Vayishlach Essays

[Reuven Chaim Klein]

Essays on synonyms from my What’s in a Word? series related to Parshas Vayishlach:

• Angels and Agents - About מלאך, שליח, ציר, שגר, and שדר.
• Good Morning Sunshine - About בוקר, שחר, and צפרא.
• The Gift of Giving - מנחה, מתנה, שי, תשורה, אשכר, and דורון.
• Go Camel - About גמל, נקא, בכר, כר כרכרות, and הוגני.
• Family Matters - משפחה, פמליא, שאר, מחנה, and בית.
• Playing with Fire - About אש, להבה, נורא, להט, שלהבת, להט, לפיד, אבוקה, and נר.
• Saving Survivors - About קליטה, פליטה, and שרידה.

All about Uncle Esau

• Essay: “Wives of Esau,” Jewish Bible Quarterly vol. 42:4 (October 2014). [Attached]
• Audio: Esau and the True Blessing  
• Audio: Esav's Opposition to the Matriarchs
• Audio: The Wives of Esau
• Video: Parasha Talk - Vayishlah 5781 with Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein

Jewish Game of Conquest (Available on Amazon Music, Spotify, Apply Podcasts, YouTube, YouTube Music): 

Episode #6: Beth El: Revelation and Idolatry = In this episode, we discuss how Abraham and Jacob's sojourns in the city of Beth El (בית אל) foreshadow that city's role in the later Kingdom of Israel. We also discuss some interesting factoids about the early name Luz (לוז).

Episode #5: Shechem: The City of Calamities = This episode puts the spotlight on the Ephraimite city of Shechem and the different calamities which occurred there. Some of the tragic stories discussed are the rape of Dinah, the sale of Joseph, and the split of between the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah.

Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer Shiurim related to this week's Parsha (available on many platforms including: YouTube, Google Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, TorahDownloads, OUTorah.org, Archive.org):

• Episode 75: Chapter 37 - The Life of Jacob = Amos: Yaakov flees from a lion (Lavan) & encounters a bear (Eisav) / Arami Oved Avi = Laban tries to destroy the Jewish People / Jacob fights the angel sent to save him from Esau / The angel blesses Yaakov & gives him the name Yisrael / An angel's name tells us its job / The prohibition of Gid HaNashe / Michael-Metatron is the Kohen Gadol in the Heavens & Patron of the Jewish Nation / Yaakov gives maaser (tithe) of his animals to Eisav / Jacob gives 1/10 of his sons to HaShem (Levi) / The 4 Firstborns are already holy (Reuven, Dan, Gad, & Yosef) / Levi is chosen because he was born third to his mother / Importance of the third born (third-born calf, Moshe Rabbeinu) / The number 3 represents tiferes/emes as the perfect balance of chesed & gevurah / Eisav the blood-sucking vampire / Flattering the wicked to make peace
• Episode 76: Chapter 38a - The Life of Jacob =  A snake comes out of the wall = Shechem ben Chamor the Hivvite / Was Dinah an immodest tomboy? / Shechem lures Dinah outside & rapes her / Osnath = Dinah's daughter from Shechem or an Egyptian convert / Why did Yaakov send away Osnat with an amulet containing Hashem's name? / Potiphar's wife adopts Osnas / Why did Shimon & Levi kill all the people of Shechem (3 answers)? / Yaakov curses Shimon & Levi in Greek / Why didn't Dinah do an abortion? The implications of the Yosef-Dinah story for Halachos of IVF
• Episode 77: Chapter 38b - The Life of Jacob =  How many wives did Eisav have? / Yaakov returns to his father's house & encounters Eisav / Did Esau live in Hebron or Mount Seir? / Yitzchak was still alive when Yosef was sold / Yaakov & Eisav split their father's inheritance / Esau consults with Ishmael or the Children of Ishmael / Esau leaves the Holy Land for Seir or Rome / When was Rome Established? / The Blessings of Esau / Is Rome a walled city to keep Shushan Purim? 

Kol Tuv,

Reuven Chaim Klein

Beitar Illit, Israel

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