Back in 1996, Rabbi Finman was asked to speak to the niece of one of his students. After spending many hours answering her questions, the woman gave Rabbi Finman her e-mail address. Rabbi Finman wrote the woman a note and included in it a short insight into that week's Parsha and a short Chasidic story.

Realizing that this was something no one was yet doing,, Rabbi Finman sent the missive to his mailing list of about 30 people. Requests from recipients friends came pouring in. The next week Rabbi Finman sent the e-Parsha to 100 people. Within a year more than 2000 people were receiving it. Today, more than 14,000 receive the e-Parsha weekly and the requests keep coming in.

Miketz-Chanukah 5786
Vayeshev 5896
Vayishlach 5786
Vayeitzei 5786
Toldos 5786

Vayishlach 5786

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This week's YouParsha http://youtu.be/7I6sdy-E4CA Yaakov vs. Esau. Good vs. Evil. Us vs. the world.

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Parshas Vayishlach Genesis 32:4 - 36:43 begins with the encounter of Jacob, upon his return to Canaan, and his brother Esau - who wanted to kill Yaakov. The Torah recounts a strange episode. While alone on the other side of the Yabok creek, Yaakov encountered Esau's ministering angel. The angel was worried. If Yaakov were to kill Esau, the ministering angel would have no function and would cease to exist. The two wrestled the entire night. Neither was able to vanquish the other. Morning came and the angel declared a draw. Yaakov insisted on being blessed by the angel who changed Yaakov's name to Israel and we do not eat sirloin steaks because Yaakov dislocated his hip.

Abraham was thrown into a furnace and saved. Using the logic of not eating the back part of the animal because of the nerve as a remembrance to Yaakov's fight, it would make sense to say that since Abraham miraculously walked out of a furnace, we should refrain from eating meat all together?

Jews believe that Hashem's providence watches every microorganism. You and I would have no chance were we to wrestle Esau's ministering angel. Yaakov was able to contain the angel (not beat it) as predetermined by the prophet to Yaakov's mother while she was pregnant, "You have two nations in your womb (one analogous to holiness, the other to the unholy). One will never be able to vanquish the other (in our current state of conscience)." The exile is called night. When the morning arrives - the coming of Moshiach - Yaakov (holiness) will dominate the world such that evil will bless it. The only way Yaakov was able to overcome Esau's angel was though the direct intervention of the Almighty. We testify to Hashem's involvement in directing our lives by not eating the sciatic nerve. Not eating meat would not indicate the Divine providence that Hashem grants us. It is hard to notice what you did not eat.

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In honor of the birthday, Yahrtzeit and day of liberation of the Mittler Rebbe, Rabbi Dovber of Lubavitch - second Lubavitcher Rebbe.

Once, when Rabbi DovBer was 14, he visited his father-in-law in Yanovitch. There he met one of his father's chasidim. The young man made fun of the chosid as it was known that this chosid was not the smartest but spent aninordinately long times davening.

Said the chosid to Rabbi DovBer: "Considering who you are and how you've lived, what's the big deal? Your father -- well, we all know who your father is. You were certainly conceived under the holiest of circumstances, and I'm sure that your father secured a most lofty soul to bring down into the world. Then you were raised in a rebbe's home and great care was taken to mold your character and safeguard you from any negative influences. All your life you've been exposed to scholarship and sanctity, and to this very day you're preoccupied only with the study of Torah and the teachings of Chassidism. So, you've amassed a certain amount of knowledge and you pray with fervor and devotion. Big deal.

"Now, take me, for example. My father was a simple man, and we can well imagine what was on his mind when I was conceived. They scraped out some dreg of a soul from the bottom of the barrel. My upbringing? I was raised as a goat and basically left to my own devices and do you know what I do with my life? I loan money to the peasants during the planting season and then, during the winter months, I make my rounds to their villages and farms to collect the debts before they have a chance to squander their entire harvest on vodka. This means setting out several hours before sunrise, well before the permissible time for prayer, equipped with a flask -- for without a drink one cannot begin to talk business with a peasant. After drinking to his health, one must share a l'chaim with the woman in the house as well -- otherwise she can ruin the whole deal for you. Only then can you sit down to settle part of the account.

"After three or four such stops I make my way home, immerse myself in the mikveh and prepare for prayer. But after such preliminaries, what sort of prayer would you expect...?"

The words of this chosid, who was, in truth, renowned for his refined nature and soulful prayers, made a deep impression on Rabbi DovBer. The young man immediately traveled home to his father and poured out his heart. He bewailed his spiritual state, saying that his service of G'd is worthless, falling so short of what is expected from him.

The next time the chosid from Yanovitch came to Rabbi Schneur Zalman, the Rebbe said to him: "I am most grateful to you. You have made a chosid out of my Berl."

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