Page 1 - Announcements Nov. 30

Parshat Toldot November 30, 2019 2 Kislev, 5780
Rabbi Sacks on Parshat Toldot
TORAH
ARTSCROLL 124 There is a strange passage a treaty. Yet, as we now discover, attention. The first is the
HERTZ 93 in the life of Isaac, ominous this was not sufficient to prevent intimation it gives us of what
will later be the turning point
further difficulties in the days of
in its fore- shadowing of
much of later Jewish Isaac: Isaac planted crops in that of the fate of the Israelites in
HAFTORAH history. Like Abraham, Isaac land and the same year reaped a Egypt. Avimelekh says, “you
ARTSCROLL 1137 finds himself forced by hundredfold, because the Lord have become too powerful for
HERTZ 102 famine to go to Gerar, in blessed him. The man became us.” Centuries later, Pharaoh
the land of the Philistines.
says, at the beginning of the
rich, and his wealth continued to
There, like Abraham, he grow until he became very book of Exodus, “Behold, the
Bat Mitzvah wealthy. He had so many flocks people of the children of Israel
senses that his life may be
in danger because he is
of and herds and servants that the are greater in number and
Zoe Brisman married to a beautiful Philistines envied him. So, all the power than we are. Come on,
wells that his father’s servants
woman. He fears that he
let us deal wisely with them,
Times will be killed so that had dug in the time of his father lest they multiply and it come
Rebecca can be taken into
to pass, when there befall any
Abraham, the Philistines stopped
the harem of king up, filling them with earth. war, that they join also with
Candle Lighting 4:10 pm Avimelekh. The couple pass our enemies and fight against
themselves off as brother Then Avimelekh said to Isaac, us, and so get them up out of
Mincha 4:10 pm and sister. The deception is “Move away from us; you have the land” (1:9–10). The same
discovered, Avimelekh is become too powerful for us.” So, word, atzum, “powerful,”
Hashkama 8:00 am indignant, explanations are Isaac moved away from there and appears in both cases. Our
made, and the moment encamped in the Valley of Gerar passage signals the birth of
Youth Minyan 8:30 am and settled there. Isaac reopened
passes. Genesis 26 reads one of the deadliest of human
almost like a replay of the wells that had been dug in the phenomena, antisemitism.
Parsha Shiur 8:30 am time of his father Abraham, which
Genesis 20, a generation Antisemitism is in some
Main 9:00 am later. In both cases the Philistines had stopped up respects unique. It is, in
after Abraham died, and he gave
Avimelekh promises the Robert Wistrich’s phrase, the
Beit Midrash 9:15 am patriarchs security. To them the same names his father world’s longest hatred. No
had given them. Isaac’s servants
Abraham he said, “My land other prejudice has lasted so
Gemara Shiur 3:30 pm is before you; live wherever dug in the valley and discovered a long, mutated so persistently,
well of fresh water there. But the
you like” (Gen. 20:15). attracted such demonic myths,
Mincha 4:00 pm About Isaac, he commands, herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with or had such devastating
“Anyone who molests this Isaac’s herdsmen and said, “The effects. But in other respects,
Shabbat Ends 5:18 pm man or his wife shall surely water is ours!” So, he named the it is not unique, and we must
be put to death” (Gen. well Esek, because they disputed try to understand it as best we
R’ Reisman Video 7:30 pm 26:11). Yet in both cases, with him. Then they dug another can.
Shiur there is a troubled well, but they quarreled over that
aftermath. In Genesis 21 we one also; so, he named it Sitnah. One of the best books about
Sun. Dec. 1 7:30/8:30 am read about an argument He moved on from there and dug antisemitism, is in fact not
that arose over a well that another well, and no one about antisemitism at all, but
Mon. & Thurs. 6:35/7:45 am quarreled over it. He named it about similar phenomena in
Abraham had dug: “Then
Tue., Wed. & Fri 6:45/7:45 am Abraham complained to Reĥovot, saying, “Now the Lord other contexts, Amy Chua’s
Mincha 4:10 pm Avimelekh about a well of has given us room and we will World on Fire. Her thesis is
that any conspicuously
water that Avimelekh’s flourish in the land.” (26:12–22)
Latest Times for servants had seized” (Gen. There are three aspects of this successful minority will attract
Shema/Shemoneh Esrei 21:25). The two men make passage worthy of careful envy that may deepen into
Nov. 30 9:20/10:08 am Kiddush is sponsored by the Brisman Family in honor of the
Bat Mitzvah of their daughter Zoe, Miriam Yaffa Chaya
Dec. 7 9:25/10:12 am
Bima Flowers are sponsored by Rabbi Esor Ben-Sorek
Next Shabbat
Vayeitzei in honor of the engagement of his beloved grandson
Ariel Mattityahu Ben-Sorek to Rebecca Green
Candle Lighting 4:10 pm
Seudah Shlishit is sponsored by Albert Halimi
Mincha 4:10 pm in memory of his father Rachamon ben Agha-Baba