Start Up Nation - Sefer Bereishit

After being introduced to the “first meet” of Yitzchak and Rivka there is so much for us to start appreciating about their relationship. What is she always trying to “hide” from him? What are his most significant needs that she will help him fill? And most significantly, for tonight’s lesson, how will their personal histories impact their relationship and their children? Looking forward to trying to answer those questions together tonight!

In last weeks shiur Rivka understood that there was something strange and unique about her pregnancy and went to seek a better understanding from Hashem of what was happening. Tonight we will get to hear and see how different these two boys are, and will be in their development as people and as leaders. What character traits were inborn, how their environment nurtured them, and what choices they made that determined both their future, and ours!

In last week’s shiur we were able to appreciate how the text describes Yaakov and Esav’s personalities in such opposite ways, and how those personalities shined through the first first interaction between the two that was shared in the text. Tonight we will get to learn together the next major example of their personalities in Yitzchak’s “giving of the bracha” and tyer to answer if Yaakov “stole” it, and what exactly each got in their respective brachot.

After getting to learn how Yaakov ended up in Charan and meeting Rachel and Leah, tonight we will get to better understand these two incredible Imahot. They each have their struggles and pain but together become the mothers of Am Yisrael. As we learn how they each dealt with their challenges we will possibly also learn how to get through ours, Beezrat Hashem.

As the saying goes “Apples don’t fall far from their trees” we will also see tonight that the conflicts they share dont fall far either. Tonight we will start getting to know Yaakov’s sons and the challenges that they underwent to be able to find their common ground as well. Yosef will be a tough brother to love, but that won’t excuse the length through which the brothers will go to be rid of him. Looking forward to seeing “both sides” and trying to navigate true sibling rivalry.

In our last shiur we started getting to know the “young Yosef” and how his brothers felt towards him. Once their emotions switched from hatred to jealousy they wanted to ensure he would not impact the future of the Jewish people and “got rid of him.” Tonight we will watch Yosef develop from a self absorbed teenager to what chazal refers to as “Yosef Hatzadik” and have a better appreciation on how he developed in such an incredible way.

Tonight is the final shiur in our series on Sefer Bereishit. We have watched the challenging family dynamic in every generation. Who is the “chosen child?” Does the “birthright” play a role in who God chooses? How do the parents’ actions influence who their child becomes? After everything they have learned from their past, who will rise to greatness amongst Yaakov’s 12 sons? What will make them great and what will Yaakov grant them as a reward for what they have displayed? But the greatest question of all, have we learned from them-how to not only actualize our potential, but to grow together as a people through our challenges?