Thursday, November 30, 2017

פרשת וישלח

In this eddition:

   D'var Torah
   Q and A on the Parsha
   Q and A from out classroom
   Quiz Questions
   Torah Math
   What to bake for dessert the week AND WHY!
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Dear 5th Grade Families,
         
          My family and I will be traveling to Israel next week to celebrate our daughter Dina’s bat mitzvah. I look forward to sharing some Torah thoughts from Israel next week! I will have intermittent email during our trip, and I look forward to returning to school on Tuesday, December 13th EY”H.
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Visit RPMISHNAH.BLOGSPOT.COM
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Dvar Torah

Is it too late?!

וַיָּקָם בַּלַּיְלָה הוּא וַיִּקַּח אֶת־שְׁתֵּי נָשָׁיו וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּי שִׁפְחֹתָיו וְאֶת־אַחַד עָשָׂר יְלָדָיו וַיַּעֲבֹר אֵת מַעֲבַר יַבֹּק

(בראשית לב:כג)
  
The Torah tells us, when Yaakov came to meet Esav, "And he (Yaakov) got up... and his 11 children..." Rashi asks on this Pasuk (32:23); Yaakov went to meet Esav with only 11 of his children, where was his 12th child Deena?  Rashi’s answer is that Yaakov was scared that if Esav saw Deena he would take her as a wife.  Therefore, Yaakov hid Deena in a box so that Esav could not see her.  Rashi continues to tell us that the reason for the kidnapping of Deena by Sh'chem (later in the Parsha, Perek 34) was a punishment for hiding Deena.  A punishment, why? Rashi states had Deena not been hidden and Esav married Deena, she might have been able to turn him from being an evil person to a good person.



The question therefore is, can a person like Esav, who kills and steals, become a good person?!

Tosfot (an early commentary from the time of the Crusades) tells us (Kitubot 63a), the nature of a person is to be good.  Sometimes we just need some help to get there.  Deena might have been the little bit of help that Esav needed. Rashi is teaching us a very valuable lesson. No matter how bad a person is, or how much they might have done wrong, they can still change. It is never too late to do Teshuva and become a good person.

Shabbat Shalom!


Parsha Questions

1) Whom did יעקב send ahead of himself to his brother? Where did they come from?
(see רש"י  בראשית לב:ד and  בראשית ל:א-ג)

2) In his message to עשו, יעקב said אם לבן גרתי. Why was he telling his brother where he had been?
(see רש"י  בראשית לב:ה)

3) Why did יעקב tell עשו that he had sheep and cattle (see רש"י  בראשית לב:ו)

4) What report did the messengers bring back to יעקב? (see בראשית לב:ז)

5) Why was יעקב both “afraid” and “distressed”? (see רש"י  בראשית לב:ח)

6) How did יעקב prepare his camp and family against the potential attack of עשו?
(see בראשית לב:ח-יז)

7) Why did יעקב think he was very “small”? (see רש"י  בראשית לב:יא)

8) Why does it say he took eleven children when he also had דינה? (see רש"י  בראשית לב:כג)

9) Did יעקב do the correct thing with דינה? Please explain. (see רש"י  בראשית לב:כג)

10) Why did יעקב go back across the river alone? (see רש"י  בראשית לב:כה)

11) Whom did he meet there? (see רש"י  בראשית לב:כה)

12) What does the פסוק mean by “the sun came up for him”? (see רש"י  בראשית לב:לב)

13) How do later generations remember this incident? (see בראשית לב:לג)

14) Why did עשו both hug and kiss יעקב? (see רש"י  בראשית לג:ד)

15) Why did יוסף go before his mother to meet עשו? How was he rewarded for this act? 
(see רש"י  בראשית לג:ז)

16) Why did יעקב camp outside the city of שכם and not enter it? (see מוסף רש"י  בראשית לג:יח)

17) How did שכם convince his entire city to agree to make a ברית מילה on themselves?
(see רש"י  בראשית לד:כ-כג)

