Ep. 520: How Can These Torah Chapters Help Us Understand Today’s Wars?

Rabbi Jacobson will discuss the following topics:What do we learn from Parshas Chayei Sarah?  How can these Torah chapters help us understand today’s wars and what we can do to help the situation?  What is the central theme of this Torah portion?  Why is the portion that talks about the death of Sarah called the life of Sarah?  What is the lesson from Eliezer initially wanting his own daughter to marry Yitzchak, but ends up serving as the messenger to have Rivkah marry him?  How can Eliezer be Og King of Bashan, who was a villain?  What is the meaning of V’Avraham zokon bo ba’yomim?  Why did Abraham remarry Hagar/Keturah?  Why is Ishmael’s return discussed at the end of this portion?  What can we learn from Sarah insisting that Ishmael be sent away?  Vayeira Why did Sarah laugh when she heard that she would give birth? Was she rebuked?  Why did the akeidah cause Sarah’s passing?  If the akeidah was meant to reveal higher levels of love between us and G-d, why was Sarah harmed when she heard about the akeidah?  Is there a connection between a nisayon (test) and nes (miracle)?  Lech Lecha  Why don’t we add a letter to the name of everyone who is circumcised as it was added to the name Avraham?  Chof Cheshvan  What lessons can we learn from the Rebbe Rashab today?  Can you please share an idea from the Rebbe Rashab?   Why did the Tzemech Tzedek ask to delay his bris? Winter  As we enter the winter season, what lessons does it offer us?  Why not put on a fur coat while also lighting a fireplace?  What attitude should we have to politics?  How important is the president of a country in the divine scheme?  War in Israel  How should we be responding to Israel’s victories over its enemies?