Vayishlach Audio Classes

Get a detailed overview of the weekly Torah portion sewn together with keen insights and timely life messages.

A five minute weekly Torah insight based on the wellsprings of Torah and Chassidut

The Kabbalistic approach to the weekly Torah reading

Experience the gems of the Parshah with the classic commentaries, and a kabbalistic twist.

An overview of the weekly Parshah, through the eyes of the many commentators, enriching your understanding of how our great history unfolded.

“And Dinah the daughter of Leah who was born to Jacob went out to see the daughters of the land.” Rashi explains “The daughter of Leah”, similar to Leah; she went out and left the house. Why the negative explanation?

Welcome to M-Cast, where we take a look at topics in the weekly Torah portion and see how it relates to the coming of Moshiach.

An in depth look at the weekly Parshah based on the talks of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

A five minute weekly Torah thought based on the teachings of Chassidut.

An in depth presentation of Chassidic teachings on the weekly Parshah.

An advanced presentation of Chassidic teachings on the Parshah.

A very short message on the parshah.

The story of Jacob’s struggle with an angel provides the source for the prohibition of eating the sciatic nerve of an animal. In this class, other complicated issues involving the preparation of kosher meat are also discussed.

Triumph and endurance: two aspects of the Jewish psyche. Look into your life and find the parsha therein.

How to react when confronted with an opportunity that may challenge, tempt or oppose your beliefs or goals . . .

In the verse (Genesis 33:4) that tells us how Esau kissed Jacob, the word "kissed" has a dot over each letter. How does this hint to the idea that the greatest enemy of spiritual growth is the resistance to studying the mystical parts of Torah?

As a remembrance that Jacob's sciatic nerve was damaged in his wrestling match with an angel, the Torah forbids us from eating the sciatic nerve (gid hanashe) of an animal. Interestingly, this also shows us the extent to which every detail of our lives is directed by Divine Providence.

How Jacob prepared for a potentially deadly confrontation with his murderous brother, Esau. Discover the Torah’s “rules of engagement” in a time when we’re forced to wage war rather than make peace.

From Jacob’s fearless encounter with Esau we derive a powerful message in standing firm in our commitment to Torah.

Study some of the highlights of the weekly Torah portion with insights from various commentaries.

Learn the biblical story of our matriarch Rachel’s passing and unusual burial at the side of the road, and discover the incredible significance of Rachel’s Tomb.

There’s an ancient custom to recite the Torah portion of Vayishlach prior to embarking on dangerous travel. Yaakov’s encounter with Eisav conveys remarkable directions in facing unnatural challenges and mortal enemies.

A tantalizing teaching about the improbable prohibition against sirloin steak; featuring varying flavours of rabbinic reasoning and seasoning. Discover the ultimate purpose behind this mitzvah of Gid Hanasheh (sciatic nerve); illuminating the sweep of Jewish history, down to the tiny details. Deeply scholarly, this rumination draws upon a wide range of classical sources, yet provides the student with inspiring and practical lessons for life.

The parshah of Vayishlach contains 154 verses and the mnemonic for it is the word ‘kelitah’ (which means to absorb). Explore the coded message in this Masoretic note and its connection to the general themes of the Parshah.

Chp. 33 verses 1 - 20: Yaakov and Esau finally meet and they part in peace.

The world, our Sages tell us, stands on three pillars—Torah, Avodah (Prayer) and Acts of Kindness. This class will explore the inner dimension and effect of these 'pillars', both on the individual and the world at large. (Based on the maamor Podoh B'sholom 5716)

After Yaakov transfers his family and belongings across the stream, he returns alone to retrieve small jars. This backtracking led to his dangerous encounter with the ministering angel of Eisav. Learn the classic commentaries and the deeper message on this episode.

Arriving in Shechem, Dina ventured out to observe the local girls. She was abducted by the Crown Prince, who violently raped and abused her. Without seeking counsel, two of her brothers brutally massacred the townspeople along with the perpetrator. Does the Torah sanction or condemn their unilateral actions?

Following an hours-long nocturnal struggle, as dawn breaks, a strange verbal exchange begins between Jacob and the mysterious creature that viciously attacked and maimed him. Fascinating analysis of the conversation’s contents lead us into a discovery of what was really happening on that dark and fateful night. Ultimately, much is learnt about the power and importance of Jewish names. Multiple meaningful takeaways include the possibility of your Hebrew name coloring your life’s experiences.

Fleeing Laban, now Jacob confronts the evil Esau; enroute with murder in mind. Seeking to inhibit his brother's baleful intent; he sends a mollifying message – its literal elucidation is our initial point of departure. Then piercing the veil, the biblical characters are recast as cosmic spiritual paradigms, as profound mystical ideas are revealed. With broad brush strokes, the Kabbalistic panorama is outlined, as we laser into the teachings of the Chassidic Masters, with specific emphasis on a particular late 20th century discourse. The take away? We can all learn to create order out of chaos to live better and more fulfilling lives today!

When Yaakov returns home a wealthy man, after decades of living afar, Esav quickly emigrates. Why?

A journey through the weekly Torah portion briefly explaining the text in plain English—based on the commentary of Rashi.