Ep. 520: How Can These Torah Chapters Help Us Understand Today’s Wars?

Rabbi Jacobson will discuss the following topics:What do we learn from Parshas Chayei Sarah? 

• How can these Torah chapters help us understand today’s wars and what we can do to help the situation? 
• What is the central theme of this Torah portion? 
• Why is the portion that talks about the death of Sarah called the life of Sarah? 
• What is the lesson from Eliezer initially wanting his own daughter to marry Yitzchak, but ends up serving as the messenger to have Rivkah marry him? 
• How can Eliezer be Og King of Bashan, who was a villain? 
• What is the meaning of V’Avraham zokon bo ba’yomim? 
• Why did Abraham remarry Hagar/Keturah? 
• Why is Ishmael’s return discussed at the end of this portion? 
• What can we learn from Sarah insisting that Ishmael be sent away? 

Vayeira

• Why did Sarah laugh when she heard that she would give birth? Was she rebuked? 
• Why did the akeidah cause Sarah’s passing? 
• If the akeidah was meant to reveal higher levels of love between us and G-d, why was Sarah harmed when she heard about the akeidah? 
• Is there a connection between a nisayon (test) and nes (miracle)? 

Lech Lecha 

• Why don’t we add a letter to the name of everyone who is circumcised as it was added to the name Avraham? 

Chof Cheshvan 

• What lessons can we learn from the Rebbe Rashab today? 
• Can you please share an idea from the Rebbe Rashab? 
•  Why did the Tzemech Tzedek ask to delay his bris?

Winter 

• As we enter the winter season, what lessons does it offer us? 
• Why not put on a fur coat while also lighting a fireplace? 

What attitude should we have to politics? 

• How important is the president of a country in the divine scheme? 

War in Israel 

• How should we be responding to Israel’s victories over its enemies?