ELIEZER — FROM CURSED TO BLESSED

 How could YitzchakAvinu, knowing the shortcomings of his son Esav, still want to entrust him withthe blessings of material prosperity? Was Yitzchak unaware of who Esav reallywas, or did he see something in his son that others could not? In this morning’sBreakfastand a Class, we explore afascinating insight from Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky, beginning with a humorousstory about Senator Bill Bradley and a waiter who controlled the butter! Behindthe laughter lies a profound lesson about responsibility, trust, and thedifference between recognizing someone’s potential and knowing whether thatperson can be counted upon to fulfill his mission.  Wealso explore how Yitzchak, the embodiment of gevurah,may have been reaching toward chesed,while Rivka, whose life exemplified kindness, was forced to exercise judgment.Sometimes Hashem asks us to go beyond our natural inclinations, and sometimeswe must assume responsibilities that someone else has failed to fulfill.Through a personal story about my father’s business and the very differentroles people play, we discover why Yaakov, the yoshev ohalim,would eventually have to become Yisrael, taking responsibility for both thespiritual and material worlds. It’s a lesson about recognizing our God-givenabilities, understanding our responsibilities, and remembering whom the butteris supposed to feed!  

When Esav discovered that Yaakov had received his father's blessing, he cried out in anguish, 'Have you only one blessing, my father?' But was Yitzhak really limited to a single blessing? And why, twenty years later, did Yaakov have to wrestle through the night with the angel of Esav to secure a blessing he had already received? In this fascinating journey into the mystical teachings of Parashat Toldot, we uncover the mystery of the eighth blessing, the remarkable numerical relationship between Yitzhak and Yaakov, and the deeper meaning of Yaakov's transformation into Yisrael. Drawing upon the teachings of the Arizal, the Zohar, and our great commentators, we discover an extraordinary connection between the eighth Sefirah, Hod, and the eight lights of Hanukkah. But this is more than a story about two brothers and an ancient struggle. It is a lesson about the blessings Hashem has placed in our own lives and the responsibility that comes with receiving them. Yaakov demanded that the angel acknowledge his blessing, but how often do we stop to acknowledge ours? The connection between Binah—understanding—and Hod—acknowledgment and gratitude reveals a powerful message: recognizing our blessings is only the beginning; we must also become worthy of them through the way we live. Join us for The Eighth Blessing, a class that takes us from Yitzhak's tent to Yaakov's midnight struggle, and ultimately to the lights of Hanukkah, where we discover that a blessing is not merely something we receive. It is something we are entrusted with. 

As we welcome Rosh Hodesh Kislev, we enter one of the darkest periods of the year, yet it is precisely during this season that Hashem gives us the extraordinary light of Hanukkah. What is the connection between the unusual permutation of Hashem’s Name associated with Kislev, the Canaanites witnessing the funeral of Yaakov Avinu, and the miraculous victory of the Hashmonaim? Drawing upon the teachings of the Bnei Yissaschar, the Kedushat Levi, and other great masters, we explore the deeper meaning of Kislev, a month that teaches us to look beyond what our eyes can see and discover the Divine light concealed within life’s darkest moments.  We also share a beautiful teaching passed down from Rabbi Winston about the Or HaGanuz, the primordial light of Creation, and its remarkable connection to the numbers 25 and 36, the hidden tzaddikim, and the thirty-six candles of Hanukkah. As we begin Parashat Toldot and the unfolding struggle between Yaakov and Esav, we discover that the battle between darkness and light is not merely an ancient story. It is a struggle that continues within each of us. Join us for this Rosh Hodesh edition of Breakfast and a Class, as we explore the power of emunah, bitahon, and the ability to recognize Hashem’s blessings even before the light becomes visible. Hodesh Tov! May this new month bring light, berachah, healing, and good news to all of Am Yisrael.  

 The Yaakov Hidden Beneath Eisav’s Clothes - Never Give Up on a Jewish Soul —Parashat Toldot Whydid Yaakov Avinu have to dress in Eisav’s clothing to receive Yitzchak’sblessings? And what does that extraordinary episode teach us about the Jewishpeople today? In this morning’s Breakfast and a Class,based on the teachings of Rabbi Pinchas Friedman and the Yismach Yisrael, weexplore a powerful lesson about Jewish identity, assimilation, and ourresponsibility toward fellow Jews whose beliefs and choices may deeply troubleus. The Torah reminds us that beneath Eisav’s garments, Yaakov remains Yaakov.Even when a Jew appears distant from Torah and tradition, the Jewish soul hasnot disappeared. Through a remarkable Midrash about Jews who wandered far fromtheir heritage but ultimately returned, we confront a difficult question: When we disagree with another Jew, dowe see someone who has lost his way, or someone who is lost to us?  Ourdiscussion begins with a deeply personal experience involving the book OnBeing Jewish Now: Reflections from Authors and Advocates,edited by Zibby Owens, published byZibby Books in 2024. This remarkable collection brings together 75 Jewish voicesreflecting on their experiences following October 7, 2023. Many describe theshock of encountering antisemitism in their professional and personal lives,the loss of friendships, and the unexpected rediscovery of a Jewish identitythat had previously played a limited role in their lives. My sister introducedme to the book after hearing Zibby Owens speak. Initially, I put it asidebecause I felt little connection to the people whose stories it contained. WhenI finally picked it up, I read it in one sitting, moved to tears repeatedly.Their experiences raised a question that became the heart of this morning’sclass: Why must hatred sometimes awaken a Jewish soul? Why can’t weawaken that same connection through Torah, Shabbat, kindness, and love?This is a class about looking beyond appearances, recognizing the holinesswithin every Jew, and never giving up on one another.  

