aveilus – Parsha Ponders

Evading enslavement, harboring heresy[1]

ויזד יעקב נזיד ויבא עשו מן-השדה והוא עיף
Yaakov stewed a stew, and Eisav came from the fields, exhausted[2]

When Avraham died, Yaakov made a lentil stew to comfort his father Yitzchak[3]. Our Sages tell us[4] that when Eisav, Yaakov’s brother, came from the field, he inquired to the nature of this lentil stew. Yaakov informed him that Avraham had died. Eisav asked that Hashem’s attribute of judgment even had its way with Avraham? Yaakov replied that yes, that was the case. Eisav responded that if so, there’s no Judge, there’s no Justice[5]. Meaning, Eisav at that moment denied the reality of Hashem. This is a very difficult teaching. Why did Eisav choose now, of all times, to become a heretic? Did he really think that Avraham would live forever? Hashem made a covenant with Avraham that, “You will come to your forefathers in peace and be buried at a ripe old age”[6]. What then was so surprising[7]?

Continue reading “Toldos 5785”

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Life worth living[1]

בנים אתם ליקוק אלקיכם לא תתגודדו ולא-תשימו קרחה בין עיניכם למת
You are children to Hashem, your G-d; don’t maim yourself, nor remove hairs on your head[2] for the deceased[3]

Parshas Re’eh contains many mitzvos. A couple that are unique are the prohibitions of לא תתגודדו and לא תשימו קרחה. The Torah precedes these mitzvos by telling us that we are children of Hashem. He doesn’t want us deforming our bodies in grief. Many people had the practice, and some even today, to injure themselves or pull out their hair, as a display of grief at the loss of a relative. Hashem doesn’t want that of His children. We are commanded not to maim ourselves, and not to remove hairs for the deceased.

Continue reading “Re’eh 5780”