Special Features
for Parshat Vayeitzei

MAASEI AVOT SIMANL'BANIM - the deeds of the ancestors is a sign (sets a pattern) for the children.

There is a pattern unfolding before our eyes that requires us to sit up and take notice. And perhaps, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

In the weekly sedras at this time of the year, we read of the earliest problems of the pre-nation family of Israel. Last week, we read of Yaakov's troubles with Eisav. This week, we read of his problems with Lavan. Blood relationships aside, we view Eisav and Lavan as two prototypes of Israel's enemies. In the upcoming weeks we will read of the internal friction and struggles of the family of Israel - the clash of Yosef and his brothers.

Having arrived in the month of Kislev, our thoughts turn towards Chanuka. Chanuka is a perfect example (unfortunately) of the same two types of Jewish experiences - the clashes and battles with the Greeks and their culture, and the internal strife between Jews who wanted to Hellenize and those who wanted to maintain the unique aspects of Judaism and remain completely faithful to  Jewish Law and Tradition. Although our Sages downplayed the Jew-Jew fighting in the formulation of the observance of Chanuka, it was a serious, tragic aspect  of the Chanuka experience.

In our own time, we are involved with both types of clashes.Despite attempts at achieving peace in the Middle East, we still find the Arabs both within and without our borders more or less antagonistic (to put it mildly) towards us.

The spiritual heirs of Eisav and Lavan are still hard at it.

Even "friends", while expressing their sympathy, are making demands upon us that can have disastrous effects.

Sadly, many Jews do not sense a threat from either direction. They see Lavan's smiling face, his emotional soliloquy on brotherhood and who(m) is due what, they see Eisav's embrace and handshake without seeming to notice what Eisav is saying to his own people.

The State of Israel might be 50 years old, but Jewish Israel is 3270 old and G-d's promise of this Land to us is almost 500 years older than that. Judaism is over 3300 years old, with its origins more than 3800 years old. We must all see what people from outside and inside are trying to tamper with.

AN OBSERVATION...

One cannot help but notice the changes in pace within the book of B'reishit. The first sedra spans the generations from Adam to Noach. Somewhere during those first ten generations, humanity corrupted itself and ran out the string of G-d's patience. In the second sedra, we have the (almost) destruction of the whole world, the emergence of Noa'ch from the Ark and another ten generations that were marginally better than the first ten. But the world still did not recognize G-d as Creator and Master. Then, one single light appears among all the darkness. Avraham Avinu rediscovers G-d. And through the  sedras of Lech L'cha,Vayeira, Chayei Sara, and Toldot, we see the single flame burn brightly and be passed from Avraham to Yitzchak to Yaakov. The flame is there. Now it's time to advance to the next stage. Vayeitzei gives us, not the individual, but the birth of the first Jewish family. A few more sedras and we'll be ready to move on to Nationhood. But not yet.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Biblical names are filled with meaning and provide us with insights into the lives of our ancestors. Additionally, they provide us with lessons that we can translate into our lives as Jews.

In Parshat Vayeitzei we read of the births of eleven of Yaakov's sons (Binyamin's comes later) and his daughter Dina. The name each received is accompanied by its meaning. Gemara & Midrashim often supply other reasons for the names. The same applies to the names of the Patriarchs and other biblical personalities.

Avraham Avinu underwent a name-change from Avram. The Torah emphasizes that he shall no longer be called Avram - this, our Sages tell us, is tantamount to a prohibition on referring to him as anything other than Avraham. Yitzchak, on the other hand, keeps his birth-name throughout his life and beyond. Yaakov Avinu receivesa supplementary name - Yisrael - which accompanies his original name throughout Tanach.

Commentaries explain that Avraham's original name was given to him by his idol-worshipping father. It is inappropriate for that name to survive the dynamic development of Avraham as the premier patriarchs of the Jewish People.

He is to us, forever, Avraham, the name that G-d gave him.

Yitzchak was named by G-d. With this source for his name, Yitzchak needs no other.

