14 December 2019 16 Kislev 5780 ends London 4.46pm Jerusalem 5.16pm

Volume 32 No. 12 Vayishlach Artscroll p.170 | p.1139 Hertz p.122 | Haftarah p.135 Soncino p.195 | Haftarah p.220

In loving memory of Frida Mirel bat Chaim Simcha

Rachel’s Tomb,

“Thus died, and was buried on the road to Efrat, which is Bethlehem” (Bereishit 35:19).

1 Sidrah Summary: Vayishlach

1st Aliya (Kohen) – Bereishit 32:4-13 her as his wife, whilst still holding captive. Yaakov sends to inform his brother Esav Yaakov’s sons are outraged. Chamor speaks that he is returning home, after decades away. to them, suggesting that their two families unite Yaakov’s message offers Esav the chance to in marriage, as well as offering them trade and make peace, but also conveys Yaakov’s own land prospects. offers a large dowry strength (). The angels return, warning for Dinah. Yaakov’s sons trick Chamor and Yaakov that Esav is approaching with 400 men. Shechem – they offer the Israelite girls only if Yaakov becomes afraid, divides his camp into all the town’s males are circumcised. Chamor two and prays to God for survival. and Shechem agree; all the men of the town circumcise themselves. Three days later, when 2nd Aliya () – 32:14-30 they are in great pain, Shimon and Levi kill them Yaakov sends copious gifts to Esav, hoping to all, take Dinah back and plunder the town. appease him. That night, Yaakov’s family crosses Yaakov rebukes them. over the Yabok stream (see p.3 article). Yaakov is left alone. He is attacked by ‘a man’, identified God appears to Yaakov, telling him to go back to by the as the ministering of Esav. Beit El, where he originally built an when They wrestle until dawn. The ‘man’, unable to escaping from Esav. As the angel had previously defeat Yaakov, nevertheless dislocates Yaakov’s foretold, God changes Yaakov’s name to Yisrael. hip. The ‘man’ then tells Yaakov that his name Point to Consider : Why did Yaakov rebuke will later change to ‘Yisrael’ and blesses him. Shimon and Levi? (see Rashi to 34:30) 3rd Aliya (Shlishi) – 32:31-33:5 Yaakov’s injury is the source of the prohibition of 6th Aliya (Shishi) – 35:12-36:19 eating the sciatic nerve of an animal. As Esav Rachel dies whilst giving birth to Binyamin and approaches, Yaakov bows to him seven times. is buried in Beit Lechem. After Rachel’s death, Esav embraces and kisses Yaakov, and they Reuven, ’s son, moves his father’s bed out both weep. of ’s tent and into Leah’s (Rashi). Yitzchak dies, aged 180. He is buried by Esav and Yaakov. Question : Which word in this has six dots Esav’s descendants are listed. on top of it? Answer on bottom of page 6 . 7th Aliya (Shevi’i) – 36:20-36:43 4th Aliya (Revi’i) – 33:6-33:20 The lists eight Edomite kings and their Each person in Yaakov’s family bows to Esav. origins. Yaakov successfully urges Esav to accept the gifts that he had sent. Esav suggests that he Haftarah and Yaakov travel together, but Yaakov politely The Haftarah, according to the general United declines. Esav departs for Seir and Yaakov Synagogue custom, is taken from the Book departs for a place called Succot. Yaakov then of Hoshea (ch. 11-12). The prophet refers to travels to Shechem. events in Yaakov’s life, including his struggle with the angel. Hoshea encourages the people 5th Aliya (Chamishi) – 34:1-35:11 to learn from Yaakov’s responses to the Dinah is captured and violated by Shechem the spiritual challenges he faced, so that they can son of Chamor, ruler of the town. Shechem falls become worthy of being his descendants. in love with Dinah and asks his father to secure

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2 Preserving our Resources By Rabbi Natan Fagleman, Allerton Hebrew Congregation

