This week's Parsha Vayeitze is the Parsha of the week I was born.
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| Vision of Rachel and Leah: Dante Gabriel Rossetti |
Lavan had two daughters, the older was was called Leah, and the younger one was called Rachel.
[Vayeitze 29:16]
Rachel represents the approach of tzadikim whose lives are totally holy; and Leah represents the approach of ba'alei teshuvah (penitents) who elevate the secular world to holiness.
Thus, Rachel was naturally attractive: "Rachel had beautiful features and a beautiful complexion" like the tzaddik whose character is flawless; whereas Leah cried profusely, alluding to the process of teshuvah. She was also naturally outgoing, a talent which helps a person to bring the outside world to the realm of holiness.
"Yaakov was an honest person, dwelling in tents" [Toldos 25:27]- i.e. he busied himself only with matters of holiness - the approach of tzaddikim. Therefore, people said that Yaakov was destined for Rachel, since their characters matched. Eisav, on the other hand, was an outgoing "man of the field". Therefore people said that he would be a good match for Leah, for only the talented, outgoing Leah would have the ability to make Eisav do teshuvah.
Source: Based on Likutei Sichos of the Lubavitcher Rebbe: Gutnick Chumash
My Birthday Parsha too!
ReplyDeleteOn Aliya Shlishi.
This week's Parsha Vayeitze is the Parsha of the week I was born.
ReplyDeleteMazel Tov!
If you're not already aware...[Sef. Yetz.] Every day of the year is represented by three letters - Season/Month/Day of week. Derivation is simple and, I believe, infinitely rewarding.
Can somebody explain me (I'm not Jewish), what does it mean, from wikipedia: Cemeteries are referred to in several different ways in Hebrew, including bet kevarot (house of tombs), beit almin or bet olam (house of eternity), the bet chayyim (house of the [eternal] life) and bet shalom (house of peace). How can tomb be house of eternal life?
ReplyDeleteEternal life is referring to the soul, which never dies.
ReplyDeleteSoul goes to Heaven or Gehinnom. How can tomb to be referred as place of eternal life.
ReplyDeleteI guess it does seem to be a strange name for a burial place, and all I can think of is that a part of the soul does hang around it's resting place on earth. But I'm not an expert on this [although I should be because so many people close to me have passed on]. I'm sure a rabbi could explain it, and I've never actually heard of a cemetary being called a house of eternal life.If anyone an answer this better than I've done, please go ahead.
ReplyDeleteThanks Devorah. But if some soul part hovers over the grave, then it means, that reincarnation is incomplete.
ReplyDeleteSpace: it's not so simple to explain, and i'm not the expert. You could try reading Sha'ar HaGilgulim which you can find here: https://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/378771/jewish/Gate-of-Reincarnations.htm
ReplyDeleteThere is so much information there...
We have to remember there is techiyat hameisim, where all Jews will come back to life. Every Jew has a portion in Olam Habah as do the righteous of the nations. There will be eternal life in the new world, as originally meant to be when Adam and Chava were created, before their sin.
ReplyDelete