In The Blessing Jacob Criticizes Reuben, Unstable Like Water
Reuben – Unstable Like Water Before he died, Jacob blessed his sons. He began with his firstborn: “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength and my first vigor, foremost in rank and foremost in power. Unstable like water – you can not excel, because you went up on your father’s bed and defiled Him who […]
Amazing Insight into the Seven Crowns in the Name Yisrael
Seven Crowns When Jacob begins his journey to Egypt after being informed that Joseph is still alive, God comes to him in a night vision and addresses him as Yisrael (Genesis 46:2). The Ba’al HaTurim points out that there is a tradition that the letter shin of Yisrael (ישראל) has seven crowns instead of the […]
Two Fascinating Perspectives of the Word Brokenness
Two Perspectives of Brokenness As will be explained shortly, there is a deep allusion in Mikeitz to a fundamental teaching in Kabbalah. The catastrophic, cosmological event termed “the shattering of the vessels” occurred, according to the Arizal, when the initial lights of creation shattered the still immature vessels of creation. Yet, one should not imagine […]
Embracing Challenges in Your Life While Maintaining Inner Tranquility
The Search for Tranquility “And Jacob dwelt in the land in which his father had dwelt, in the Land of Canaan” (Genesis 37:1). Rashi’s comments on this verse taken from the Midrash are both unsettling and profound: “Jacob sought to settle in tranquility but the incident of Joseph thrust itself upon him. The righteous seek […]
Jacob Left the Well of Seven Steadfast for Growth
This portion, which contains Jacob’s famous dream of a ladder reaching the heavens, commences with the following verse: “And Jacob went out from Beer Sheva and he went towards Haran” (Genesis 28:10). Rebbe Natan, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov’s closest disciple, explains this verse’s inner meaning and symbolism in the following manner. Since “Beer Sheva” literally […]