Yaakov was named by his father Yitzchak. This name he can retain. G-d, through the angel who wrestled with Yaakov, and reconfirmed by G-d Himself, gave Yaakov the additional name of Yisrael. Both names - with different connotations - continue to be used.

Some sources say that Leah was a prophetess. They point to the namings of her third and fourth sons, Levi and Yehuda. Rashi brings a Midrash that explains that Leah knew that Yaakov was destined to have twelve sons. She, therefore, expressed the hope that her husband would cling to her because of the birth of Levi, which represented her one-fourth share of Yaakov's children. With Yehuda she thanks G-d for allowing her to exceed her share.

Along the same lines, Leah's prayer that she should not have a seventh son, which would mean that her sister Rachel would be shamed by bearing fewer sons than the "maidservants", is expressed in the name Dina. (Generally, when a woman is already pregnant - especially after 40 days from conception - it is considered improper to pray for a boy or girl. Commentaries point out that this case was an exception, and that G-d responded to Leah's prayer on behalf of Rachel's honor, and miraculously changed the sex of Leah's foetus.)

The names of our ancestors, and who named them, often give us insights into their lives and provide us with food for thought. And, on a practical level, when we are in the position of naming our children, we should also take into consideration the meaning of the name, the family members with the same name, and (when applicable)the biblical personalities associated with the name. Names mean something.

G'MATRIYA = 3 + 40 + 9 + 200 + 10 + 1 = 263 (R. Orbach z"l)

G-d says to Yaakov: "I am HaShem, the G-d of Avraham your father and the G-d of Yitzchak, the land upon which you lie, to you it will be given and to your descendants." The initial letters of this phrase add up as follows: 1+10+1+1+1+6+10+5+1+1+300+70+30+1+6 = 444.

And where specifically WAS Yaakov lying? The place of the future MIKDASH =   40+100+4+300 = 444. And if youtake the whole verse (not just the phrase), adding the first words of the verse: "And G-d was standing atop that ladder...", this adds the letters 6+10+50+70+6 = 142 to bring the total for the verse to 586, the numeric value of Yerushalayim (as it is usually spelled in Tanach) = 10+200+6+300+30+40 = 586.

[sdt] The Torah makes a point of telling us that Yaakov called for Rachel and Leah to come to the field so that he could discuss their impending departure with them. The Gemara quotes Rabbi Akiva as noticing with admiration those who seek counsel in fields. Rashi explains that Yaakov sought the counsel of his wives, specificallyin the field, because "it is well-known among people that walls have ears".

[sdt] Lavan is referred to (29:5) as Lavan b. Nachor, when he was actually the son of B'tuel and the grandson of Nachor. One commentary suggests that Nachor was well-known; B'tuel was not, so Yaakov inquired about Lavan b. Nachor in the hopes that the shepherds would be able to give him the desired information (and not say "never heard of him"). Torah T'mima (the original TT) quotes the Midrash  that says from here we learn that if a person's father is wicked, we use the grandfather's name when calling him to the Torah.

The Gemara tells us to look at the words for TRUTH and FALSEHOOD and in them see something about the words AND the concepts they represent. The letters of EMET imagine cutting the letters out of a block of wood and standing them up - look at  ALEF, MEM, TAV. See how firmly they stand. Now look at  SHIN (which in Ashkenazi Torah Script comes to a point), KUF, REISH. Try standing FALSEHOOD up. It will topple over. Look at how well-balanced TRUTH is: ALEF is at the beginning of the AlefBet, MEM is in the center, and TAV is at the end. A very sturdy, stable arrangement. The letters of SHEKER are clustered at the end of the AlefBet - very unbalanced.

Lavan tells Yakov: We are of the same bone & flesh". The Gemara says that a father gives his offspring their sinew and bone; the mother gives the flesh and blood. Lavan and Yaakov were related through BOTH of Yaakov's parents: they were second cousins through Avraham & Nachor and uncle/nephew thru Rivka. (Vilna Gaon)

Some notes about MAARIV...

