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Shabbat Parashat Vayishlach 5786

Vayishlach | 16 Kislev 5786 | 06/12/2025

Parashat Hashavua: “Kings Will Descend from You”

With the birth of Binyamin, the “construction” of Yaakov’s unblemished family was complete. It then became critical that the family/nation maintain unity. I will share an important story about unity that involves distinguished Torah scholars from several generations ago. The story is connected to the pasuk from the parasha that is this piece’s title.

Ask the Rabbi: Transporting Children before or after Shacharit?

I need to take our kids to daycare in the morning. I can do it either before davening or after a pre-netz minyan. Which is better?

Moreshet Shaul: What Connects Us as a Nation – part II

We can clearly conclude that the feeling of nationalism did invigorate the youth of the Zionist movement, in its earlier days, motivating them to come to the Land, settle it, build, and reach [the achievements that have been accomplished]. However, this nationalism is not as strong in our present times. The Knesset (Israeli parliament) is not the same assembly of Israel that it once was. It includes non-Jews who live in the Land, which is natural according to the accepted rules of states. However, is this going to be the “face of the State”? Doesn’t this weaken Jewish nationalism, and that which makes the nation unique and bound up in destiny?

P'ninat Mishpat: Late and Flawed Apartment

The plaintiffs (=pl) bought an apartment “on paper” from the defendant (=def), a building company. Def handed over the apartment to pl seven months late, and the handover protocol listed many flaws, to some of which def signed, and to others it objected. Def fixed some of the flaws; some pl had fixed; some remained unfixed. The sides dispute whether certain issues are flaws that def is obligated to remedy, and beit din used the sides’ contract and an expert to appraise the situation. [These are too detailed to survey here.] Def claims that it is not bound by the handover protocol, as many items it ostensibly agreed to fix were voluntary, and pl should be grateful it fixed most of them, and def is not bound to the remaining ones that are unnecessary. Def also argues that when something needs to be fixed, def has the right to do it, and that the charges pl presented are too high. Pl also claim that the penalty for late handover was underpaid. By law, there is a formula to calculate from the apartment’s value as a rental. Pl claims that def’s appraisal was done before the date it should have, so that it did not include the relevant appreciation, and that the appraisal related to a less desirable apartment. So, while def’s estimate was 7,000 NIS a month, pl claim 12,500 NIS. Def responded that it was not responsible for much of the delay, which was impacted by the Covid pandemic, and that pl did not lose from the level of compensation, as it covered the rent pl paid.

Vayishlach 5786
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Vayishlach 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

R' Yona Avraham ben Shmuel Storfer z”l
19 Kislev

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).