This class was&nbsp;presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayechi, 14 Tevet, 5784, December 26, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

On his deathbed Jacob speaks to Joseph: &ldquo;A charming son is Joseph, a son charming to the eye; the women strode along to see him. They made his life bitter and they quarreled with him; archers despised him.&rdquo; Rashi explains: &ldquo;The women of Egypt strode out on the wall to gaze upon his beauty.&quot;&nbsp;

What is Jacob trying to bring out? Literally, that Joseph&rsquo;s beauty was dazzling. Not only was he appealing to any eye that saw him, but even the Egyptian women were enthralled by his figure. They ascended the walls and fortresses of Egypt to be able to gaze at him. But why is this&nbsp;relevant on the deathbed of Jacob?

For this we have to understand what was at the root of this conflict in the first family of Israel?&nbsp; Could it be that a multicolored coat or a favorite son&rsquo;s share of his father&rsquo;s affections should generate such profound strife? 

Something deeper was at stake. Joseph and Judah embodied two divergent worldviews. They possessed different approaches on the meaning of Judaism, which was just beginning to bud, and how we achieve a state of transcendent oneness.

There is a remarkable law in Talmud: While when the Temple existed in Jerusalem you can only eat the meat of the sacrifices within the Jerusalem walls, when the Tabernacle stood in Shilo, in Joseph&rsquo;s territory, you can eat the meat of the offerings as far as the eye could behold the Tabernacle. This law captures the magic and revolution of Joseph which we must emulate today.

We explore the unique role of women in gazing at Joseph, and the power of the woman to reveal Divine oneness within the material fragmented reality. The class explains how our daily lives must integrate the visions of Judah and Joseph, so that even as our thoughts can pull us in all directions, we remain anchored in the &quot;solar core.&quot;

The Timeless Gift of Yosef: Present but Not Scattered

Vayechi Women's Class

My Thoughts Go Everywhere, But My Self Remains Anchored

This class was&nbsp;presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayechi, 10 Teves, 5783, January 3, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

The Avraham/Yitzchak Debate: Do I Accept You the Way You Are, or the Way You Can Be?

Women's Class Parsha Vayechi

How Did Yaakov Manage to Keep All His Children on the Path?

This weekly women&#39;s class&nbsp;was&nbsp;presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayechi, 14 Tevet, 5781, December 29, 2020, live from Rabbi Jacobson&#39;s home in Monsey, NY.

After Jacob&rsquo;s death, Joseph says to his brothers, fearful of his revenge: &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.&rdquo;

What is the meaning of these loaded words &ldquo;Am I in the place of G-d?&rdquo; What does that have to do with this exchange? The brothers are pleading with him not to take revenge. Joseph reassures them that he will not punish them, explaining that notwithstanding their harmful intentions, G-d has turned it around. Why does Joseph open his answer with the words, &ldquo;Am I in the place of G-d?&rdquo;&nbsp;

It was the great Chassidic master, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Barditchov (1740-1809), who offered a most moving explanation. The literal translation of Joseph&rsquo;s words to his brothers is different. The Hebrew word &ldquo;tachas&rdquo; means &ldquo;under.&rdquo; Joseph told his brothers: &ldquo;Am I under G-d?!&rdquo; 

But what is that supposed to mean? Joseph denied he was under G-d?

It is here we discover our own power to apologize to those we hurt and to forgive those who hurt us. We tell an incredible story of the Rabbi of Barditchov about forgiveness.&nbsp;

I Am Not Under G-d; I Am One with the Divine

Women's Vayechi Class

How to Forgive

This women&#39;s class was presented on Tuesday Parshas Vayechi, 10&nbsp;Teves, 5780, January 7, 2020 at the Ohr Chaim Shul, Monsey, NY&nbsp;

What Yaakov Taught Us About Dealing with Challenging Children & Challenging Jews

Crossing Your Hands & Changing Your Attitude Toward Your Children

On his deathbed Jacob speaks to Joseph: &ldquo;A charming son is Joseph, a son charming to the eye; the women strode along to see him. They made his life bitter and they quarreled with him; archers despised him.&rdquo; Rashi explains: &ldquo;The women of Egypt strode on the wall to gaze upon his beauty.&rdquo;

What is Jacob trying to bring out? Literally, that Joseph&rsquo;s beauty was dazzling. Not only was he appealing to any eye that saw him, but even the Egyptian women were enthralled by his figure. They ascended the walls and fortresses of Egypt to be able to gaze at him. But why is this so relevant on the deathbed of Jacob?

What was at the root of the conflict in the first family of Israel?&nbsp; Could it be that a multicolored coat or a favorite son&rsquo;s share of his father&rsquo;s affections should generate such profound strife? Why did Joseph&rsquo;s brothers loath him so deeply?