Look at it this way: Maariv is the FIRST mitzva (really two of them) of a person's day. The sun has set, the lingering light of the day has also left the sky to be replaced by starlight. By our way of reckoning, a new day has just begun. Let the first thing we do in this new day be to daven Maariv. Let the  first Torah-Mitzva be an understood-and-meant recitation of the Sh'ma, a reaffirmation of our loving commitment to HaShem and His Torah.What a way to start your day!

MA'ARIV (a.k.a. ARVIT)

The Talmud in Brachot teaches us two approaches to our davening - Davening was instituted to correspond to the sacrifices in the Beit HaMikdash; davening was instituted by the Patriarchs. Rather than be an "either, or" type of dispute, we can look at these two schools of thought as mutually enhancing.

(1) The prayers match the korbanot in the Beit HaMikdash... Whereas Shacharit and Mincha correspond to the two daily sacrifices - the T'midim, Maariv does not correspond to a sacrifice, but rather to Hekteir Chalavim v'Eivarim. All parts of an Olah offering were to be burned on the Altar (except for the skins). Some partsof other korbanot were likewise burned. The burning of these parts was most often not completed during the day, but continued throughout the night. In fact, it was desirable to leave much of the burning (especially from korbanot of the afternoon) for the night, so that the Mizbei'ach would be active at night too (no korbanot were brought at night). The burning of the parts had to be completedbefore dawn, otherwise the korban was invalidated.

Because of the "vagueness" of "the burning of the parts", as opposed to the concrete nature of the T'midim, Maariv also has a bit of "vagueness" about it. When stating the time for Maariv, the Mishna does not say "all night long",but  rather uses the strange terminology "no set time" (Ein La Keva).

(2) The Patriarchs instituted the prayers... Maariv is associated with Yaakov Avinu. This is based on the pasuk in the beginning of this week's sedra - "And he (Yaakov) "encountered" the place (Makom - also a "supplementary" name for G-d) and spent the night there, because the sun had set..." Elsewhere in Tanach, the word "encounter" is associated with prayer. So we have a pasuk (1) about Yaakov, (2) with a synonym for prayer, and (3) nighttime -hence, the notion that Yaakov established Maariv.

This too contains a "vagueness". Avraham woke up early and purposefully went to the place where he had stood before HaShem. Yitzchak purposefully went into the field to commune (with G-d) before evening (as he had previously done). These give Shacharit and Mincha their "concrete" identities. Yaakov "happened" upon the place.(He "admits" that he was unaware of the G-dliness of the place, although he did know it as a place where his father and grandfather had prayed.) Once again, Maariv seems a bit less "fixed" than its daytime counterparts.

What does all this "vagueness" talk mean? Maariv is/was known as R'SHUT, as opposed to Shacharit and Mincha, which are CHOVA (obligatory). There is an implication that Maariv is optional. This requires clarification. In olden times, Shacharit and Mincha were considered obligations even for those people who did not know how to daven. They were required to go to shul so that they could fulfill their obligations by listening and answering AMEN to the davening of the Shaliach Tzibur. For these people, however, Maariv was not required. Only those who knew how to daven on their own (remember, we're talking before printing, before easily accessible siddurim) were required to say Maariv.

Maariv today is considered as obligatory as the other davenings. One (a male, that is; see the next section for the female side of the story) must daven Maariv just as he must daven Shacharit and Mincha.

Women...

Without going into the whole topic of women's obligation to daven, let's look at two of the many opinions that exist for this issue:

(1) Women are obligated to daven Shacharit and Mincha, but are not required to daven Maariv. (Remember, this is not the whole picture; there are other opinions.) When Maariv "changed" from "optional" to required, the requirement was not "imposed" on women. This seems to be the mainstream, majority opinion concerning women and Maariv.

(2) There is a minor opinion that women are obligated to daven three times a day - including Maariv.

Note: A woman who decides to daven Maariv should realize that it becomes a vow-like commitment to continue to do so, unless she has in mind B'LI NEDER - that she is NOT undertaking Maariv as an ongoing commitment. (I heard from a reliable Rav that B'LI NEDER the first time can go for future times, without a separate B"N every time.)

