Weekly Women's Class by Rabbi YY Jacobson

This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Yisro, 20 Shvat, 5784, January 30, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Yisro, 20 Shvat, 5784, January 30, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Beshalach, 13 Shvat, 5784, January 23, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Beshalach, 13 Shvat, 5784, January 23, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Bo, 6 Shvat, 5784, January 16, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Bo, 6 Shvat, 5784, January 16, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Shemos, 21 Tevet, 5784, January 2, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

Why Moshe? Why was he chosen as the first and greatest Jewish leader, teacher, and prophet? The Torah does not provide an explicit reason. But it does give us a clue.

Often people ask me why the Torah focuses so much on men. The question is strange, because in Genesis, almost every important history-changing decision is made by a woman. And in Shemos, it is six women who are responsible for the entire story of the Egyptian Exodus: Shifra, Puah, Yocheved, Miriam, Pharaoh’s daughter Batya, and Tziporah.

These six extraordinary people refused to bow their heads to the inevitable; they are giants in the story of mankind and in the story of the Jewish people. They were also, it seems, the role models who molded, crafted, and mentored Moses; they taught him how to live, how to think, how to act. The three stories the Torah shares about Moses, which made him the man suitable to be the greatest leader ever, are essentially all stories inspired by these women who impacted his life, who—like our mothers, wives and daughters to this very day—helped him become the person who would change history forever.

The class concludes with a life-changing message by Einav Efrat Danino, the mother of Ori, 24, who was taken captive by Hamas on October 7th 2023, may we see his redemption, and the redemption of all the hostages, very soon.

This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Shemos, 21 Tevet, 5784, January 2, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

Why Moshe? Why was he chosen as the first and greatest Jewish leader, teacher, and prophet? The Torah does not provide an explicit reason. But it does give us a clue.

Often people ask me why the Torah focuses so much on men. The question is strange, because in Genesis, almost every important history-changing decision is made by a woman. And in Shemos, it is six women who are responsible for the entire story of the Egyptian Exodus: Shifra, Puah, Yocheved, Miriam, Pharaoh’s daughter Batya, and Tziporah.

These six extraordinary people refused to bow their heads to the inevitable; they are giants in the story of mankind and in the story of the Jewish people. They were also, it seems, the role models who molded, crafted, and mentored Moses; they taught him how to live, how to think, how to act. The three stories the Torah shares about Moses, which made him the man suitable to be the greatest leader ever, are essentially all stories inspired by these women who impacted his life, who—like our mothers, wives and daughters to this very day—helped him become the person who would change history forever.

The class concludes with a life-changing message by Einav Efrat Danino, the mother of Ori, 24, who was taken captive by Hamas on October 7th 2023, may we see his redemption, and the redemption of all the hostages, very soon.

This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayechi, 14 Tevet, 5784, December 26, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

On his deathbed, Jacob speaks to Joseph: “A charming son is Joseph, a son charming to the eye; the women strode along to see him. They made his life bitter, and they quarreled with him; archers despised him.” Rashi explains: “The women of Egypt strode out on the wall to gaze upon his beauty." 

What is Jacob trying to bring out? Literally, that Joseph’s beauty was dazzling. Not only was he appealing to any eye that saw him, but even the Egyptian women were enthralled by his figure. They ascended the walls and fortresses of Egypt to be able to gaze at him. But why is this relevant on the deathbed of Jacob?

For this we have to understand what was at the root of this conflict in the first family of Israel. Could it be that a multicolored coat or a favorite son’s share of his father’s affections should generate such profound strife? 

Something deeper was at stake. Joseph and Judah embodied two divergent worldviews. They possessed different approaches on the meaning of Judaism, which was just beginning to bud, and how we achieve a state of transcendent oneness.

There is a remarkable law in Talmud: While when the Temple existed in Jerusalem, you could only eat the meat of the sacrifices within the Jerusalem walls, when the Tabernacle stood in Shilo, in Joseph’s territory, you could eat the meat of the offerings as far as the eye could behold the Tabernacle. This law captures the magic and revolution of Joseph, which we must emulate today.

We explore the unique role of women in gazing at Joseph and the power of the woman to reveal Divine oneness within the material fragmented reality. The class explains how our daily lives must integrate the visions of Judah and Joseph, so that even as our thoughts can pull us in all directions, we remain anchored in the "solar core."

This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayechi, 14 Tevet, 5784, December 26, 2023, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

On his deathbed Jacob speaks to Joseph: “A charming son is Joseph, a son charming to the eye; the women strode along to see him. They made his life bitter and they quarreled with him; archers despised him.” Rashi explains: “The women of Egypt strode out on the wall to gaze upon his beauty." 

What is Jacob trying to bring out? Literally, that Joseph’s beauty was dazzling. Not only was he appealing to any eye that saw him, but even the Egyptian women were enthralled by his figure. They ascended the walls and fortresses of Egypt to be able to gaze at him. But why is this relevant on the deathbed of Jacob?

For this we have to understand what was at the root of this conflict in the first family of Israel?  Could it be that a multicolored coat or a favorite son’s share of his father’s affections should generate such profound strife?

Something deeper was at stake. Joseph and Judah embodied two divergent worldviews. They possessed different approaches on the meaning of Judaism, which was just beginning to bud, and how we achieve a state of transcendent oneness.

There is a remarkable law in Talmud: While when the Temple existed in Jerusalem you can only eat the meat of the sacrifices within the Jerusalem walls, when the Tabernacle stood in Shilo, in Joseph’s territory, you can eat the meat of the offerings as far as the eye could behold the Tabernacle. This law captures the magic and revolution of Joseph which we must emulate today.

We explore the unique role of women in gazing at Joseph, and the power of the woman to reveal Divine oneness within the material fragmented reality. The class explains how our daily lives must integrate the visions of Judah and Joseph, so that even as our thoughts can pull us in all directions, we remain anchored in the "solar core."