Sep 6, 2020

Raize Guttman 09-06-20 (17 Elul 5780)

Parsha Toldot - Chapter 26 - Verses 13 - 22 
Preparation in Elul

These verses are some of the only places in the entire Torah where we learn about Yitzhak.  Yitzhak was living in Gerar and he was running a corporation, with lots of shepherds, sheep and cattle. He amassed much wealth and the people of Gerar were jealous of him.   So in order to "get back at him", the filled up the wells that Avraham had dug there.  Yitzhak did not like that so, he left to the outskirts of Gerar.  Once outside, Yitzhak and his shepherds  decided to go back to re-dig the wells. And after they did, once again the Philistines stopped them up.  So they decided to dig another well now in the outskirts of Gerar, where they found living streams of water. They called the well Esek (contention) because once again the Philistines made such a tumult. So they dug another well and called it Sitnah (from the word hatred) because the shepherds of Gerar argued over that well too.  Yitzhak finally takes his company and moves even farther away and he dug a third well.  He called it Rehovot  (from the word broad /wide).  Hashem has broadened our horizons.  He will help us be successful in this land.

There are 3 messages that we can take from these verse about the past, present and future. Listen to this fascinating shiur and see how Raize brilliantly threads the message all together with our upcoming chag Rosh Hashanah, where we coronate Hashem as the King.  

 K'tivah vachatima tovah!