Vaychi 5779

“Haste like water, do not take more…” (Bereishit 49:4)

Rashi: The haste and the confusion with which you hurried to show your anger, like these waters, which hurry in their flow. Therefore you will not get the added privileges which had been due to you.”

Pane Relief

(From the book Dvar Chevron section I, siman 107)

David was in mid-discussion with a few of his roommates, when a three of his friends suddenly burst into the room.

Without waiting for an introduction, the three boys began to cry out “David, we need your help!”

Miketz 5779

בגלל שיוסף הוציא דיבה על אחיו נגזר עליו להיות בבית האסורים עשר שנים (שמות רבה). מכל זה אנו רואין חמר האיסור של חטא הלשון

(שמירת הלשון, ח"ב, פרק ז)

Tomato Source

The students sat silently in their seats, their eyes riveted on their teacher, Rabbi David. They were eager to hear the resolution to the question which had developed, during the course of the lesson. Rabbi David’s voice rose in excitement, as the tapestry he wove before the class began to take shape.

Vayeshev 5779

“…and they could not speak to him peacefully” (Bereishit 36:4)

Rashi: From their disgrace, we learn their praise, [because this indicates] that they did not have one thing in their mouth, and another thing in their heart.

The Ceremonial Offer

Mazal tov! Shlomi and Tamar welcomed their sweet little baby boy into the world. Within minutes, Shlomi and Tamar were on the phone with their parents, sharing the wonderful news of the birth of their first child. After hanging up with his parents, Shlomi picked up the phone again, and called his uncle Avraham.

“It’s a boy!” Shlomi exclaimed.

“That’s wonderful, Shlomi,” responded Uncle Avraham. “That means that I’ll get to be the sandek!”

“Sandek?!” stammered Shlomi.

Vayishlach 5779

הַנִּזְהָר שֶׁלֹּא יְסוֹבֵב צַעַר מֵחֲמָתוֹ לַזּוּלַת יְסַיְּעוּהוּ מִן הַשָּׂמִים שֶׁרְצוֹנוֹ יְקֻיַּם כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בְּיַעֲקֹב אֲבִינוֹ: 'וַיֵּצֶר לוֹ' – שֶׁהִצְטַעֵר שֶׁלֹּא יַזִּיק אֲחֵרִים, זָכָה שֶׁלֹּא בָּאָה תַּקָּלָה עַל יָדוֹ..."

(סֵפֶר תּוֹכַחַת חַיִּים לַגה"ק רַבִּי חַיִּים פָלָאגִ'י זצ"ל)

Open Door Policy

In Yeshivat Aish Kodesh, the students have off for an hour in the afternoon. Many of the students take the opportunity to catch up on sleep. One day, one student, Yaakov, returned to his dorm room, after lunch, and lay down on his bed. He closed his eyes, when he suddenly remembered that he had forgotten something in the storage room, upstairs. He ran upstairs, retrieved his forgotten object, and hurried to leave the storage room, in order to capitalize on what remained of his break. He was about to leave the storage room, when the door swung shut on its own.

Vayetze 5779

“…Just because you are my relative, should you work for me for free? Tell me what your wages are.”

(Bereishit 29:15)

Honorary Chairman

One evening, Udi sat down to do his homework. He opened his backpack to take out his math book, when he realized, much to his chagrin, that he had left his book in school. He raced out the front door, and ran the few blocks to his school building. To his relief, the lights were still on.

Toldot 5779

"איש יודע ציד"- לצוד ולרמות

(רש"י) 

Letters of the Law

Shimon turned the page of the newspaper that he was holding, and let the paper rest against the counter, in front of him. The clang of the store bell drew his attention away from the sports section, and onto the two young men who had just entered the store. “We’d like to buy a mezuza,” they informed Shimon. “Can you show us something high quality, mehadrin?”

“Of course, of course.” Shimon responded. The customers’ impeccable Hebrew accent was not lost on Shimon. He hurried to find them what they were looking for. “Here, a mehadrin level mezuza. That will be four hundred shekel.”

Chayei Sara 5779

…and Lavan ran toward the man 

Rashi: Why did he run, and for what did he run? Because [as the verse below states] “and it was when he saw the nose ring,” [Lavan] said “This man [Eliezer] is wealthy, and he set his eyes upon his money.”

(Bereishit 24:29)

Taxi Collector

Dani gave a sigh of relief, when the taxi he hailed pulled up in front of him. It was late at night, and it was just time to go home already. Dani opened the car door, and sank into the faux leather upholstery. After exchanging some pleasantries with the driver, Dani closed his eyes, and allowed himself to relax.

When the taxi was a few minutes from Dani’s house, he put his hand into his pocket, in order to find money, to pay the driver. To Dani’s chagrin, his wallet slipped from his hand, and fell onto the taxi floor. He bent down, and began to feel around for his wallet, but couldn’t manage to locate it in the dark. Soon, the taxi came to a stop, in front of Dani’s house.

Vayera 5779

[Abraham tells the travelers] “and I will get a piece of bread” and then [the Torah] writes “and Abraham ran to the cattle” [in order to prepare a substantial meal for his guests]. Rabbi Eliezer said that we learn from here that righteous people say a little and do a lot, and the opposite is true for the wicked

(Bava Metzia, 87, 71)

Fishy Business

It was just a few days before Yom Kippur. Menachem, the gabbai of the Ohel Avraham synagogue, finished praying maariv, and closed his siddur. He was about to head for the door, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see Mr. Levi, the synagogue treasurer, with a serious look on his face.

Lech Lecha 5779

"אל נא תהי מריבה ביני ובינך"

Beverage Leverage

(From the book Derech Chevron, part 1, siman 72)

What a simcha! Shmuel, the Levi’s youngest son, was finally getting married! Friends and family of the young couple vied for the opportunity to host sheva brachot events in celebration of the marriage.

Noach 5779

"ואך את דמכם לנפשתיכם אדרש – אף ההורג את עצמו"

(ע"פ רש"י) 

Smoke Screen

It all started a few years back. Menachem was sitting with a group of friends, one evening. As the boys began to talk, one boy, Yaakov dug into his pocket, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He held out the box to the rest of the group, and each boy took one, except for Menachem.

“Menachem, why aren’t you taking one?” Yaakov asked.

“I… I don’t smoke” Menachem responded, hesitantly.

“Why don’t you just try it once?” urged Baruch. “What do you think will happen?”