Parsha with Rabbi David Bibi

The joy of Chodesh Shevat    The secret of the month Shevat and the kavana for sanctifying it.   Understanding the waves of Shovevim   Punishment for Substituting pledges even with something better.   Changing minds. Yitro, Pharaoh and Moses. Why can’t we stick to our guns.   Moshe’s grandson becomes a priest of avoda Zara. How can that be?  Overcoming the snake's doubt.  What’s our lesson?   How can we fix things ?    Based on the teachings or Rabbi Abittan and Rabbi Aderet as recorded January 2021

VaEra - HaKarat HaTov - SHort Story - A Silver lIning in Jerusalem  How far is a Jew required to go to give Hakarat HaTov?   We read last week, “A new king arose over Egypt who did not know of Joseph' . Our Sages ask: can it be that he did not know of Joseph?   Rav Ovadia showed tremendous hakarat hatov and appreciation.   You need to try to picture this ragtag group as the clock struck midnight, in front of an alley bar with the music playing. Black hats, baseball hats, army caps, crochet knit Nachman caps and plain old yalmakahs, all together.  

 Shemot - I want to be your neighbor!  Who chased whom out of the Garden of Eden?   Why not send baby Moses away or come up with some other way to hide him; why risk killing him by putting him into a basket by the water?  Why did Yocheved choose this specific day to place Moses by the water; what was so special about that day which gave her confidence?   Who did the daughter of Pharaoh see in the basket with Moses?   How can one refuse a personal and direct request from Hashem?  What’s was the basis of such a refusal by Moses at the burning bush and later by Yirmiyahu as we see in the Haftara?  What does Pharaoh know that makes him wonder why Moses would want to take Benai Yisrael into the desert?  What do we learn about appreciation and recognition of good in this perasha?  How do we make sense of the sign which doesn’t seem like a sign that Hashem gives to Moses?  Why would man need to pray for Hashem‘s salvation?  Why didn’t the brothers return at the the time of Jacob’s funeral to stay in Canaan? Were they forced to keep their family and cattle in Egypt or was it a decision? And if they were forced why not gradually sneak out over the next 50 years that Joseph was inpower?  What does it mean when we learn that someone living outside of Israel is like an idol worshiper?    

The Nile River was an Egyptian deity and Pharoh intended to drown the Jewish children in the impurity of the Egyptian deity.  If Yocheved realized that Moshe had the power to negate the klipeh of the Nile, why did she hide him for three months. What was so special about the day she placed him in the water? By extending her arm to rescue Moshe, she rescued herself from the decree of death, allowing her to enter Gan Eden alive.  What was the power of the Tevah ?  Based on the teachings of Rabbi Pinches Friedman  

The umbrella of protection based on the teachings of Rabbi Abittan and Rabbi Aderet    The attempts at a tikun of Kayin in the book of Bereshit and our continuing job.   Daf Yomi helps a driver get out of a traffic ticket.  Does slavery truly begin with the death of Jacob or is it 80 years later?  Decoding Jacob’s blessings to his grandchildren and to his children.  The origin of the Vulcan nerve pinch by Spock  Finding refuge within the tent of the study hall.  

Vayechi - Jacob Never Died - What does that mean to Us?  Jacob the Paradigm of Truth  Emet and immortality  Children are the legs of their parents  The world was created with three separate alphabets of 22 letters relating to the 66 who went down to Egypt Adam Man and Dam Blood Emet Truth and Met Death Amonay - G-d and Din - Judgement Achieving Immortality

