Last Week’s Geshmake Question:
Why did Yaakov Avinu go learn 14 years before going to find his shidduch?
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This Week’s Geshmake Question:
- Our fight today is to see the shine and beauty of Yiddishkeit, to see the beauty and holiness of Shabbos, the sweetness and geshmak of learning and how holy learning Torah makes us as a person. To appreciate, value, and respect davening and to love and enjoy helping others.
To realize it is great, sweet, and a privilege to be a Yid.
Why don’t we see the beauty of Yiddishkeit?
I went to many yeshivas and girls’ schools, R’ Zechariah Wallerstein zt”l said, and I asked them “what is the most beautiful thing in the world?” Some said Niagara Falls, sunset and sunrise, the mountains, and more. But no one said the most beautiful thing is Yiddishkeit.
The yetzer hara is very strong. He works extra hard to stop us from seeing how beautiful Yiddishkeit is.
That bothered R’ Wallerstein as a kid.
“It always bothered me as a kid,” R’ Wallerstein said, “that was the point of Chazal saying ‘as Yaakov was fighting with the angel of Eisav, the dust from their fight went up all the way to the Kisei HaKavod, the heavenly throne.’”
Question:
- What does it even mean that the dust went all the way to heaven?
- And what difference does it make?” R’ Wallerstein asked.
Answer:
Let us explain what dust does. Dust takes away something that usually shines, making something nice and beautiful look dull and plain.
The dust went up all the way to heaven means the yetzer hara wanted to take away the shine and beauty of anything to do with heaven, with spirituality; he puts dust on anything that has to do with holiness. He takes away the shine and beauty of Shabbos, davening, chessed, learning our holy Torah, and everything holy. He makes it sound boring. (Yup, this also connected beautifully to this week’s parsha.)
Even more in our generation: We see today that the yetzer hara also tries to put dust on us, on our self-esteem, so that we cannot see our own shine, our own beauty, our gifts, talents, and strengths that Hashem gave us.
What’s The Lesson?
- We must fight back and appreciate our own special, unique shine.
Yaakov Avinu was afraid for two reasons when he heard his brother is coming to kill him. 1) that he and his family would be killed by his brother; 2) but he was also afraid that he might need to kill others in self-defense.
Question? Why should Yaakov be afraid to do self-defense? It's a mitzvah to defend oneself!?
Smoking On Shabbos…
R’ Aharon Schechter zt”l was walking home on Shabbos with a group of people. On the way, they passed a few young bochurim who were sadly smoking on Shabbos. R’ Aharon kept walking with the group and didn’t make any comment to the boys; he just kept going. But farther down the block, he stopped, turned around, and walked back alone to the boys. He told them “I love you. I want you to know that I’m always available to speak with you if you want. You know where I teach. If you need anything, please come over.” The next week, one of those boys came to him, and R’ Aharon helped him.
What’s The Lesson?
- R’ Aharon Schechter was so thoughtful and sensitive. He did not want the bochurim who were struggling to feel ashamed in front of the whole group.
- He didn’t yell at them or tell them how bad they were. Instead, he showed he cared, he was there for them, and he believed in them. There is no such thing as giving up on a Yid.
This connects to this week’s parsha:
Yaakov went back for a small bottle of olive oil.
Question:
Why?
Answer:
Because if Hashem gave a person something, one should take responsibility for it. We don’t leave anything behind. If this is true for packages, then of course it is also true for our brothers, all Yidden… We are all responsible for making sure there is no Jew left behind. Be nice to everyone, whether they are not-yet-frum or already frum.
D. R. Answers:
perhaps to prepare himself in the laws of leaving eretz yisroel, of working with non jews etc., which weren't really applicable to him till now.
Avi Goldenberg Answers:
Yakov didn't want to get tricked by Lavan so in order to stop that from happening he went to learn by yeshiva of Shem and Ever because Torah can help you with almost everything! (What a sweet answer!)
Anonymous Answers:
when elifaz came to steal Yakov's stuff, he also took his clothing. At the same time a man passed took off his clothing and went into the water a wave came and drowned that man yakov took the clothing but didn't want the family of that man to blame him so he went to yeshivah to hide/to learn.
R' Klitnik Answers:
Yaakov went to learn under Shem and Ever how to deal with wicked people. Since they survived the flood.
