In Memory of Mr.

Max Glass

Likutei Ohr

The Pamphlet of Light

Volume IV : Issue V

Parshat Toldot

Editor-in-Chief:
Ariel Amsellem 15

Ignoring the Negative

Senior Editor:
Eitan Meisels 15
Michael Somekh 15

Managing Editors:
Pinchas Gamzo 17
Jesse Hyman 16
Jack Levkowitz 17

!
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Marketing:

Layout Editor:
Eitan Tennenbaum 17
Joshua Aranoff 15
Yosef Hier 16

Distributors:
Eli Friedman 15
Jordan Lustman 15
Nathan Silberberg 16

Staff Advisor:
Rabbi Arye Sufrin

The Flame of
Our
Ancestors
Where is G-d to be
found? In the place
where He is given
entry.
- The Kotzker Rebbe

Tefillah Gems

Yosef Petlak 17

In Memory of Mr. Jack Gindi

A publication of YULA Boys High School

Rabbi Michael Abraham

Usually, brothers share many similarities. However, in this weeks Parsha, Parshat Toldot, we are
introduced to two brothers, Yaakov and Esav, who seem to not be like each other at all. When talking
about Yaakov, the Torah depicts a wholesome man, abiding in tents while his brother Esav is
described as one who knows trapping, a man of the field. Despite the fact that Yaakov was born with
an extraordinarily righteous personality while Esav was inherently a Rasha, how is it possible for two
brothers born to the same parents, raised in the same household, and given the same education to be
so vastly different? All the more so, how do twins become so different from each other?
In order to answer this question, we will examine a similar situation, which occurred earlier in
the book of of Bereshit in Parshat Vayera. The quintessential example of a man who personified the
Mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim welcoming guests into ones home is Avraham Avinu. The contrast to
Avraham during his time was the city of Sedom, which practically patronized inhospitable behavior. No
guest ever wanted to come to Sedom; people were actually afraid that if they stayed there they might
end up dying in some grotesque way. Avrahams entire life was devoted to opening his house and
bringing people in no matter where they came from. Everyone knew about Avrahams dedication to the
Mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim. Yet, at the same time, the place known for being the most unwelcoming
city in the world was just a few miles away.
How was it possible for this city and Avraham to coexist? I think the answer to this question
contains a very powerful message that is pertinent for all of us. No matter who we have around us and
no matter how corrupt those people are, we cannot base our spiritual growth andpotential upon our
surroundings. We must be able to grow based on the potential that we, personally, have inside of us.
Yaakov did not have to do much to be different from his brother Esav; however, he knew what his
potential was, and he reached that potential not because he tried to be better than his brother and those
around himbut rather because he tried to reach his own potential despite the possible negative
influence of Esav.
We learn the same lesson in Parshat Noach when the Torah discusses the tower of Bavel. Rabeinu
Bechaya and the Rashbam both write that the reason the tower was built was not to fight against
Hashem, but rather it was made in order to keep everyone in the same place, speaking the same
language, and having the same jobs. This ideology is totally antithetical to the entire purpose of creation,
for the Torah commands us to multiply and fill up the land. Hashem did not want them all in one
place, talking one language, and thinking the same. HaKadosh Baruch Hu wanted them and wants us to
be different from each other so that everybody can fulfill his or her own potential. For this reason
Hashem brought the tower down.
In our daily lives, we often encounter people who contradict the positive Torah mission, which
we have been endowed with as Jews. We may want to get far away from these people in order to live
our lives in the correct way, or, even worse, we may want stray away from the guidelines set by the
Ribbono Shel Olam and accept the non-Torah lifestyle of those around us; luckily, we have the precedent
set by the Avot, which tells us that we must persevere and uphold Torah values even though those
around us disregard them.

Rav Kook writes that after Moshe was denied entry into Eretz Yisrael, he began to recite a series of Tefillot in order to try
and convince HaKadosh Baruch Hu to let him enter the Holy Land. During one of Moshes pleas, he entreats, "O G-d, Eternal!
You have begun to show me Your greatness and power. What force is there in heaven or earth that can perform deeds and mighty
acts as You can? Please, let me cross [the Jordan River] and see the good land (Devarim 3:24-25). Moshes Tefillah was
examined by Rabbi Simlai who broke it up into two components: praise and the actual request. Rabbi Simlai then goes on to say
that this is the model upon which we should base our Tefillot. However, this model needs to be examined. Are we simply flattering
Hashem, just as one might butter up a mortal king before making a request? Or, is there a deeper significance to this protocol for
prayer? In truth, we praise Hashem at the beginning of our Tefillot so that we should realize that Hashem is the only one who has
the power to fulfill our requests and prayers.

Let the Essence of Your Neshamah Shine!

