Ep. 520: How Can These Torah Chapters Help Us Understand Today’s Wars?

MyLife: Chassidus Applied

Rabbi Jacobson will discuss the following topics:What do we learn from Parshas Chayei Sarah?

• How can these Torah chapters help us understand today’s wars and what we can do to help the situation?
• What is the central theme of this Torah portion?
• Why is the portion that talks about the death of Sarah called the life of Sarah?
• What is the lesson from Eliezer initially wanting his own daughter to marry Yitzchak, but ends up serving as the messenger to have Rivkah marry him?
• How can Eliezer be Og King of Bashan, who was a villain?
• What is the meaning of V’Avraham zokon bo ba’yomim?
• Why did Abraham remarry Hagar/Keturah?
• Why is Ishmael’s return discussed at the end of this portion?
• What can we learn from Sarah insisting that Ishmael be sent away?

Vayeira

• Why did Sarah laugh when she heard that she would give birth? Was she rebuked?
• Why did the akeidah cause Sarah’s passing?
• If the akeidah was meant to reveal higher levels of love between us and G-d, why was Sarah harmed when she heard about the akeidah?
• Is there a connection between a nisayon (test) and nes (miracle)?

Lech Lecha

• Why don’t we add a letter to the name of everyone who is circumcised as it was added to the name Avraham?

Chof Cheshvan

• What lessons can we learn from the Rebbe Rashab today?
• Can you please share an idea from the Rebbe Rashab?
• Why did the Tzemech Tzedek ask to delay his bris?

Winter

• As we enter the winter season, what lessons does it offer us?
• Why not put on a fur coat while also lighting a fireplace?

What attitude should we have to politics?

• How important is the president of a country in the divine scheme?

War in Israel

• How should we be responding to Israel’s victories over its enemies?