Dear Parents,

There seems to be a child missing:  “And he took his two wives and his two maidservants and his eleven children.” Yaakov had eleven sons and one daughter! רש״י  tells us that Yaakov hid Dinah in a box, so that Eisov would not see her and want to take her for a wife. Yaakov received a punishment for this when Dinah went out...

Dear Parents,

One of the most memorable images in this week’s parshah is the ladder “planted on the ground, its top reaching into the heavens.” The Midrash explains that this dream about the ladder was symbolic of two of Yaakov’s descendants: Moshe, who ascended into Heaven, symbolized by the top of the ladder, and...

Dear Parents,

The nursery children sing, “Yaakov learned Torah day and night; Eisav used to hunt and fight.”

The posuk tells us: “ויגדלו הנערים - And the boys grew up …” Rashi explains that when Yaakov and Eisov turned thirteen, their different directions in life became noticeable. The שפתי חכמים points out that Eisov’s...

Dear Parents,

Avrohom was tested ten times by Hashem. Most Rishonim learn that the tenth and final test was Akeidas Yitzchok. However, Rabbeinu Yonah in Avos writes that the final test was in this week’s parshah! The aggravation that Avrohom had with the קבורה was an even greater test than his...