 Shavua Tov! This past Fridaynight, we shared a class on one of the most beautiful lessons in ParashatChayei Sarah: the extraordinary power of kindness that comes without beingasked. The response was so warm, and so many people requested a recording, thatI sat down after Shabbat to record the class so that others could enjoy it aswell. We began with a little humor, explored Eliezer’s remarkable test inchoosing a wife for Yitzchak, and discovered why Rivka’s willingness to waterten thirsty camels revealed something far greater than simple generosity. Shepossessed the ability to recognize another person’s needs before they were everexpressed.  FromRivka’s kindness at the well, we traveled to the aftermath of the Holocaust anda remarkable story involving the Skulener and Seret-Vizhnitzer Rebbes, andfinally to a Persian Jewish goldsmith whose first concern upon awakening frommajor surgery was whether his wife had eaten lunch. Three very differentstories, spanning thousands of years, yet all teaching the same powerfullesson: Sometimes the greatest gift we can give another human beingis simply to notice. To notice whensomeone is tired, struggling, lonely, or in need of a little love, withoutwaiting for them to ask. I hope this recording touches you as it touched thosewho joined us Friday night, and inspires each of us to begin the new week witha little more kindness, thoughtfulness, and sensitivity toward the peoplearound us. Wishing everyone a beautiful Shavua Tov and a week filledwith opportunities to bring goodness into the lives of others!  

 Imagine dedicatingyour entire life to someone, giving them your loyalty, your devotion, and yourvery best, only to be told that you are still not good enough. This is theextraordinary story of Eliezer, Avraham’s trusted servant, a brilliant Torahscholar and a man who had mastered his evil inclination. Yet when he hoped thathis daughter might marry Yitzchak, Avraham delivered a devastating response:“My son is blessed, and you are cursed.” How could Avraham, the very embodimentof kindness, speak so harshly to his most faithful servant? And how is it thatjust a short time later, Eliezer is greeted with the words, “Come, blessed ofHashem”? What happened along the way that transformed a curse into a blessing?  Inour Friday morning Breakfast & a Class,we explore the remarkable teachings of Rashi, the Midrash, the Sefat Emet, andthe Zohar to uncover the hidden meaning of Eliezer’s journey. We discover anextraordinary connection to Adam and Chava, the serpent in Gan Eden, and thethree blessings that returned to Sarah’s tent when Rivka arrived. But beyondthe mystical teachings lies a deeply personal message about disappointment,rejection, and the choices we make when life doesn’t go our way. Can the very experience that threatensto make us bitter become the source of our greatest blessing?Eliezer’s story suggests that while we cannot always choose where our livesbegin, we have far more power than we realize to determine where they lead.  

SOULMATES: MADE IN HEAVEN, BUILT ON EARTH The Mystery of Yitzḥak and Rivkah, the Reunion of Souls, and the Spiritual Purpose of Marriage Who chose your husband? Was it you, your parents, a matchmaker—or was the decision made in Heaven long before either of you was born? The Gemara teaches that forty days before a child is formed, a heavenly voice announces whom that child is destined to marry. The Zohar takes us even deeper, describing husband and wife as two aspects of a single soul, separated before entering this world and destined to find one another. But if marriages are arranged in Heaven, why do some couples struggle to find each other? Why are husbands and wives often so different? And why does the Gemara compare bringing two people together to the splitting of the sea? In this fascinating class on Parashat Ḥaye Sarah, inspired by my brother Victor Bibi's Sod HaParasha, we explore the extraordinary teachings of the Zohar, the Arizal, and the Ben Ish Ḥai concerning soulmates, reincarnation, and the four possible spiritual journeys that may bring husband and wife together. Through the marriage of Yitzḥak and Rivkah, the contrasting personalities of Avraham and Sarah, and the remarkable partnership of Rabbi Akiva and Rachel, we discover that soulmates are not necessarily two people who think alike. Sometimes our differences are precisely what allow us to help one another grow. The greatest miracle of marriage may not be finding the person we were destined to marry, but discovering what we are capable of becoming together. Heaven may arrange the meeting, but building a marriage requires a lifetime of love, patience, sacrifice, and commitment. Made in Heaven. Built on Earth.