Joseph and Judah embodied two divergent world-views. They possessed different approaches on the meaning of Judaism, which was just beginning to bud.

There is a remarkable law in Talmud. While when the Temple existed in Jerusalem you can only eat the meat of the sacrifices within the Jerusalem walls, when the Tabernacle stood in Shilo, in Joseph&rsquo;s territory, you can eat the meat of the offerings as far as the eye could behold the Tabernacle. This law captures the magic and revolution of Joseph.

The Grand Debate Between Judah and Joseph

Essay Vayechi/Vayeishev

Does Judaism Believe in the Wall?

<div class="gmail_default" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">This class to women was presented onTuesday Parshas Vayechi, 8 Teves, 5778, December 26, 2017, at Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY. The class is based on Likkutei Sichos vol. 30 Vayechi</div>

The Role of the Jewish Mother 

Why Would Rachel Choose to Be Buried Alone for Millennia? 

This class to women was presented on Tuesday morning, 12 Teves 5777, January 10, 2017, at Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY

The Most Charming Figure In the Torah Also Endured a Most Painful Life. But How?

From Trauma to Transformation: Two Steps in Healing

This women&#39;s class was presented on Tuesday morning, 5 Teves 5777, January 3, 2017, At Ohr Chaim shul, Monsey, NY

How Could Yosef Forgive His Brothers for All The Suffering They Brought On Him?

Vayigash Women's Class 

Confronting Your Pain: Were You Sold or Sent?

On his deathbed Jacob speaks to Joseph: &ldquo;A charming son is Joseph, a son charming to the eye; the women strode along to see him. They made his life bitter and they quarreled with him; archers despised him.&rdquo; Rashi explains: &ldquo;The women of Egypt strode out on the wall to gaze upon his beauty. Of the women, each one strode to a place from which she could catch a glimpse of him.&rdquo;

What is Jacob trying to bring out? Literally, that Joseph&rsquo;s beauty was dazzling. Not only was he appealing to any eye that saw him, but even the Egyptian women were enthralled by his figure. They ascended the walls and fortresses of Egypt to be able to gaze at him. But why is this so relevant on the deathbed of Jacob?

There is a remarkable law in Talmud. While when the Temple existed in Jerusalem you can only eat the meat of the sacrifices within the Jerusalem walls, when the Tabernacle stood in Shilo, in Joseph&rsquo;s territory, you can eat the meat of the offerings as far as the eye could behold the Tabernacle. This law captures the magic and revolution of Joseph which we must appreciate today.

For this we have to understand what was at the root of this conflict in the first family of Israel?&nbsp; Could it be that a multicolored coat or a favorite son&rsquo;s share of his father&rsquo;s affections should generate such profound strife? 

Something deeper was at stake. Joseph and Judah (representing the other brothers) embodied two divergent world-views. They possessed different approaches on the meaning of Judaism, which was just beginning to bud, and the place of the Jewish people in society. The conflict still persists in the Jewish world (though in a different form). At last, perhaps, we can create peace between the weltanschauung of Yehudah and Yosef.

Yosef: Tear Down that Wall; Yehudah: Keep Up that Wall 

Class Vayechi

Judaism Inward Or Outward? The Great Debate #2 

Visitors to the Mearat Hamachpalah in Hebron might have observed the strange order of the tombstones on the graves of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs: Isaac on the right, Abraham in the center, and Jacob on the left. Why are they interred in that order? Is there any historical accuracy to this order?

A fascinating observation in the Jerusalem Talmud about the position of our forefathers in the cave has raised many an eyebrow. It was the Rogatchover Gaon, Rabbi Yosef Rozen (1858-1936), who analyzing the biblical text, presents an astounding novel account of the burial of our Avos, solving this ancient dilemma.

The Revolution of the Rogatchover Gaon

Why Were the Avos Buried in the Wrong Order? The Strange Position of the Tombstones

Likkutei Sichos -- Vayechi.&nbsp;Why Didn't Yaakov Trust Yosef?&nbsp;Why Did Yaakov Make Yosef Swear?

Why Did Yaakov Make Yosef Swear?

Why Didn't Yaakov Trust Yosef? Likkutei Sichos Vayechi

A text-based class in the a Chassidic Maamar, discourse, the by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Yehudah Atah 5738 (1978), said on the 10th of Teves of that year. What steps does a Jew take to surrender completely to G-d? This Chassidic discourse takes us through that Journey. We explore four steps in serving G-d: Reuven, Shimon, Levi, Yehuda.

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A fast day. On the 10th day of the Jewish month of Tevet, the armies of the Babylonian emperor Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem, setting in motion a long series of tragedies for the Jewish people.

Yehudah, the Face of Surrender

Four experiences in serving G-d: Reuven, Shimon, Levi, Yehuda.

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