Today we fast in commemoration of Nebuchadnezzar’s seige of Jerusalem which resulted in the destruction of the First Bet HaMikdash. The fast day is simply called Asara BaTevet. strange thing about the Tenth of Tevet is that when it falls out on a Friday, we don’t push it off or push it back, We fast on Friday unlike other fasts. And Avudraham suggests that were it to fall out on Shabbat, we would even fast on Shabbat and we only do that when Yom Kippur falls on Shabbat. Why? We commemorate the siege only while on other days we remember the more difficult anniversaries of the breaking of the walls and the destruction itself. What makes the Tenth of Tevet different?   This fast almost always falls during the week we read Vayechi. Vayechi Yaakov which translates as Jacob lived seems to be more about Jacob dying rather than living.   The weekly portions always are demarcated; they begin either on a new line, or on the same line as the end of the previous portion but after a space large enough to have nine letters written in it. Vayechi is an exception, in that there is no space at all between the end of last week's parsha, Vayigash, and the beginning of Vayechi - the last word of Vayigash is followed immediately by the first word of Vayechi.   Rashi quotes two explanations of this unique phenomenon. 'Why is this parsha 'stumah' [closed, or sealed, i.e., written immediately after the end of the preceding parsha with no space in between]? Because once Jacob died, the eyes and hearts of the Israelites were closed by the oppression of their subjugation, for it was then that they [the Egyptians] began to subjugate them. Another explanation is that Jacob wanted to reveal the “end” to his sons, but it was closed to him.'     

VaYigash We cannot live in a world of only Chesed 5781 Yehudah Crashed into Yosef  Understanding Elokim vs Havaya  Who will be chosen King? Mechilah and Kappara  Recovering from mistakes makes the king.   

Being drawn upwards with the flame!   Are we celebrating a victory or a miracle?   The eight day holidays celebrated by Adam and the origin of pagan winter celebrations.   The Hellenists are alive and well in our generation and the challenge of Hannukah remains.   Joseph to Pharaoh: Interpretation or advice?   Qualifications to run the country.   Connecting Yesod with Binah   How do we do that?   

Yosef Prepared a Chanukah Feast and Gave Binyamin Five Portions Corresponding to the Five Reasons Binyamin Merited Having the Chanukah Miracle Occur in His Territory based on the Shvilei Pinchas 

VaYesheb - Yosef was a Gilgul of Chanoch who transformed alive into the angel Matat. Based on the teachings of the Shvilei Pinchas    If Chanoch went to heaven alive, what tikun was to be accomplished through Joseph?Chanoch’s Shortcoming Was that He Failed to Rebuke the People of His Generation  Yisrael in Mitzrayim neshamos that had corrupted their ways in the generation of the flood   The Connection between Chanoch and the Passuk: “חנוך לנער על פי דרכו”  Yosef Possesses the Same Numerical Value as Melech Yavan   The Preferred Mitzvah Is to Place the Chanukah Candles outside one’s door    

The Ten Dreams of Bereshit Dream Interpretation  Asking through a Dream  BE Careful who you tell a dream to Dreams are 1/60th of prophecy 

 “Yaakov was left alone and a man wrestled with him!” Who Fought with Yaakov and what was at stake?  Based on Rav Pinchas Friedman   Esav’s Guardian Angel Fought with Yaakov Avinu on Account of the Third Bet HaMikdash   Why does the gemara write an obvious grammatical mistakewhen it writes: “Rabbi Yaakov Pays Half-Damages”?  Why does Yaakov not take in Timna and how does that relatethe the Two Letters “Samech-Mem” of סמא'ל?   Yaakov Avinu Was the Tikun of Adam HaRishon Who BroughtDeath to the World!    What does the midrash mean when it tells us that HKB”H minimizedthe Stature of Adam HaRishon to One Hundred Cubits?   

The battle continues  Little jars and shattered vessels.   Putting me to work in the mines  Is my brother a vampire?  The butterfly in the cocoon  Two men living inside one body.   The process may be painful but it produces  A peaceful reunion in Petra  

A short class exploring why Yaakov after spending a lifetime studying Torah is privileged only to see angels in a dream, then after working as a shepherd for 20 years sees them up close and can even command them. And how we can understand this idea of Yaakov being Tiferet, beauty and the balance in our world through overcoming real life challenges and inspiring us that we can do the same.   

jacob is penniless, where will his ezri – help or perhaps his “Eliezer” come from?   Esav bound his son Eliphaz with an oath to slay Jacob  Eliphaz overcame his nature  the Rama of Pano explains: Onkelos was an “ibur” of Eliphaz.  

