Toldot: The Shared Power of Circumcision and the Land

by Baruch Gordon

In this week's parsha video, Baruch Gordon shares his thoughts about the connection between circumcision and the Holy Land. What does circumcision represent? Watch Baruch at his grandson's brit milah (circumcision) to find out!

The Idealism of the Youth Versus the Realism of Adults

by Rav Moshe Kaplan, meirtv.com/en

Rav Moshe Kaplan discusses the classic stereotype of the youth being idealistic, even to the point of naive, whereas adults are usually categorized as being realistic, even possibly cynical. How does the idealism of the youth help or hinder their education? Watch to find out.

[10-minute video]

Parshat Toldot: The Struggle within Rivka's Womb and its Consequences for Today

by Rav Yehuda HaKohen, visionmag.org

Esav and Yaakov

After two decades of marriage to Yitzḥak, Rivka’s womb is finally opened as HaShem blesses the couple with children. There is, however, something irregular about her pregnancy.

“The children agitated within her, and she said, ‘If so, why am I thus?’ And she went to inquire of HaShem. And HaShem said to her: ‘Two nations are in your womb; two regimes from your insides shall be separated; the might shall pass from one regime to the other, and the elder shall serve the younger.’” (B’reishit 25:22-23)

The Maharal of Prague teaches in his Gur Aryeh commentary that the struggle in Rivka’s womb between Yaakov and Esav was not at all influenced by their personal inclinations of good and evil, as these inclinations could not yet exist before birth. Rather, Yaakov and Esav represent cosmic forces in Creation – forces that transcend the normal course of personality development and existed within them even while in their mother’s womb.

The National Tendency Toward Goodness

by Rav Moshe Kaplan, meirtv.com/en

Rav Moshe Kaplan discusses the innate quality of goodness amongst the Jewish people. Not being naive or a "sucker," he argues that we have a national tendency toward treating others with goodness, kindness, and respect.

[4-minute video]

Parashat Chayei Sarah: A Match Made in Heaven

by Rav Yehuda HaKohen, visionmag.org

Biblical Women

The mission of building the Hebrew nation passes to the next generation as Avraham sends Eliezer to the city of Naḥor in order that he find a suitable wife for Yitzḥak.

Upon arriving in the city, the servant seeks assistance from HaShem in recognizing the proper partner for his master’s son. He is then immediately introduced to Rivka, who meets every criterion and even reveals herself to be a distant relative of Avraham. Eliezer immediately understands this to be a match made in heaven.