what makes the Torah’s lessons relevant for people living yesterday, today, tomorrow, for both male and females, people of all ages, and for everyone scattered across this globe we call Earth. When I decided to try my hand at Dvar-ing (is that even a word?) I tried to forget everything that I know about our collective spiritual ancestors. I didn’t want to infuse each week’s reading with some socio-political agenda or pen a modern day discussion citing great Jewish minds past and present like Rambam and Elie Wiesel, who knows maybe the next cycle I will focus my Dvrei through that looking glass. As I sat down to once again read the story of Jacob and Esau’s relationship with each other and their parents all I could think about were the concepts of mind over matter and might makes right.

This portion is about twin brothers who when looked at as one person create a deep, complicated, driven individual. The Quarrel between the two is really the conflict we all deal with on a daily basis within ourselves. Jacob leaves his mother’s womb clinging to his brothers heal. This tells us that in Rebecca’s womb as each body split and grew into Esau and Jacob there was a struggle. Esau being the physically stronger was able fight his way out first, Jacob while physically weaker was mentally determined to never give up by clinging to his brother.

As they grew older Esau was manly, hairy, loud, an outdoors man or the extrovert. Jacob was delicate, smooth skinned, quiet, an indoors man or the introvert. The extrovert in the here and now is always dominant while the introvert is able to visualize a goal and piece by piece work towards it only to dominate later. When Esau ate Jacob’s soup he was dominating because he had the soup and was no longer hungry Jacob on the other hand knew what he ultimately wanted and while giving up his meal was able to take a step towards his ultimate goal by making a trade for Esau’s birthright. Later on he tricks his father Isaac into giving him what would have been Esau’s blessing and Esau Jacob’s blessing enraging Esau. Esau’s rage is not at his mother for conspiring against him with Jacob or at his father for going along with the charade, but at his other half Jacob and by default himself.

How often do each of us allow our thoughts and actions to clash within us. How often do you let insecurities stop you from simply just getting better. Better at physical pursuits and better intellectually. There are many times when I am my worst enemy when I quarrel within myself for not being the strongest, the most outgoing, the wittiest. What is your quarrel? How have you reconciled your extrovert and introvert sides?

Filed Under: Community Member Blogs, Jewish Text (Torah/Haftarah/Talmud) Tagged With: Circle Pit The Bimah, convert to judaism, convert to judaism online, darshan yeshiva, esau, genesis, isaac, jacob, jeremiah, online conversion, parsha toldot, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier, Rebecca

Parshah Vayechi – Oh, Smack! Karate Kid, Red Lobster and Fiddler on the Roof

December 2, 2013 by Patrick Beaulier

The Friday night blessing in traditional communities includes the phrase “may you be like Ephraim and Manasseh.” Here’s what I’m wondering: why do we mention Ephraim and Manasseh? I mean, most prayers mention Abraham, Isaac and Jacob…so what the heck are Ephraim and Mannaseh randomly doing in this prayer?

In Parsha Vayechi, Jacob “elevates” the status of Joseph’s sons to that of his sons, in effect, making Ephraim and Manasseh inheritors of the patriarchal lineage and an equal member of the Jewish clan. Traditional commentators say that Ephraim and Manasseh showed themselves worthy by being moral people in the land of Egypt, when they could have been all depraved …like Charlie Sheen!

But Robert Alter in The Five Books of Moses suggests something different. It is not so much that Ephraim and Manasseh were so special. Rather, it is because Reuben and Simeon were such failures, that in a sense, Joseph’s sons [Read more…]

Filed Under: Jewish Text (Torah/Haftarah/Talmud), Podcasts & Videos Tagged With: convert to judaism, convert to judaism online, D'var Torah, darshan yeshiva, efraim, ephraim, jacob, Joseph, manasseh, mannaseh, online conversion, parshah vayechi, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier, torah video mashup

Parsha Vayishlach: “Think for the best or you will go down just like the rest!” (Gen 32:4 – 36:43)

December 5, 2011 by Jeremiah

A couple weeks ago Toldot was approached under the assumption, since Esau and Jacob are twins they are in essence one very deep, complicated, driven individual split between two bodies. This separation of one divine spark creates an unmovable object contrasted by the unstoppable force. Vayishlach is what happens when the inevitable ramming of the horns occurs.

In this week’s portion Jacob returns to his homeland worried, and reasonably so, dividing his estate into two camps in hopes that when he meets his twin brother Esau any revenge meted out will only be felt by one side. Jacob isolates himself during the night to prepare himself for his meeting with Esau. During the night Jacob is confronted by a stranger whom he spends the rest of the evening wrestling with. Some believe this stranger to be Esau others believe him to be an angle, or a manifestation of Hashem, or even Jacob himself. Whoever Jacob wrestled with is not important what is important is how this plays into to the reunification of a Divine spark which happens the next morning.

Esau who was the extroverted half of the two was always physically strong and being that way he never had to look past the present moment to satisfy his needs. Jacob representing the introverted side was intelligent enough to know he needed time to plan and strategize in order to move towards his ultimate goal. The years he spent away working and building a large family with his wives and maidservants afforded him the time to become physically and strategically strong enough to confront Esau.

As the sun slowly rose and the dawn crept up ushering in the ultimate day of reckoning one hurdle remained for Jacob. . .he must conquer the introvert. Jacob physically overcomes the stranger only to be permantly handicapped yet reborn as Israel.

Israel, not Jacob, limps back to his camp waiting to confront the rest of his Divine spark resting within Esau. Israel, not Jacob, bows to his twin brother seven times. Esau is overcome with what he sees and embraces his brother Israel who is no longer his enemy Jacob. What a great end to a heart breaking conflict.

