Torah Teasers
Parshas Vayishlach
1. As Rochel was dying in childbirth, she called her newborn son, “Ben Oni; The son of my pain and mourning.” Yaakov called him BinYamin – “The son of my strength”, from the word, Aven. Why would Rochel give such a depressing name, and how could Yaakov deny her dying wish? Ans…The Chasam Sofer explains that Rochel’s use of the word Ben “Oni” referred to the child of her strength. How? The reason Roshel died when they came to Eretz Yisrael is that Yaakov and all the Avos kept all the mitzvos while in Eretz Yisrael. Since he couldn’t be married to two sisters, Rochel being the second sister he married, was doomed to death upon their return from Chutz La’Aretz. This all happened to Rochel because of the strength and courage that she showed in helping her sister Leah marry Yaakov on what was to be her wedding night. Her death was another tragic consequence of this heroic and selfless act. Therefore, she called BinYamin the “son of her strength”. Yaakov didn’t change his name, he merely clarified it, since Ben Oni can have the negative connotation of pain and mourning. He, therefore, called him BinYamin to let everyone know Rochel’s true intentions upon her death.
2. “Lama Zeh Tishal LShmi,” (Vayishlach 32:30) Yaakov asked the Malach what his name is, but the Malach refused to answer. Why? Ans… Rav Shmuel Aharon Yudelevitch answers that, immediately prior to this conversation, the Malach told Yaakov that he has a new name in honor of his victory over the Malach. If so, surely the Malach had a new name to commemorate this event as well. Yaakov wanted to know what you call a Malach that is defeated by a human. This shame, the Malach did not want to reveal to him.
3. Yaakov cautiously returned to Eretz Yisrael to go back to his parents, wary of Eisav. After the big showdown, Yaakov went to Succos where he spent a year and a half, and then another half year in Bais Kel. The Gemara (Megila 17a) says that Yaakov was punished for those two years for not returning to his father. Why indeed, after twenty years, did Yaakov wait another two years on the thresh-hold of his home, before going to his father? Ans…Rav Chaim Kanievsky in Taama Dikra answers that Yaakov told Eisav that he could not go with him to Sai’ir because the children and cattle walked slowly. Yaakov did, however, tell Eisav that he would make his way there slowly. Had Yaakov turned around and gone home, Eisav would have felt fooled by Yaakov yet again. Therefore, to avoid further confrontation, Yaakov stopped in Succos, pretending to break down. He stayed there for enough time that Eisav would give up on him, realizing that, in fact, the journey is too much for his entourage. Only then did Yaakov finally return home to Yitzchok.
4. “Lo Ashaleichacha Ki Im Beirachtani,” (Vayishlach 32:27). Yaakov told the Malach with whom he wrestles all night that he will not release him until he gives him a Bracha. Rashi explains that Yaakov demanded that this Malach, who was the Malach of Eisav, finally agree that Yitzchok’s Brachos rightfully belong to Yaakov, and that Eisav stop contesting it. Why does Rashi say this instead of just learning simply that he wanted a bracha from the Malach? Ans…The Sfas Emes answers that Yitzchok gave Yaakov the bracha of “Umivarachecha Boruch”, those who bless you will be blessed.” Because of this it is not possible to imagine that Yaakov wanted a bracha from Eisav’s Malach as it in turn would bestow bracha on Eisav. Therefore, Rashi learns that it must be that he wanted acknowledgement on the brachos he received from his father, rather than for the Malach to give him a new bracha.
5. “Vateitzei Dina Bas Leah Asher Yalda L’Yaakov,” (Vayishlach 34:1). Dina went to check out the new neighborhood and because of this was taken by Sh’chem. Rashi says that the reason the Torah calls her Bas Leah is to say that she acquired this bad middah from her mother who also went out to meet Yaakov after she gave the flowers to Rochel. Was Dina not brought up well? Ans…The Alshich offers another pshat. He says that Dina was not completely at fault for going out since it was her nature from the womb. Chazal tell us that Dina was a boy in Leah’s womb until Leah davened that she become a girl, so that Rochel can have the boy instead of the girl that was in her womb. Because of this, Dina had tendencies of a boy, who by nature go out and do not stay in the home.
6. Rashi says (Vayishlach 32:8) that the pasuk says twice that Yaakov was afraid (Vayira, Vayeitzer) of his meeting with Eisav because he was afraid of two things. He was afraid that Eisav may kill him, and he was afraid that he may kill Eisav. Why was he afraid of killing Eisav? It would have been in self-defense? Ans…Rav Aryeh Leib Tzintz writes in Milo HaOmer that the whole reason Eisav hated Yaakov was because Yaakov bought the Bechoros from him. Yaakov wanted to be the Bechor for its spiritual reason, namely, he wanted to do the avodah in the Bais HaMikdash. The halacha is that a Kohen who has killed someone, even by accident, may not raise his hands for Birchas Kohanim and may certainly not do any avoda in the Bais HaMikdash. Had Yaakov killed Eisav, his 34 years of running from Eisav would have been for naught because he would be disqualified from the avoda anyway, and the Bechoros would have been rendered meaningless.