SHOULD a women (who has the time) commit herself to Maariv? There are many women who daven three times a day. Many who don't. There are reasons that Maariv exists. There are reasons that many authorities consider a woman to be  exempt from davening Maariv. Women might want to consult with a Rav (and others) before making a commitment.

It is important to remember that Maariv is not only one of the thrice-daily davenings - it is also the time we fulfill the mitzva of the evening Sh'ma.

About the halachic times for Maariv...

PLAG HAMINCHA (Plag) is the midpoint between MK (9.5 hours from sunrise) and sunset, i.e. 10.75 hours of the day, which is 1.25 hours before sunset. (Remember that the "hours" depend upon the length of daytime.) Rabbi Yehuda says that Plag is the deadline for Mincha and the starting point for Maariv.

The unnamed, first opinion in the Mishna (a.k.a. Tana Kama) is that the day ends at sunset (deadline for Mincha) and night begins after the sun sets (or a  bit later, at stars-out). The Talmud concludes that whichever opinion one  follows, a person has acted properly. It's almost "take your pick". Not quite,  but almost. (Community practice affects which option an individual should choose - in normal circumstances.)

STARS-OUT (Tzeit HaKochavim)

That's a tough one. Different opinions for stars-out are based upon the appearance of stars (the brightest, the "average" naked-eye stars, the faint ones?), and on the angle below the horizon that the sun reaches at different times after sunset (which angle is the "real" one for StarsOut calculation), and the number of minutes after sunset (18, 24, 35, 40, 42, 72, 90 minutes, some other number of minutes, regular minutes or Sha'ot Z'maniyot - all in dispute).

Whatever time it is, stars-out is the time from which we can say the nighttime Sh'ma, and preferably daven Maariv, which contains that Sh'ma. (That is, unless circumstances warrant davening earlier, in which case, the Sh'ma will have to be repeated at its proper time.

TWILIGHT, the time between sunset and stars-out, is known as BEIN HASH'MASHOT. It is considered as "possible day, possible night" and therefore daytime  mitzvot should be done before sunset and nighttime mitzvot should be done after stars-out, to avoid a "question-mark" situation. On the other hand, if a daytime mitzva is done after sunset but before dark, it "counts". Similarly, if one "jumps the gun" with a nighttime mitzva and does it before dark, but after sunset, it is okay. Not ideal, but okay. (Sometimes a nighttime mitzva can even be done from Plag, in extenuating circumstances.)

So when should I daven Maariv?

Generally, in Jerusalem (and other places in Israel), the custom is to daven Maariv at the 18-minute after sunset time for stars-out. Some use a 24-25 minute time and others, even later. Rabbeinu Tam people use a much later time.

The earlier times for Stars-Out are not applicable to Shabbat-out and Havadala. We are stricter with Shabbat-out time. In cases of need, one can daven Maariv from as early as Plag Mincha. If one davens before sunset, then ideally, Mincha must be before Plag. Also, if one davens Maariv before stars-out, then the Sh'ma (without its brachot) must be repeated after TZEIT.

After StarsOut, it's "the sooner the better" for Maariv and Sh'ma. Considerations of minyan can adjust that statement. When davening late, care should be taken to daven Maariv before halachic midnight.

After midnight, one may still daven Maariv, even until dawn. After dawn but before sunrise is a last resort, and in such a case, the fourth Shma-bracha - Hashkiveinu - is omitted.

Torah Tidbits, the football team

Night game at Ohalim, last Motza'ei Shabbat. Against H&H  Bagels. They might make good bagels, but American Touch Football in Israel is obviously not their game - at least not against the Tidbits. Final score: Torah Tidbits 43, H&H 12. That gives Tidbits a 5-1 record, right behind the two undefeated division leaders, BigBlue and Rudman. Next up - we're going against a vastly- weaker-than-last-year LOBOS this Friday, November 27th at 1:00pm at OHALIM. GO TTEAM GO

I'm working on the list of winners of Album of the Week (from Noam Productions) prizes. Will the following please email or call with their address and phone number: Steinhart, AArbit, Eli Sh., Ramach, HH, Ramot L., Ofra  St.,Benjietc., ES, DYANEC, Rehovot K (this is a partial list;  more)

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