This week's parsha

Unless otherwise noted, "This week's Parsha" comprises articles taken from contributors to the Chabad.org website. We show the original author's name here, so that proper attribution is given. For the sake of brevity, footnotes cited in the original author's writings are omitted from this website. If you need to see the citations, please refer to the original articles on the Chabad.org website.

Judah's Chutzpah

Published: 02 December 2013 | Written by Rochel Holzkenner

I couldn't help but wonder how my neighbors would take to the six-foot menorah that adorned my front lawn. Especially Dave. From the beginning he'd never been too fond of us, the cars that overflowed from our driveway and sometimes into his (big mistake!), or the commotion our home occasionally breeds.

It all came to a head one night when, despite our warnings, a guest unknowingly parked in his driveway. We were all sitting around the table when Dave came storming through our front door shouting, "Get off my property! Go back to your country! We gave you your own land in 1947" -- he apparently hasn't gotten Israel's history down pat -- "go to your country!"

We were quite shaken up, and after that explosion, a cold war ensued. Although we saw each other every day, we ignored each other entirely.

Dreams

Published: 28 November 2013 | Written by Rabbi Aryeh Citron

The Book of Genesis recounts several stories that involve dreams: Jacob sees a ladder with angels ascending and descending, Joseph dreams of his ascension to power, Pharaoh's steward and baker dream of their separate fates, and Pharaoh dreams about years of plenty and famine.

All these dreams were messages from G‑d. In fact, dreams are the medium through which G‑d would often communicate to the prophets.

Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi explains that meaningful dreams emanate from a very high spiritual level; a level that completely transcends this physical world and can therefore feature supernatural events that completely defy logic.

But does this mean that our dreams, too, are messages from G‑d? Should we be frightened by a dream that portends doom?

The Refusal to be Comforted

Published: 19 November 2013 | Written by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

The deception has taken place. Joseph has been sold into slavery. His brothers have dipped his coat in blood. They bring it back to their father, saying: "Look what we have found. Do you recognize it? Is this your son’s robe or not?" Jacob recognized it and replied, "It is my son’s robe. A wild beast has devoured him. Joseph has been torn to pieces." We then read:

Jacob rent his clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned his son for a long time. His sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, "I will go down to the grave mourning for my son."

Why did Jacob refuse to be comforted? There are laws in Judaism about the limits of grief -- shivah, sheloshim, a year. There is no such thing as a bereavement for which grief is endless. The Gemara says that G-d says to one who weeps beyond the appointed time, "You are not more compassionate than I."