Vayishlach really spoke to me this week, more than I can every remember it doing in the past. Shortly after starting Circle Pit the Bimah I was forced to come to a head with myself. I was at a point were I felt overwhelmed, in other words I felt like the Greek character Atlas on a bad day. One night I had a dream where I’m in a suit walking through a city which always acts as the backdrop for most of my dreams. I’m looking past the  high rise sky line into mountains covered by jungle, and I think to myself I need to walk over there for Shul since today is Friday and the sun is about to set. So I walk and walk and walk never really getting any closer to my goal, finally I get frustrated and give up, rationalizing that there will always be another Shabbat why worry about it. I then walk down a flight of steps into a basement resulting in me waking up.

The entire next day I am not my usual self, more than anything I am mad at my subconscious for giving in so easily the night before. I decided to work from home, didn’t shave or bath, really didn’t do anything except clash with myself. That night I had another dream. A huge floating albino snake slithered up to me. The serpent was approximately 10-12 feet in length and its red eyes just stared at me while its body swayed back and forth behind it. As much as snakes creep me out I just stood there and stared back. Then it happened . . .WHAM!!! the serpent strikes face first into my chest. My body sways like wheat during a breezy summers day but my feat remain rooted to the earth. Defeated the serpent flies off and in my dream reasoning I understand why it lost. During the entire confrontation its mouth was closed so it could not whisper to me and break my resolve. The next morning I reevaluated a lot of the things that where baring down on me. Those I could change I did, those I could influence to a degree I did, and those I couldn’t do anything about I just stopped obsessing over and I have felt great ever since.

The things I was wrestling with while trivial compared to what Jacob had to overcome still forced me to reconcile Jeremiah with Jeremiah. What is your biggest obstacle? How did you find peace within yourself? We want to know. Comment below or message me jeremiah@punktorah.org Twitter: @circlepitbimah.

Filed Under: Community Member Blogs, Jewish Text (Torah/Haftarah/Talmud) Tagged With: Circle Pit The Bimah, convert to judaism, convert to judaism online, darshan yeshiva, esau, Israel, jacob, jeremiah, online conversion, parsha vayishlach, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier

It’s All About Reconciliation and Forgiveness (Parshat Vayechi by Nitzchiya)

December 12, 2010 by Patrick Beaulier

This week’s Torah portion is by Nitzchiya, a member of the PunkTorah community. Submit your own d’var Torah by emailing michael@punktorah.org.

When I received the email from Patrick inviting folks to participate in reading a Torah portion my initial reaction was that of hesitant excitement. I got to thinking about how great this would be, giving me the opportunity to publically announce my faith in the G-D of Israel-of my “newly discovered” ancestors.

Parashat Vayechi turned out be extremely personal showing me how Hashem has supreme insight into all. Through Torah, He reveals how to acquire a better understanding of our father. But the miraculous part comes when we gain a relevancy for ourselves and our lives by way of Torah. Here is what I learned about me and my present situation.

Picture it… Egypt on a cool balmy evening in a comfortable Kemetic dwelling on a fertile piece of desert plain lives Jacob aka Israel, the beloved patriarch to the Hebrew people. Parashat Vayechi lets us know Jacob has come to the end of his life, requesting the audience of his sons. He is about to reveal his most important decrees to his heirs that will affect the Jewish people down thru the ages…including you and me. Joseph, the youngest son of Jacob, visits with his father during which Jacob tells him,” upon my death I want you to bury me in Canaan, the land of my forefathers”. Joseph wanted to please his father, but knew it wouldn’t be easy since Jacob was so well liked and respected by the Egyptians they would surely want him to be buried among them.

Jacob was so adamant about it that he insisted Joseph hold him under his thigh helping him to sit upright, inferring the closeness between father and son, causing him to swear to it…Joseph at that point had no other choice (if you want your kid to do what you ask, guilt them thru love to do it, works every time).

By sun down, Joseph was informed by a servant that his dad had taken a turn for the worse and was requesting to see his grandsons. Joseph goes out to collect kids and his brothers to gather around their father Jacobs’s bed side. Ephraim and Manasseh arrived first. We can be sure that each one of Jacob’s sons was sure in their heads about what they would individually get; but Jacob had other plans because G-D did. Jacob was filled with the purpose that G-D had infused in him and he wasted no time in portioning out his decrees. Jacob reminded his sons of their individual actions, telling them that sometimes we do things that can affect not only the present, but the future generations to come-both for the good and the bad. So in everything we do, we must decide whether we want to be a blessing or a curse. Joseph through his actions in the past caused his descendants to be blessed by Jacob first. G-D recalled the affliction of Joseph when he was sold by his jealous brothers into slavery and despite the hardships he went through, Joseph saved his family from starvation, impending death and forgave them all for their treachery. Hashem wielded his justice (not vengeance) against Josephs brothers through their inheritance because that was the only way they would learn and accept responsibility for their cruelty and angst against Joseph and save the Jewish progeny.

Eventually we, the descendants of Israel’s sons, were scattered to the world. But through the promises and the grace of Hashem our folks are gathering back to Israel once again. An Ashkenazi cousin contacted me on Facebook (we found one another through
DNA testing) sharing with me some family history. He is planning to make Aliyah to Israel. Once it’s confirmed, guess who is going on holiday in Israel!?

Parashat Vayechi speaks to me about reconciliation and forgiveness, helping us to realize that everything we do is seen by G-D , He never forgets and because He is not on our time frame He will always catch up. Lucky for me, I’m found.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35HY4Mt_5C0

Filed Under: Jewish Text (Torah/Haftarah/Talmud) Tagged With: convert to judaism, convert to judaism online, darshan yeshiva, It’s All About Reconciliation and Forgiveness (Parshat Vayechi by Nitzchiya), jacob, online conversion, parshas vayechi, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, punktorah, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier

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