Ep. 431: Is It Appropriate to Wish “Happy New Year”?

Rabbi Jacobson will discuss the following topics:

Chassidus Applied to 10 TevesWhat is the significance of this day?

Why is the siege of the wall around Jerusalem so pivotal?

How is it possible that we go from the brightest days of Chanukah into one of the darkest days of the Tenth of Teves, the beginning stage of the Temple’s destruction?

How could something so apparently negative and sad occur in Teves, which contains the word tov, good?

Chassidus Applied to VayechiWhy is the chapter about Jacob’s passing called Vayechi (lived)?

Why do we say that Jacob’s best years of his life were the 17 years he spent in Mitzrayim? And if so, why was he so adamant that he be buried in the Holy Land?

Why did Jacob keep a “grudge” against Shimon and Levi for the massacre of Shechem?

In Jacob’s blessings to his children he tells us that great kings will come from Judah, great judges from Dan, great seafarers from Zevulun. Can we deduce which tribe performers originate from?

What does it mean that Yaakov Avinu lo meis (Jacob our father did not die)?

How could Joseph defile and embalm his father, something prohibited by the Torah?

New Year:Is it appropriate to wish “Happy New Year”?

What is the story with Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev about this?

Should we celebrate when an evil person dies?

Can homeopathy be used as a remedy?

How can we ensure that good deeds should be done with consideration for others?

Follow-up: Irreverent questions

Previous week’s Torah chapters:Miketz: Can Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaohs dreams also be a life lesson for us about the importance of saving money and resources in case we need them in the future?

Vayeishev: What was Joseph punished for asking the chief cupbearer to intervene on his behalf to get him out of jail?