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Shabbat Parashat Toldot 5786

Toldot | 2 Kislev 5786 | 22/11/2025

Parashat Hashavua: How to Ensure a Future of Torah

Our parasha begins with the beginning of the account of Avraham’s descendants – his one son from Sarah, Yitzchak (see Bereishit 22:2). Yitzchak would also have one son who would continue Avraham’s spiritual legacy – Yaakov (see ibid. 21:12; Sanhedrin 59b). Yaakov’s family would be different. The phrase “the sons of Yaakov” or “Yaakov and his sons” comes up 17 times in Tanach. This is because, as Chazal coined it, “Yaakov’s bed was complete” (Rashi, Bereishit 47:31), which changed the story from individuals to a nation.

Ask the Rabbi: Giving a Tallit on a Sefer Torah to a Visitor

In the makeshift shul we were using, the only available tallit was draped over a sefer Torah in the aron kodesh. Was it justified to remove it to give to a visitor who forgot to bring his tallit? Which purpose is more important?

Moreshet Shaul: Eisav’s Struggle with Bnei Yisrael

The war with Eisav is a long-lived one. It stretches out over all of the generations and takes place throughout the world. It begins with the first meeting [with the angel of Eisav]: “And a ‘man’ wrestled with him” (Bereishit 32:25), and this struggle lasted until “the dawn rose” (ibid.). As Yaakov was preparing to enter Eretz Yisrael, the angel of Eisav stood up against Yaakov when he was alone – from Yaakov’s [success in this encounter] he received the name Yisrael. When the Nation of Israel was on the way to enter Eretz Yisrael [after the Exodus], Amalek (the nation of Eisav’s grandson) came unprovoked to wage war (Shemot 17:8). Amalek’s hostility is not limited to Eretz Yisrael, as in the heart of the Babylonian/Persian exile, Amalek’s descendant Haman complained, “There is one nation that is scattered and divided among the nations” (Esther 3:8) [and sought to destroy them].

P'ninat Mishpat: Did Any Furniture Go to the Buyer? – part I

The plaintiff (=pl) sold her apartment to the defendants (=def), who had previously rented the apartment from her. Beit din solved most of the disagreements between the sides about the sale by means of compromise, except for the following. Def says that based on agreement and on common practice in their city, the furniture of the small rental unit is sold along with the apartment. Each side has ancillary monetary claims regarding the furniture if it belongs to pl. Pl demands payment for def’s use of that furniture until now. Def, who claims not to have used the furniture, says that since pl is asking for payment for what happened in the meantime, they will demand payment for storing the furniture during this time. While the contract writes that furniture that is not permanently connected to the apartment goes back to pl, def claim that the built-in oven is included. Pl also is suing def for allowing pl’s divorcee to take books that he had no right to from the apartment.

Toldot 5786
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Toldot 5786

We daven for a complete and speedy refuah for:
Tal Shaul ben Yaffa
Nir Rephael ben Rachel Bracha
Itamar Chaim ben Tzipporah
Ori Leah bat Chaya Temima
Arye Yitzchak ben Geula Miriam
Neta bat Malka
Meira bat Esther
Together with all cholei Yisrael

Hemdat Yamim is dedicated
to the memory of:

Those who fell in wars
for our homeland

Harav Moshe Ehrenreich zt"l

Nissan 1, 5785

Prof. Yisrael & Shlomit Aharoni z"l

Kislev 14, 5783 / Cheshvan 9, 5786

Rav Shlomo Merzel z”l
Iyar 10, 5771

Rav Reuven & Chaya Leah Aberman z"l
Tishrei 9 ,5776 / Tishrei 20, 5782

Mr. Shmuel & Esther Shemesh z"l

Sivan 17 / Av 20

Mr. Moshe Wasserzug z"l

Tishrei 20 ,5781

R' Eliyahu Carmel z"l

Rav Carmel's father

Iyar 8 ,5776

Mrs. Sara Wengrowsky

bat R’ Moshe Zev a”h.

Tamuz 10 ,5774

Rav Asher & Susan Wasserteil z"l
Kislev 9 / Elul 16, 5780

R' Meir ben

Yechezkel Shraga Brachfeld z"l

Mrs. Sara Brachfeld z"l

Tevet 16 ,5780

R 'Yaakov ben Abraham & Aisha

and

Chana bat Yaish & Simcha

Sebbag, z"l

Rav Yisrael Rozen z"l
Cheshvan 13, 5778

Rav Benzion Grossman z"l
Tamuz 23, 5777

R' Abraham & Gita Klein z"l

Iyar 18, /5779Av 4

Rav Moshe Zvi (Milton) Polin z"l
Tammuz 19, 5778

R' Yitzchak Zev & Naomi Tarshansky z"l

Adar 28, 5781/ Adar II 14 5784

R' Yitzchak Eizik Usdan z"l

ben Yehuda Leib Av 29

Mr. Yitzhak Aharon & Doba Moinester z"l

Elul 5, 5782 / Elul 23, 5774

Nina Moinester z"l

Nechama Osna bat

Yitzhak Aharon & Doba

Av 30, 5781

Rabbi Dr. Jerry Hochbaum z"l

Adar II 17, 5782

Mrs. Julia Koschitzky z"l

Adar II 18, 5782

Mrs. Leah Meyer z"l

Nisan 27, 5782

Mr. Shmuel & Rivka Brandman z"l

Tevet 16 5783/ Iyar 8, 5781

George Weinstein z"l

Gershon ben Yehudah Mayer

lover of the Jewish Nation Torah and Land

Hemdat Yamim
is endowed by
Les z"l & Ethel Sutker
of Chicago, Illinois
in loving memory of
Max and Mary Sutker
& Louis and Lillian Klein z”l

A weekly divrei Torah leaflet: A Glimpse at the Parasha, Ask the Rabbi, From the writings of Harav Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook, zt”l, Pninat Mishpat (Jewish Monetary Law).