The Library

As we continue the story of Yakov and his sons, we not only see the conclusion of Sefer Bereishis (book of Genesis) but also the end of the lives of Yakov and Yosef. The story of these great and holy men seems to be full of so much pain and struggle. And yet, they not ...

It is written, "[Yaakov] blessed [Efraim and Menasheh] on that day…" (48:20). Wecan explain, Yaakov blessed them that they should always focus 'on thatday.' They shouldn’t think about the past, nor about the future.It says, 'tfochois nosato yomai' - 'like handbreadths (...

*Venishmarta mikol davar ra, mikan shelo yeharhar adam bayom veyavo lidei tumah balailah. Why does the Torah tell us the prohibition of being motzei zera levatala in a roundabout way, venishmarta etc.? why doesn't it say it in a direct fashion, exactly what is assur? The ...

וַיָּשָׁב יוֹסֵף מִצְרַיְמָה הוּא וְאֶחָיו וְכָל-הָעֹלִים אִתּוֹ Rashi says that on the way back from Canaan the Mitzriyim honored Yosef's brothers and let them travel ahead of them as a sign of respect. On the way to Canaan the Mitzriyim went ahead of his brothers and di...

Rashi explains why Vayechi is a parsha s'tumah, a 'closed' parsha, lacking the usual space before the beginning of the parsha. Klal Yisrael's eyes and hearts were 'closed' and clogged because Yaakov Avinu was niftar. Another reason is because Yaakov wanted to reveal when ...

L'fi shek'shemes yaakov nistemu eineihem v'libam shel Yisroel mitzoras hashibud.(Rashi)Nistemu eineihem v'libam shel Yisroel is the ideal that we all strive for! Ayin Ro'eh, haLev chomeid....... the result is unwanted. :-[ While the great & holy Yaakov Avinu was aliv...

V'einei Yisroel kavdu mizoken lo yichal lir'os vayageish osam eilav vayishak lahem vaychabeik lahem(48:10)If Yaakov was blind how did he, in the very next possuk, say "to see your face I did not think, and behold Hashem showed me also your descendants."? The Steipler Gaon...

I found a Zohar in Parshas Vayechi that seems to describe that after one sins the sin runs after him and "moves into his house and lives together with him, in order to injure him." I understood it to mean that the sin takes over the person and causes him to sin and the ...

Yaakov personified the כח of קדושה. Thus, Yaakov told Reuvain "Kochi v'reishis oni" - complete שמירת הברית. This could also explain why Yaakov had Yosef swear with his yerech. Rashi says why with respect to Avrohom but not Yaakov. Perhaps it was the chavivos for shemiras ...

In the blessing for Yosef, according to Rashi, Yaakov blessed him because he extended his height so that Eisav should not look at his mother. The question is, what was Yosef scared of? Maybe before, when Rochel was barren, she thought that Yaakov may divorce her and Eisov...

Jacob assembled his sons to give them his blessing before he died. The exact words of the Torah are, "He blessed them on that day" (Genesis 48:20). What is the significance of the fact that he blessed them on that day? We may translate the verse to read, "He blessed them ...

Why is it that we call it a "Bar" Mitzvah - literally a "son of a mitzvah", as opposed to a sinner who we call a "Ba'al" Aveira? Why don't we call a sinner a "Bar" Aveira too?Answered the holy Chofetz Chaim: "Baal" in lashon hakodesh can also mean a husband. A husband c...

'Pachaz kamayim al tosar' Yaakov Avinu told Reuven that he lost his firstborn privileges because he was too hasty with the incident of Yaakov's bed. He was quick to react, without first digesting the information and weighing up the alternatives. Surely he should have aske...

'B'cho yevoraich yisroel - yesimcho Elokim k'ephraim v'chimenashe" We bless our sons that should grow up to be like Ephraim and Menashe. Why not the other shevatim, why dafka these two? I heard that these two are the ones who grew up in lowly, depraved mitzrayim and still...

''Vayechi yaakov be'eretz mitzrayim" Yaakov avinu found a way to live in Mitzrayim. After years of 'seeking to live in tranquility' (see Rashi at the beginning of Vayeshev), he finally realized that life isn't supposed to be perfect. It's not if only x,y,z happens that I ...