If one’s income and one’s health and everythingelse has already been decided, how can one hoe hope to change things through daily prayer? The rabbis explain although we are taught, ein Mazal LeYisrael, there in fact is mazal and it’s difficult for an individual person to change their Mazal, so again what are we hoping for?  This week our forefather Isaac gives us a lesson in rising above or tunneling through and changing what was predicted to be to what can be.    Reaching a place called MAZALA.  

Rivka on the Camel subjugating the Nachash Did Rivka fall or as Onkelus suggests gracefully dismount?  How does Rivka continue the Tikkun of Chava?  “The splendor of Yaakov was a semblance of the splendor of Adam.” Eisav had a mark resembling a nachash on his thigh; this alluded to the fact that Eisav was a representative of the nachash.   Rav Yehuda HaNasi and Antoninos שני גויים בבטנך TWO NATIONS ARE IN THY WOMB —  The True role of Eisav in this world. 

Chaye Sara - Eliezer and Transforming a curse into a blessing 5782 He is blessed and you are cursed and the two cannot be joined. How is Avraham so harsh with Eliezer? What is the secret that changes Eliezer to blessed? Why is the first letter of the Torah a Bet while the first letter of the commandments an Aleph?  

A holy soul interferes with the dark side Hashem sends his angels to accompany us  Menashe explains the challenges of Avoda Zara Abraham and the Mazalot and astrological influence Ein Mazal LeYisrael Our personal test and tikun in this world 

Is there anything to a red string? How does one prevent ayin haRah? What is the lesson of Rachel? Why are her cries heard above all other by Hashem?  Why is Kever Rachel on the road? 

The Tree of Life of the secrets of Torah is very hidden and difficult to truly attain due to the revolving sword which bars entry to Gan Eden D’ei Chochmah L’nafshechah – Rav Yitzchak Meir Morgenstern   Shvilei Pinchas - Hashem instructs the neshameh to leave its heavenly abode and to enter a particular body.   These four words -- “אל הארץ אשר אראך” -- to the land that I will show you — are the key!   Each moment of our lives, at each encounter we face we have two choices: To be mediocre or to be great.  

Lech Lecha Abraham & Sarah - Tikun Adam & Chava  Listening to your wife, good or bad? Adam and Chava - Take Two The snake will come to support you Overcoming Mansapach The reward for silence. Your money or your life ! 

Death and life are in the hand of the tongue   Sometimes one must speak, but sometimes one must be silent   The strength of Noah was in his ability to control his speech     This word Siach is interesting as it has a numerical value of 318    Eliezer is 318  Tameh, the torah replaces it with multiple words asher loh Tehorah   A 'תיבה' is also a WORD  The entirety of creation is divided into four realms   Feathers in a pillow Good morning, Herr Rabbiner  What was the Dor Haflaga trying to accomplish ?   

Bereshit Birkat HaLevana and neshama yetera 5782 The moon complains The moon representing the Shechina A desire to nourish directly The seven levels of teh shechina depend on us  The text of Birkat HaLevana  Expanding our three levels of souls on Friday Night 

Vezot Haberacha - The number 8 and Going Beyond Nature 5782 15 Moadim or 16 Holiday days 53 parshiot or 54 parshiot VeZot HaBeracha  7/49 representing nature 8/50 representing the supernatural or beyond nature Understanding based on the Hebrew Slave Eved Ivri  Reshit is Moshe and the 1st generation  Connecting the lowest to the greatest  our opportunity on shemini aseret and simchat torah 

Whoever fulfills the mitzvah of Succah in this world - Olam HaZeh – will be zocheh that Hashem will give him a portion in the future in the succah. What does that mean? Three strikes - The generation of the Flood, the generation of dispersion and the generation of Sedom  Three types of Torah. The written Torah. The oral Torah of this world. The oral Torah of Olam Habbah. Reversing the wires. Causing a short circuit. The greatest potential can be the worst tragedy. We are them and we can fix it! 