 We’ve all had those days. Too little sleep, too many responsibilities, unexpecteddisappointments, difficult news, and people who seem to need just one morething from us when we have absolutely nothing left to give. And then ithappens. We lose our patience. We say something we regret. And we justifyourselves with those familiar words: “You have no idea what kind of day I’vehad!” But does our suffering give us permission to make someone else suffer? Inthis week’s Breakfast & a Class, we explore a remarkable teaching from Rabbeinu Yonah, Rav Dessler, and Rabbi Yissocher Frand: Why do some of our greatest sages consider Avraham Avinu’s struggle to purchase a burial place for Sarah an even greater test than the Akeidah? What could negotiating with Efron possibly teach us about the true meaning of spiritual greatness?  This class became deeply personal when I shared an experience from just last week—a day when, after teaching Torah, attending meetings, receiving difficult news, and carrying more than I realized, I finally reached my breaking point. Theresponse from those attending was extraordinary. So many came over afterward to tell me that they saw themselves in the story. Perhaps because we all carryburdens that others cannot see, and we all struggle at times to keep thoseburdens from spilling over onto the people around us. Drawing upon theteachings of my own rabbi, Rabbi Abittan, who studied under Rav Dessler atPonevezh, we discover that self-control is not simply about controlling ouranger. It is also about recognizing our limits, understanding the struggles ofothers, and remembering that we rarely know what another person is carrying. A person’s greatness is not measured only by how much suffering he can endure, but by how little of that suffering he passes on to others. A very humanlesson from Avraham Avinu, and one that may change the way we treat the people closest to us.  

WHERE WAS ISAAC AT SARAH’S FUNERAL?The Akeydah: A Different Perspective Parashat Chayei Sarah | By Popular Request Some classes stay with us long after they are given. This is one of them. Originally recorded in 5785, this class generated an extraordinary response, with listeners continuing to reach out, asking questions and requesting that we revisit the subject. With this week's parasha, Chayei Sarah, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to share it again. What began as a simple question about Yitzchak's absence from his mother's funeral led us into an extraordinary exploration of the Akeydah, uncovering a perspective found in the Midrashim, the Zohar, and the writings of our great commentators and mekubalim—a perspective very different from the story most of us learned as children. Why does the Torah tell us that Avraham returned from the Akeydah without mentioning Yitzchak? Where was Yitzchak when his mother Sarah died, and why is he absent from the account of her burial? Why does Rashi suggest that Avraham was blessed with a son only after the Akeydah, when Yitzchak was already thirty-seven years old? Why was Rivka so overwhelmed when she first saw Yitzchak in the field? And perhaps most astonishingly, why do our Sages repeatedly speak of the ashes of Yitzchak upon the altar, and what does all this have to do with the blessing of Mechayeh HaMetim, the resurrection of the dead? Join us as we explore a remarkable interpretation of one of the Torah's most familiar stories and discover how asking the right questions can open our eyes to an entirely new dimension of Torah. This is not about challenging our tradition, but about discovering just how much more there is to learn. 

 THE SATAN BEHIND US  When the Greatest Test Comes After the Mitzvah — Parashat Chayei Sarah  Have you ever done something you knew was right, only to find yourself regretting it when things didn’t turn out as expected? We all recognize the Yetzer Hara who tries to stop us from performing a mitzvah. But what about the Yetzer Hara who comes afterward, whispering that perhaps we made a mistake? Drawing on the remarkable teachings of the Netivot Shalom, the Ba’al HaTurim, and the Gemara, we explore the deeper meaning of our nightly prayer, “Vehaser Satan milefanenu ume’aharenu” — asking Hashem to remove the Satan from before us and from behind us. Why does the Torah emphasize Sarah’s 127 years, and what was the Satan really trying to accomplish by connecting her death to the Akedah?  In this Sunday’s Breakfast & a Class, we discover that the greatest spiritual battles sometimes begin after the mitzvah is completed. The Yetzer Hara can attack through regret, convincing us that our sacrifices were mistakes, or through pride, persuading us that our accomplishments make us better than others. From Avraham’s response to Sarah’s passing to the Gemara’s warning about toheh al harishonot — regretting our earlier good deeds — we uncover a powerful lesson about faith,humility, and perseverance. And perhaps the most inspiring words in the entire parashah are simply “Vayakam Avraham” — Avraham got up. Despite his pain, he continued building the future. Because sometimes the greatest test isnot doing the right thing, but remaining faithful to it afterward.