Parashas Vayishlach

"Hatzilainee nah miyad achi miyad Eisav/ Save me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Eisav." (Brashis 32:12)

Yackov repeated the words "from the hand of" twice. The reason for this repetition in his prayer is because when a brother turns into an enemy, he becomes a much more dangerous enemy than a stranger. (This concept , based on Mishlei 27:6, is found in Tosfos to Tannis 20a.) (Megaleh Amukos; cited in Biurei Hamikubalim Beniglah)
Tosfos adds that just as a one time beloved friend is the worst enemy, so too when two enemies become friends it is the strongest of friendships. So just because someone is your enemy at this time doesn't mean that it has to be that way forever. Just think, you can be the best of friends with that person with just a little bit of work. (Taken from Growth Through Torah)

Vay-ishlach Yackov..... And Yackov sent away the "vay" the sadness! R' Naftali M'Ropshitz Let's send away the sadness people and we will see amazing things!

BRI Weekly
December 03, 2009 / Parshat VaYishlach

PARSHA DVAR TORAH

Dvar Torah for Parshat VaYishlach

Based on Likutey Moharan II, Lesson 4:10

Yaakov said [to Esav], “Please don’t [refuse my gift]. If I have found favor in your eyes, take my offering...For me, seeing your face is like seeing the face of an angel; and you have received me favorably”

(Genesis 33:10).

Said Rebbe Elazar, “When the Temple stood, a person would donate his [annual] shekel and be forgiven. Now that the Temple is not standing, if he gives charity, fine. If not, gentiles will come and take it by force. Nonetheless, it will be considered as if he gave charity, as the verse says (Isaiah 60:17), ‘[Instead of] your creditors, charity’

(Baba Batra 9a).

I don’t know if this is 100% true, but it’s pretty close, “Nothing is certain but death and taxes.” It’s human nature to want to maximize income and making legitimate, legal use of tax loopholes is as natural in Beijing as it is in Brooklyn. (Do I have to say that hiding income and cheating the government may be counter to halakhah, and may also lead to chillul Hashem [disgrace of God’s name]? There—I’ve said it.)

Even though we often see “our tax dollars at work” on various public projects (like fixing traffic lights), we don’t like to pay taxes because we feel that it is money wasted. Well, I hope the following will make you feel a little better, even if it doesn’t save you any money.

The taxes you pay have, to some degree, the same positive effects as giving tzedakkah (charity). Such as? Such as opening the doors to kedushah (holiness). Whatever particular emphasis or improvement you want to make in your Jewishness—stronger faith or more clarity in your Torah study, for example—giving tzedakkah will make it easier, more accessible. In particular, Rebbe Nachman teaches that giving tzedakkah has the strength to fix (and undo) our misguided notion that things happen “naturally,” automatically. Giving tzedakkah increases our belief in God’s ratzon (will), that everything that happens in life is only because God wants it so.

Rebbe Nachman teaches that the real work of tzedakkah requires overcoming one’s greed (a form of cruelty) with generosity (a form of compassion). The Parparot l’Chokhmah explains that though paying taxes requires no victory of compassion over heartlessness, nonetheless paying taxes puts Jews in a nicer light, creating a degree of compassion that at least somewhat tempers potential anti-Semitism a host government may be wont to have.

agutn Shabbos!

Shabbat Shalom!