Hello everyone,

I’m sorry for the delay in uploading all these recording. Click here for recordings of the past few months’ classes: mosheb.posterous.com

Comments always welcome!

MB

The recording from this past Wednesday’s class is now available at this link: http://mosheb.posterous.com/vayakhel-5772-double-portion-and-repetition-o

We discussed the occasional doubling up of Portions and some background info on the Jewish calendar. Then we moved on to the opening paragraph of this week’s reading, which is a restatement of Shabbat, and its relationship to the rest of the portion.

Feedback is always welcome…

MB

For those of you who couldn’t make it last night to our Wednesday night class, the recording and handout are available here: http://mosheb.posterous.com/vayishlach-5772-who-is-jacob.

We learned the story of Yaakov’s encounter with a figure who wrestled with him all night long.  At the end of their fight, the adversary is revealed to be an angel who gives Yaakov his new name – Yisrael. The name characterizes a new state of being the Yaakov has achieved.

Feedback is always welcome!

Rabbi Moshe Becker

The recording and handout from last night’s class are now available. Click here to view and listen and/or download.

We examined a strange phrase in Jacob’s instructions to his sons. He blesses them that the Almighty should ‘grant them mercy’, implying that they should have the trait of mercy.  We would have expected his blessing to reflect a wish that be treated mercifully, not that they should acquire the trait of mercy. Jacob seemed to have understood that the brothers could only have been treated cruelly if they themselves were deficient in the area of mercy. He thus instructs them to work on their own mercy, in the hopes that the reciprocal effect of that will be merciful treatment at the hand of the ruler in Egypt.

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Chanuka

MB