A man named Leibel Schwartz* who resided in Monsey, New York once traveled to Eastern Europe with a group of Jews to visit the kevarim of Gedolim of the past. Leibel is a tenth generation descendant of the Baal Shem Tov, and he was especially eager to visit the kever of his illustrious ancestor. Leibel also wanted to visit a few other places that were not included in his group’s itinerary, so he hired a private driver who would drive him across the Polish-Ukrainian border.
It was early in the morning, and Leibel had dozed off, only to be awakened when a police car beckoned for the car to park by the side of the street. The policeman looked through the window and accused Leibel of not wearing his seat belt. He then ordered him to get out of the car, and accompany him into a nearby building. The policeman sat down and began interrogating Leibel about his origins, his family, his business, and the reason he was visiting the country. Suddenly, the policeman pulled out his gun and aimed it at Leibel’s head. Leibel began shaking, but composed himself, and offered money to the man, who obviously was a criminal posing as a policeman. Leibel gave him several thousand dollars from his wallet and begged the man not to kill him. However, the man continued to point the gun at Leibel’s head, telling him that he is scared to let him go, since he will go straight to the police to report him. Leibel cried that the man had nothing to worry about, and he had no intention of reporting him, but the man continued to point the gun at him.
Suddenly, the man stood up and left the room. Leibel quickly recited viduy, sure that his life would soon end. The man returned to the room, and snarled, “Where are you going from here?” Leibel replied, “To Medzeboz.” The thief responded sharply, “But you told me you were going to Vizhnitz!”
“I was, but now I won’t have time to make it to Vizhnitz. I’ll have to go directly to Medzeboz to visit the kever of my grandfather, the Baal Shem Tov.” As Leibel spoke, he wondered why he was mentioning these details to this criminal.
The man grumbled, “How can he be your grandfather? He died hundreds of years ago!” Leibel was shocked. How in the world did this criminal know anything about the Baal Shem Tov? “He’s my great-great-great-great grandfather. I’m a tenth-generation descendant.”
The man looked down and lowered his gun. He handed Leibel’s money to him and said, “We have a family tradition never to disturb a descendant of the Sage of Medzeboz. Take your money and go.” Leibel ran for his life. The merit of the Baal Shem Tov, which had saved him from a cruel death, was still active ten generations later! *(This is a true story, but the name has been changed. (Visions of Greatness, R’ Yosef Weiss))
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R’ Yehoshua Leib Diskin, z”tl, said a shiur to his students, and his shamash always brought him a cup of tea during the shiur since he was very weak. R’ Diskin suffered from hypoglycemia and the shamash always put a few heaping spoon-fulls of sugar in the tea, in order to maintain R’ Diskin’s blood sugar.

One day, the students saw that Rebbetzin Diskin was extremely agitated, and they asked her what was wrong. She told them that she found a container of salt next to the hot water kettle instead of the sugar, and she realized that the shamash had put salt instead of sugar into R’ Diskin’s tea. She was nervous about the effect on the Rav’s heath, since he needed sugar at that time, and instead had received salt.

