The blind, aging Isaac intended to give his blessing of 'prosperity' to his wicked son Esau, and leave his righteous son Jacob with nothing. Rabbi Kahn explains what the underlying intentions of Isaac really were. And if you've ever wondered what the Jewish view of how the world would look in the state of 'Nirvana,' here's your chance.
Jacob's masquerade as his brother Esau in order to receive his father Isaac's blessing is quite a strange and convoluted way to achieve that goal. If he deserved those blessings, why couldn't they have been given in a straightforward manner? There is a deep truth regarding the eternity of spiritual potential that does not allow it to be destroyed - only directed wrong. How does understanding this shed light on the confusing story of Jacob and his brother?
Rabbi Lopiansky's discussions of the weekly parsha go far past the seemingly simple surface they present, showing a depth of esoteric wisdom that is difficult to find. Listen in for a journey that will give an appreciation for the Torah's vastness.
There was an intense struggle within Rebecca's womb between her twin sons Jacob and Esau. What were they fighting about, and why was Rebecca so distressed about it? Shortly after the birth, Esau's evil nature became obvious to all - except Isaac. Is it possible to understand how such a holy man could be so easily fooled?
Our beliefs shape our lifestyles. The directions we propel ourselves in, depend upon what we believe in. Would you like to know which beliefs we should commit ourselves to? Would you like to find out which place is the most conducive for believing? Then Rabbi Wagensberg is your man as he shares with us the different dimensions of faith.
In this talk Rabbi Wagensberg discusses the two major approaches in approaching God, personified by Yaacov and Esau. Which then launches into a very comforting teaching that will encourage us no matter what pitfalls we have experienced in the past.
If you usually skip over parsha talks, give a listen to Rabbi Wagensberg. His dynamic style gives an exciting twist to each week's parsha, often coming from a new vantage point.
It's one thing to have faith in G-d intellectually. It's another thing to place our trust in Hashem practically. In this lecture, Rabbi Wagensberg shares with us perhaps the only way to acheive bitachon. Once we realize that faith begins where understanding ends then it becomes obvious that taking that leap requires something called holy foolishness. This talk also sheds light on the inner meaning of Kislev and Chanukah.
The portrait of Yaakov is the good boy, and Esav is his rowdy brother. In analyzing this parsha we see that each was assigned a specific task for perfecting the world. Hear how Yaakov adjusted to Esavs' relinquishing his vital role, and how he took on the battle of good and evil in the world as a second full time job.
Esav made a number of really bad decisions: among them murder, idolatry, and possibly illicit relations. If so, why does the Torah even bother harping on his rejection of the bechora? Using clues based on Esav's age at the time he made those choices, Rabbi Zweig breaks down the essential difference between acting from impulse or peer pressure, to making judgement calls based on true values. Hear why we are defined by the latter.