The issue of climate change own is entrusted to us by God to use fully in a and in particular the overuse way that is constructive and productive. God of resources dominates much gives us everything for a reason. of today’s media and political discourse. Interestingly, our The virtuous Yaakov did not need these small sidra of Vayishlach has an vessels; he was an exceedingly wealthy man. important lesson to teach on Yet, he appreciated that we are but guardians of this subject. what is ours and (the command not to waste) is an ‘binaastl rtuacstcihoint’ to maximise the For twenty-two years Yaakov worked for his bounty God has allotted us for both our own father in law. Eventually, he had had enough of sake and for the benefit of others. Lavan’s cheating and fraudulent behaviour and he sought to be reunited with his parents in Furthermore, the righteous understand that . So, when Lavan was three days away since our possessions are gifts from God, given shearing his sheep, Yaakov availed himself of to us to enhance our service of Him, our the opportunity to escape. He loaded his family belongings are of great significance and value. onto donkeys and organised the transportation For example, our homes are not just places to of his substantial wealth. As they journeyed, sleep and our cars are not merely a means of they had to cross the Yabok river. Painstakingly, getting from one place to another; they are the he transferred everyone and all of his belongings vessels that we are expected to use in the to the other side. We then read ‘Yaakov was fulfilment of the Torah and the Mitzvot. Using left alone. And a man wrestled with him until them properly allows us to fulfil our potential. the break of dawn’. (Bereishist 32:25:1). The commentaries (see Rashi and Seforno) understand that this ‘man’ was the guardian Remarkably, the messages of the Torah continue angel of Esav. This was no ordinary battle. to reverberate across all generations and its Eventually, Yaakov suffers an attack on his thigh timeless serves to remind us all of our and the angel ascends to heaven at daybreak. responsibilities to the world around us.

Why was Yaakov alone? Why hadn’t he crossed the river with everyone else?

The (Chullin 91a) explains that he was alone because he had forgotten some small jars and had returned to retrieve them. It was in this moment of vulnerability that he was attacked.

The great ethical work Orechot Tzadikim (15th century) expands upon this idea. “Let us learn from Yaakov, our father… that the righteous value their money more than their bodies…”.

We need to absorb this message, specifically in today’s world of material indulgence, where waste has reached crisis levels. Whatever we

In memory of Devorah Bat Avraham 3 Jewish Contemporary Ethics Part 49: I, Conscience 1 by Rabbi Dr Moshe Freedman, New West End Synagogue

This series set out to programmed with a set of moral rules reveals an investigate the relationships important point. Humans have developed an between ethics, religion and inherent sense of morality either naturally, the law in society. The according to the prevalent scientific view, or relevance to everyday life spiritually, according to a Jewish theological view. is both complex and multifaceted: how is the Asimov explores the problems faced by reducing behaviour of each of the 7.73 all moral behaviour to three basic laws. Yet aside billion people alive today influenced by each of from the technical issues, ethical difficulties are these three great dominions? far more complex and profound. The robot laws are algorithmic and fixed. Morality requires There are many factors which affect our individual empathy to understand the needs of the other, perspectives on ethics, religion and the law. We compassion to act – beyond are citizens of different political states subject to the strict letter lifonfim tmhies hularawt haadnin d mutual our own country’s laws, some of which are understanding (see part 21 of this series). Unlike defined by cultural norms. Some people are Asimov’s robots, our conscience is built from a adherents to a faith tradition, others are not. We wealth of experience which shapes our own set of are all members of diverse social, economic and moral and ethical laws. political groups together with an abundance of other defining qualities, characteristics and And the same is true for God. The Midrash experiences. These give each one of us a unique (Pesikta Rabbati 40) notes that initially God set of perspectives on our moral and ethical intended to create the world with the attribute of conduct, when the law – religious or secular – has strict Justice. However, He then saw that the neither obligated nor sanctioned a particular world could not exist with Justice alone, so He action. gave priority to the attribute of Mercy, and merged it with the attribute of Justice (see Rashi on The last two articles in this series aim to draw Bereishit 1:1). Morality is therefore a quality that together these ideas and address the questions cannot be reduced to a set of laws, however of how and why we develop our unique moral complex. conscience and how this has helped to shape our society, community and individual identity. The final part of this series will explore the fundamental difference between the scientific and In his 1950 novel which is set in the 21st religious views of how we have developed our century, biochem‘Iis, tR aonbdo t’p opular science fiction conscience, and the implications for ourselves, writer Asimov (1920-1992) is credited with our communities and the whole of society. proposing the first set of robot laws which govern ethical behaviour. The First Law prevent robots from harming humans. The Second Law ensures their subservience to their human masters. Robots are to assert their self-preservation, provided that this does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.

While the robots in Asimov’s Sci-Fi fantasy had human-like General Intelligence (see parts 47 and 48 of this series), the very fact they needed to be

In memory of Shmuel Nissim ben Yaacov 4 Sefer Yehoshua (the ) – Chapter 4 – memorials to the splitting of the River Jordan by , US Living & Learning Project Executive

were nonetheless at the vanguard of the soldiers Chapter overview After the people had that crossed the Jordan. This showed a positive completed crossing the start to fulfilling the pledge they had made to Jordan, God commanded Moshe, recorded in ch. 32, to fight Yehoshua to choose twelve alongside the rest of the people before returning men, one from each tribe, to eastwards. take one large stone from the River Jordan. These men may have been the This verse uses the adjective to chamushim same as those chosen from each tribe in the describe these tribes. Here, it is translated as previous chapter. 'armed', following an earlier usage in 1:14. The first time appears in the Tanach (the chamushim The Talmud (Sotah 34a-36a), as quoted by Rashi ) is in the sidra of (1040-1105) on our chapter, notes that a series of ( ch. 13) which describes how Bnei Yisrael miracles happened with these stones on this day, moved towards the Sea of Reeds, the miraculous amplifying the miracle of the splitting of the splitting of the Sea, the song of Moshe and the Jordan. ongoing travels in the desert.