The Trojan Horse and opening for Teshuva A lesson from Yonah and the Kikayon tree  Rabbi Yisroel Meir Lau and the burn victims of the Yom Kippur War The Ramban and R' Avner who converted to Catholicism    My Dad is the Pilot Hashem is our father who loves us  Make a small opening and let him in 

Shabbat Shuva Returning the Heh through Balance and Admission. The lower Heh of Malchut expanding into the upper Heh of Binah. The wake up call of the shofar. Hayom harat Olam Today the world was conceived. Adam's sin and the mixture of good and evil. Bringing balance to the world. Modeh VeOzev Yerucham. Admitting is the hardest thing to do. 

 Ben Ish Chai – Rabbi Yosef Chaim Baghdad    Im KeBanim Im KeAvadim    Rav Elya Lopian  What is the difference between a loyal son and adutiful servant?  The greatest praise of Moses is that he wascalled Eved Hashem   Rabban Gamliel summed it up when he said to two sages whom he wanted to appoint to office: “Do you imagine I am offering you rulership? I am offering you avdut, the chance to serve.”

When was the 1st day of Creation?  What does Rosh Hashana Recall? Why celebrate New Years on the 6th Day? The promise to Adam and Chava  Hashem is my shadow ! 

Nisavim 5781 Short Class Moving Beyond the curses to blessings  But the Klausenberger Rebbe  Rabbi Riskin's first lesson in modern zionism 

 Ki Tabo - The nations will fear you - Tefilin and Tefilah  First Fruits - Blessings and Curses   Tonight we will explore the blessing that The nations willfear you.   How this blessing relates to the power of tefillin and thepower of prayer especially this time of Selichot.   The mystery of the double shin on the tefillin shel Rosh. Athree headed and four headed version   Defeating the seven headed demon in the study hall as Jacobdefeated the angel of Esav.   Suppressing the evil inclination.  Retrieving the holy sparks and bringing aboutredemption.   

Ki Tabo - Learning Simcha from the Yeser HaRah  Is it a misvah gedola lihiyot besimcha    The zohar on joy   The difference between joy and happiness   Emotion vs intellect   Recognizing Hashem with joy and humility    How the evil inclination teaches joy    Serving Hashem with my two hearts  

This week we explore Tefila- prayer. Why doesthe same prayer said by two people have different results? What activates prayer? How do we go beyond prayer? Why does Moses resort to falling in his face ? Can we take advantage of Moses’ lesson?  

 Shoftim: It’s all about connecting.   What is it that bonds having a just court system to our meriting to inherit and possess the land?   And once we get to the land we are told to appoint a king. What of the kings role do we learn from here?   Then the kohanim are to be given from each animal: the cheeks, the shoulder and the maw. Why those specific parts? And why tell this to us now? Things set aside for the priest seems out of place here.     The portion continues with drafting soldiers for war and then gives a litany of excuses permitting the soldier to tear up his draft card. what makes the perfect soldier ?    The meaning of Shalom  Shalom as a connection   The Haftara link to Eliyahu and Shalom     Shalom- Hidden within the Kaddish and really at it’s core.     Shalomas the ultimate answer.   

Ki Tesse, the captive woman is our own soul we must free. The battle between Jacob and Esav for the months of the year. Understanding Elul and taking advantage of Jacob's effort.The zodiac sign of Virgo and bringing the bride to the King. 

The dream with KingSolomon, Why so many wives? Why no fear of returning to Egypt? Why marry thedaughter of Pharoah on the same night you were consecrating the new BetHaMikdash? 

Parasha Re’eh 5781 - What does it mean to see? Choose between - Blessing and and curse? Life and death ? Good and evil ? Would anyone choose the latter? Define blessing and curse? Protection from the dark side ! The problem with resting. The secret of my כפי palms ! Success in Elul !