First off, this weeks Parsha was my older brothers Bar Mitzvah parsha so I remember him practicing leining it and I got to learn the story that way. The main part I remember is Yaakov Greeting Eisav. There’s a song that pops into my head when I think of this weeks parsha. It’s a song I learned as a kid, and I see now the children are still learning the same song. A song from 613 Torah Avenue. Although I only had remembered 4 of the lines of the chorus, and hadn’t recognized the rest of the song.
Something To Say:
I have sojourned with Laban (32:5)
When Jacob sent messengers to his brother Esau, he told them to relay the above message to his brother. Rashi comments that the word Garti in this verse has the numerical value of 613, which is also the number of mitzvos in the Torah. By using this word, Jacob was alluding to Esau, “I dwelt with Laban and kept the Mitzvos; I did not learn from his bad deeds.” The simple meaning of this statement is that even someone on the high spiritual level of Jacob could have been influenced negatively in the environment of a Laban; it was a substantial accomplishment that he withstood the test of living with the evil and dishonest laban.
I learned 2 great lessons from this. One the lesson of “don’t believe in yourself till the day you die”. That even Yaakov on such a high level had to worry about not getting influenced from Lavan. That no matter how strong you think you are, you can fall into the trap, so you have to be careful. Second is that it was considered a great accomplishment for him to have still kept the 613 mitzvos with lavan. Shows that no matter how great the person you still have to acknowledge when they did a great thing. That it wasn’t taken for granted that Yaakov will for sure keep the 613 mitzvos.
Another great lesson learned, is that even if you are right in what you are doing, you still have to do it in a nice way, otherwise it may come back and haunt you. Like where Timna was rejected in a not nice way, and then Amelak came from her and was an enemy to the Jews.
4 comments:
My daughter liked the song that you linked to. She seems to know all those songs from school.
I'm looking into Tamar this week. Any good ideas?
Also, the part in blue, did you take that from somewhere? "simple meaning of this statement" And the complicated meaning is?
Thanks for the Timna link.
Leora: yea, it seems like a popular song!
I haven't looked into this coming weeks parsha yet...
yea, I was also wondering about that part. Yea, it's taken from the book "Something to Say". By R' Dovid Goldwasser.
You're welcome!
On the second lesson- i actually read recently on the "rules" of Leshon Harah - is that its wrong to point out when someone is doing a Mitzvah incorrectly. One must a) give them the benefit of the doubt that they aren't aware of it and maybe need to learn some more and b) it would embarass them.
So yes, even if you are right, and oh how we just LOOOVE being right sometimes, no one ever likes hearing "I told you so".
:)
Shavuah tov!
(PS great song as always!!)
Shorty: thanx for pointing out those Halachos of Shmiras Halashon.
very true, and that's an important rule in marriage, not to say "I told you so" and with parenting too!
Thanks, you have a good week! and glad you enjoyed the song! :-)
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