The stones were used to build an altar at Mount Rashi there offers an additional explanation of Eival near Shechem (as set out in , that it means one-fifth (as in chamush,i m five). This states that only one-fifth of chapter 27), amidst much rejoicing, with the chamesh words of the Torah written on the altar in 70 Bnei Yisrael left Egypt since the rest of the people languages. The altar was then dismantled and did not really believe that the Exodus would take the stones brought to Gilgal, the people’s first place and perished in the plague of darkness. lodging place and base west of the Jordan. Contrastingly, when this word is used in Sefer At Gilgal, Yehoshua set the stones up as a Yehoshua, the commentaries understand it to permanent memorial to the miracle of the Jordan have its usual meaning, 'armed', showing that the splitting. These miracles and this monument people were prepared and ready to move ahead would help to strengthen the faith of the people at with the of the conquest of the Land. Understood this way, the word is that time and for generations to come. They sent chamushim a powerful statement to the Canaanite tribes, that another link between the Exodus and the crossing God was with Bnei Yisrael. of the Jordan.

Yehoshua also selected twelve other stones, which he set up as another memorial in the middle of the Jordan, where the Kohanim, bearers of the Aron (Ark of the Covenant) were standing. Once the people had completed their crossing, the Kohanim brought the Aron out of the Jordan and its waters resumed their usual flow.

A verbal comparison with the Exodus from Egypt Verse 12 of our chapter describes how the tribes of Gad, Reuven and that section of Menashe who had requested land to the east of the Jordan,

In memory of Yochanan ben Moshe 5 Shefford – Dr Judith Grunfeld l’’z

get me a packet of cigarettes.” Our dear precious Dr Judith Grunfeld was the headmistress of the Jewish children were confronted, surely for the Jewish Secondary School in Stamford Hill in 1939. first time in their lives, with the painful situation of In this fifth extract from her book, Dr Grunfeld being anxious to please but unable to comply. “I describes the evacuees first Shabbat in am sorry, sire, but it is my Sabbath today”, Bedfordshire. perhaps some of them were just able to falter. But not many of them knew the English language Night fell, the Sabbath Queen had arrived. She well enough to find the polite way of phrasing made her glorious entry for the first time in world what in their own innocent minds was the looming history into these small villages in Bedfordshire of a big transgression. They had come from and she was welcomed by hundreds of young and from and there voices singing in the dimly lit St. Michael’s Hall: Lweacsh au w Noerlrda nceonafrhonting them iKni dwdhuicsh all this had and , sung no place. But somehow they managed not to Line cwheulc Noemraen oefn tahhe SabLbeactha. h T Dhoed bi oys were the lose courage that night. Cantors, the Readers and the Beadles and they had even formed a choir. The blessing over the wine was recited and the Amen coming from the They went to sleep between the white sheets of chorus of children was one to lift the roof. The the freshly-made-up beds in strange rooms, meal was served, consisting of one sausage, one without switching on the lights, they said their piece of bread per head and an abundance of prayer before sleep, probably , Sabbath table songs. hthaoMuaglhatc ho fh athGeoir’e pl arents and tried to hum the zemiros melodies which had captured their hearts in the St. Michael’s Hall earlier that evening. Away from Perhaps there were some signs of homesickness, home…it was hard…but the people were kind, perhaps some tears and doubts of faint hearts. the beds felt clean and fresh, they had made new But the community spirit, that would become so friends, the service had been beautiful and the strong during the coming months and years, had next morning at ten they would all meet again at already started to weave its magic net and this the St. Michael’s Hall. net was to become ever firmer, enveloping these evacuated children who were clinging to each other and to the living Tree of Torah life during those fearful years of war.

Thus passed our first service in evacuation. After Reproduced with permission. the prayers and the meal they went home – home to their village houses.

“Johnny switch the light on just here on your right while I hold the bucket” the farmer would call out from the stable to the evacuee whom he wanted to show cows. “Sonny, I have to go over to the greenhouse, you can come with me and carry the torch for me”, “Jackie, will you put the kettle on the fire, please, Granny fancies a cup of tea.”

“Here are two shillings, run over to the pub and

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In memory of Harav Yisrael ben Eliyahu 6