The students told her that they hadn’t detected any change in the Rav’s face when he drank the tea, and obviously the tea had really been sweetened with sugar. Later, however, they found out that the salt had really been added to the tea, as the Rebbetzin had suspected. All the students were amazed that there was no discernible of sign of distress on the Rav’s face as he drank the tea. Later, the students asked R’ Diskin why he drank the tea since it was possible that it might have seriously endangered his health.

R’ Diskin answered them by saying, “Isn’t it a clear Gemara?” ‘It is better for a man to throw himself into a burning furnace rather than embarrass his friend in public.’ It’s clear from here that it was forbidden for me to embarrass the shamash in public just because he made a mistake and used salt instead of sugar.” (Shaal Avicha Vegadcha)

RLIESYO (Yaakov’s new name) LESNAG (Yaakov sent them to his brother) HHGTI (Yaakov was hurt there)
AUISSTCE (Where Yaakov hid Dina from Eisov) VARHDOE (Rivka’s nurse) HAON (Made the “Mule”)

Who Knows One
Q. A phrase that is translated into English as “Who? Who? Who? Who? What?” What posuk is it?
Answer: Shemos 13:10 states: “You shall observe this statute in its designated time ‘mi’yamim yamima’ – from year to year.” “Mi’yamim yamima,” is spelled with the Hebrew letters “mem yud mem yud mem” and “yud mem yud mem hey.” Breaking up this phrase incorrectly, and reading every two letters as a separate word, you get “mem yud” spelling “mi” (who) four times, followed by mem hey” spelling “mah” (what).
Q. What three characteristics do the Hebrew letters “mem” and “nun” have in common?
Answer: They have two forms: middle and final. Their names begin and end with the same letter. They both require use of the nostrils to be pronounced (try holding your nose and say them).
Q. Nowadays a person should not have a mechuten (someone whose son married his daughter or vice versa) with the same name as he. What three people in the Chumash had a mechuten who had the same name as they?
Answer: Adam (See Rashi to Bereishes 4:1 that Kayin married his twin sister, thus he married Adam’s daughter which made Adam his own mechuten). Yaakov Avinu (See Rashi to Bereishes 46:10 that Shimon married his sister Dina). Lemech (See Bereishes 4 that Lemech had a daughter Na’amah, who according to the Midrash in Bereishes 23:3 was the wife of Noach, whose father was also named Lemech).

Know Your Gedolim…

Talk the Talk — Walk the Walk
“My son,” says Mrs. Levi, “is a Physicist and heads up a department at the University. Her friends nodded approvingly.
“My son,” says Mrs. Greenberg, “is a Doctor and is Chief of Surgery at Mt. Sinai Hospital.” You must be so proud, they said.
“My son,” says Mrs. Goldblatt, “is the head of a law firm and president of the bar association.” Again, nods all around.
“My son,” says Mrs. Cohen, “is a Rabbi.”
“A Rabbi?!” they exclaim, “What kind of career is that for a Jewish boy?”