18) What did יעקב do with all the treasures that were captured from שכם?
(see רש"י  בראשית לה:ב-ד)

19) Why does the פסוק tell us that ,דבורה the nurse of ,רבקה died? (see רש"י  בראשית לה:ח)

20) What did רחל name her youngest son? Why? (see   בראשית לה:טז-יחand רש"י יח)

21) What did יעקב call this child? Why? (see רש"י בראשית לה: יח)

22) Where did יעקב finally arrive? (see בראשית לה:כז)

23) How old was יצחק when he was נפטר? (see בראשית לה:כח)

24) Who buried יצחק? (see בראשית לה:כט)

25) Why do you think the תורה tells us all about  עשו‘s family? (Thinking question)


Classroom Check-in!
Questions about what we are learning in class

1) What are the 2 opinions about the height of a Sukkah?

2) How much shade is needed to make a Sukkah usable?

3) How many walls should a Sukkah have?

4) What are the 6 books of Mishnah?


Torah Math

In this week’s Parasha, we find the story of Yaakov returning home and meeting with his brother Esav.  As Yaakov gets closer to his brother he sends gifts ahead of him with a messageעִם לָבָן גַּרְתִּי וָאֵחַר עַד עָתָּה  -with Lavan I have lived and I have delayed until now.  What was the point of this message, what was he telling his brother?

We know that the blessing that Esav got was that when Yaakov is not strong in Torah and Mitzvot, then Esav will have power over him.  The word גַּרְתִּי is the numeric value of  613, the amount of Mitzvot.  Yaakov was telling his brother not to try to attack since he and his family had followed in the ways of the Torah while living with the wicked Lavan and had not learned from his evil ways.


 TORAH TRIVIA!


Super Stumper Question:
This a question to ask others and discuss the answers.

Answer to last week’s Question:
Q: On every Rosh Chodesh we say 1/2 Hallel. What exception(s) are there to this rule????
A: On every Rosh Chodesh we say 1/2 Hallel except Teves (Chanukah) and Tishrai (Rosh Hashana)

Question of the week:
Q: What is the only part of Davening is skipped when Davening with a Minyan???
A: Coming soon!



Kollel Quiz 

#1 Who Am I?
1.Teastless.
2. Boneless.
3. Eatless.
4. Not Gad.

#2 Who Am I?
1. I am Taf.
2. Rav Preida’s reputation.
3. Exile to Egypt.
4. I frightened this week.


Submit this answer by clicking here


 FOOD Section!


Can you guess what this recipe connects to this week’s Parsha?
Crème-Filled Cupcakes

Make-Ahead Tip:
The Chocolate Cupcakes can be filled with Crème Frosting and frozen for up to 2 weeks. Thaw cupcakes and apply Chocolate Ganache topping and swirl design before serving. Any leftover Crème Frosting can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour plus ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold coffee or water
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 (12-cup) cupcake pan with 14 cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together coffee, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until just combined. Do not over mix.

Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean with a few crumbs clinging to it. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.

To assemble the cupcakes: Fit the piping bag with a small round or Bismarck tip and fill with the Crème Frosting. Insert the tip into the center of the top of each cupcake and squeeze the bag to fill with about 2 to 3 teaspoons frosting. There is no need to scoop out any of the cake. Spread the top of each cupcake with a thin layer of Chocolate Ganache and pipe a 4-loop design with the Crème Frosting.

CRÈME FROSTING
1 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 to 5 tablespoons soy, almond, or rice milk
1 piping bag, fitted with a small round or Bismarck tip

To make the Crème Frosting: Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the shortening until smooth. With the mixer running on low, add powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon nondairy milk at a time, as needed, until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency. You may not need to use all of the nondairy milk. Beat on high for 2 more minutes until light and fluffy.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (dairy-free)
¼ cup canned coconut milk, mixed well before measuring 
2 tablespoons canola oil

Melt chocolate chips and coconut milk in a double boiler or microwave. Whisk in oil until smooth.

Makes 14 cupcakes






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