Josh Resin 16

In this weeks Parsha, we learn about Rivkas two sons who

could not have be more different. When referencing them, Rambam uses
the order Esav and Yaakov while Rashi writes Yaakov and Esav.
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe,
explains that this seemingly trivial difference actually teaches us a
powerful lesson. Chazal explain that Esav represents the Yetzer Hara
while Yaakov represents the Yetzer Tov, which is why Esav was born
first while Yaakov was conceived first. The physical manifestation, or
birth, of a persons Yetzer Hara comes before that of their Yetzer Tov;
however, the Yetzer Tov is always preeminent when revealing the true
essence of a person.
Similarly, Chassidut teaches us that when Hashem first created
the world, it was in a state that lacked spiritual equilibrium, a condition
called Tohu; only after the Shevirat HaKeilim (the breaking of the vessels
containing G-ds light) did the world become spiritually balanced and
enter a state known as Tikkun. This demonstrates that in the revelation of
existence, Tohu preceded Tikkun. However, when talking about the
Creators intent, which transcends Hishtalshelut, emanated existence
altogether, Tikkun is foremost. The Rebbe elucidates that from the point
of view of our world, which is below, precedence is given to Esav who
is likened to the Yetzer Hara and Tohu; this stance fits with the ordering of
the Rambam, who placed Esav before Yaakov. Rashi, however, maintains
that from the perspective of Torah, which is essentially synonymous with
Hashem and therefore the world above, Yaakov, who is likened to the
Yetzer Tov and Tikkun, is perceived first. In the Haftarah of this weeks
Parsha, the word of Hashem is brought to Israel through Malachi, and
HaKadosh Baruch Hu says, I loved Yaakov, but I hated Esav, which
demonstrates Hashems love of goodness and hatred of evil.
Furthermore, it is written in Bereshit Rabbah that Hashem desires the
deeds of the righteous. From all of this we learn an important lesson
about ourselves: While our Yetzer Hara sometimes tries to control us, it
does not reflect the true essence of our souls, and its manifestations are
only evident on a superficial level. When Hashem gives us the strength
to be able to overcome our Yetzer Hara, we can allow the innermost
aspects of our Neshamah to shine through. At that point, our physical
existence reveals, rather than conceals, the spirituality instilled within us.
Moreover, when we are able to allow our Yetzer Tov to permeate every
cell of our very being and serve Hashem faithfully, we draw down G-dly
light, which illuminates the world and prepares it for the ultimate
redemption the coming of Mashiach, BMehayra BYamaynu.

!What Was the Birthright?

Halachic Illuminations

From Rabbi Nachum Sauer

A woman has a Mitzvah to light candles before
Shabbat. She should light a minimum of 2 candles,
corresponding to the words Zachor and Shamor that were
said in the Aseret HaDibrot concerning Shabbat. However,
many women have different customs as to how many
candles they light. One very common Minhag is to light the
number of candles corresponding to the number of
immediate family members.

The Shulchan Aruch states that when a woman
lights candles, she automatically accepts Shabbat upon
herself and can no longer do any Melacha. The rest of her
family, however, are not Mekabel Shabbat with her candle
lighting. This is one of the reasons that a woman says the
Bracha of Hadlakat Neirot after she lights because if she
would say the Bracha before the lighting that would
constitute a Kaballat Shabbat for her, and she would not be
able to light the candles. Since we follow this opinion, a
woman cannot Daven Mincha on Friday afternoon after
Hadlakat Neirot because it is already considered to be
Shabbat for her, and she cannot Daven a weekday Te@illah
on Shabbat.

However, there is a disagreement among the
Poskim about whether a woman can stipulate that she does
not want to be Mekabel Shabbat with candle lighting. Some
Poskim hold that such a stipulation will work; yet, others
disagree. The Ramah says that one can rely on this
stipulation if there is a very strong need. For instance, on
Erev Yom Kippur, if a woman lights candles at home and
wants to go to Shul for Kol Nidrei, and the Shul is far away,
she can stipulate that she is not accepting Yom Kippur with
the Hadlakat Neirot so that she can drive to Shul. However,
the standard custom is that a woman does not do Melacha
after candle lighting, yet this custom does not apply to a
man who is lighting candles and then going to Shul.

Compiled By Noam Gershov 17

Joseph Dahan 18

In this weeks Parsha, Parshat Toldot, Yaakov and Esav are born. In the first Aliyah, Rivka and Yitzchak pray for children, and their
prayers are finally answered, twenty years after their marriage, with the blessing of twins. One of the twins was Esav a hairy, wicked child
while the other one was Yaakov a calm, nice child. Esav turned out to be a hunter out in the fields while Yaakov was a Ben Torah and devoted
his time to learning. One day Esav came home from the fields starving. He had seen that his brother Yaakov was making stew, and he asked for
some. Yaakov replied that the only way he would give Esav stew is if he sold him the birthright. Esav immediately said yes and ate. Why was
Yaakov so intent on buying the birthright of his brother Esav?
There is great discussion among the Mefarshim about what the birthright actually was. The Ibn Ezra explains that the first born usually
gets most of the fathers estate. The Ibn Ezra also informs us that Yitzchak was poor at that time. This state of poverty played a very important
role in Esavs willingness to sell the birthright. Esav thought to himself, My father is poor, so there is nothing for me to gain in this case, so I
might as well sell my birthright for this bowl of stew because I am starving.
Rabbaynu Avraham Ben HaRambam and Rashi have a different way to define the birthright. They both agree that the birthright was
the claim to the priesthood, namely, the privilege to bring Korbanot on the Mizbeach. Esav had no interest in the priesthood and was therefore
willing to sell it for the instant gratification he would get from the bowl of lentil soup. Furthermore, the Torah states VaYivez Esav Et
HaBechorah, which tells us that Esav actually despised the right to the priesthood, and this is why he was willing to sell it at such an
inexpensive price.
We find a similar idea by Pidyon HaBen. By that Mitzvah, the Kohen asks the father of the firstborn boy if he would prefer to redeem his
son with five Shekalim as required by the Torah or to keep the money for himself. The Kohen is highlighting the conflict between various
priorities, spiritual and material. Hopefully, we will all make the proper decision.

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