An elderly Jewish man approaches another man at a bus stop in Brooklyn.
He tugs on the sleeve of his coat and asks, “Eir Ret Yiddish?”
The man answers, “Yoh…Ich Ret Yiddish.”
Elderly Man: “Vot time is it?”
The Geula — What to Expect
The Battle of Gog and Magog.
The Navi Yechezkel describes a climactic battle that will be instigated by Gog and/to Magog, and will be waged against Bnei Yisroel and Hashem. The defeat of Gog and Magog will precipitate the coming of Moshiach. It is difficult to dwell on this topic because it is so shrouded in mystery. We are uncertain as to the identity of Gog and Magog, whether Gog and Magog are the names of nations or individuals, whether this battle will be a physical or spiritual battle, and even whether it has already occurred or not.
Some say that Eliyahu will arrive before the war of Gog and Magog, while others say that he will arrive three days prior to the revelation of Moshiach.
According to mesorah, the central personality in this war is Moshiach ben Yosef. We are told of two redeemers, each one called Moshiach. Both are involved in ushering in the Messianic Era. They are Moshiach ben David and Moshiach ben Yosef. The unqualified term “Moshiach,” however, belongs exclusively to Moshiach ben David, the ultimate redeemer.
Moshiach ben Yosef will be killed in the war against Gog and Magog. Again, it is unclear whether the death will be in physical battle, or as a result of the spiritual battles which he will wage against the forces of evil. Either way, the navi Zechariah (12:10) describes the national mourning that will follow his death.
Apparently, though, the death of Moshiach ben Yosef is not inevitable. Rav Yitchok Luria, known as the Arizal, said that when saying in shemone esrei the words, “v’cheesai Dovid Avdecha mehairah lesocha tochin,” one should beseech Hashem that Moshiach ben Yosef should not die in the course of his struggles.
According to certain sources, Moshiach be Yosef will serve as Moshiach ben David’s viceroy.
Who Gets What?
Unlike Yitziyas Mitzrayim, when many Yedin did not merit to leave Mitzrayim, with regards to the future geulah, we are assured that no Jew will be left behind–including the Ten Lost shevatim.
During the “Bris Bein Habsorim,” Hashem promised to bequeath to Avrohom’s descendents ten lands (Bereishes 15:19-21). When the Jews entered Canaan, however, they only conquered seven lands. The other three, the lands of Edom, Amon, and Moav — referred to in Bereishes as Keini, K’nizi and Kadmoni — were given to the descendents of Esav and Lot. During the Moshiach Era, these lands, too, will be given to the Jews.
During the time of Moshiach, Eretz Yisroel will be divided into thirteen sections–unlike the original partition of the Land, when it was divided amongst the twelve shevatim. The thirteenth section will be the personal domain of Moshiach and his offspring.
There is a difference of opinion amongst chazal regarding the other twelve sections. Some say that shevet Levi will have one section, and Manashe and Ephraim will share one section. Others say that shevet Levi will not have their own section — they will suffice with cities designated by the Tribes for their use — and Ephraim and Manashe will each have their own section. Im Kol Zeh Achakeh Lo B’Chol Yom SheYavo!
Halacha Trivia ­ One Challah For Lechem Mishna?
If there is only one challah available for a Shabbos seuda, is it preferable to make HaMotzi on one complete challah or to break it in half so that there are two pieces for Lechem Mishna?
The Minchas Yitzchok answers that the Rema (OC 291:4) says that, even for Seudah Shlishis, one should make sure to have at least one whole challah. This implies that it is more important to have a whole challah and not break it into two, as it wouldn’t be called Lechem Mishna.
That being said, says the Minchas Yitzchok, we must understand the definition of a whole challah. He says that, according to the Netziv, “whole” means not broken once it is brought in front of you. Therefore, the best thing to do is to have someone else break the challah into two pieces, outside of the place where the seudah will be held and bring the two pieces to the table. These two pieces would qualify as two whole Lechem Mishna, according to the Netziv.
If the challah is already in front of you and it is too late to break, then, says the Minchas Yitzchok B’Dieved, you can use a whole Pas HaBa BiKisnin, meaning a mezonos food that you would wash on if you were kovei’a seudah, as the second challah.
This Week in History….

13 Kislev: Yahrtzeit of Ravina, co-editor of Talmud Bavli. Ravina’s father died when he was young, so he was educated by his mother.
14 Kislev: Birth of Reuven, Yaakov’s first son and the first of the Twelve Shevatim
16 Kislev: In 1987, more than 200,000 American Jews marched on Washington to demand that Soviet Jews be allowed to emigrate and practice their faith.
17 Kislev: In 1947, the United Nations voted in favor of the partition of Palestine, leading to the creation of Israel
18 Kislev: In 1793, the French district of Strasbourg, Alsace-Lorraine, passed an anti-Jewish law prohibiting circumcision and the wearing of beards. It also ordered the burning of books written in Hebrew.

This week’s Torah is B’Zchus: Our daughters, who know when to wander out into strange surroundings – and when not to.
Distributed by the Chevre Marbitz Torah D’NMB

Created By Rov Allen Sherman