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UP AND COMING EVENTS:

 A Shabbat of InspirationThis Shabbat Rabbi MordechaiShifman will be guest lecturerat various Shuls in the Encino Jewish community. To haveRabbi Shifman or any of theEmek faculty lecture in your

community, please call 818-783-3663 ext.2001 or emailmshifman@emek.org.

Did You know?In the last two years, 7 out of8 Valedictorian awards from YULA and Valley Torah highschools were given to Emekgraduates!

IN THIS ISSUE:

• Parsha Toldos

• Emek’s 9th Annual Golf

& Tennis Tournament

Raises $120,000

• Emek Reaches600 Students!

15365 Magnolia Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 818.783.3663 info@emek.org www.emek.or

November 1, 2013 | 28 Cheshvan, 5774 | Volume 1 Issue 2

THIS WEEK’S NEWSLETTER

IS SPONSORED BY:

Rabbi Mordechai and Debbie

Shifman in Honor of the Bar

Mitzva of Jonathan Lapidot

To sponsor a Weekly D’var in honor

or in memory of a loved one and/or

to donate to Emek Hebrew Academy

Teichman Family Torah Center, please

contact 818-783-3663 or email info@

emek.org

From Scorn To ScornedBy Rabbi Mordechai Shifman, Head of School

“...and Eisav spurned the birthright” (25:34)

On the day that Avraham died, Eisav committed five heinous offense

he violated a betrothed maiden, murdered, denied Hashem’s existenc

denied the notion of Hashem resurrecting the dead, and spurned the birthright. The Talm

cites all of the allusions found in the verses for these transgressions. Why is the spurning the birthright the only transgression to be mentioned by the Torah explicitly, when it wou

appear to be the least severe of the five?

The Torah introduces the episode of the selling of the birthright with Yaakov cooking len

stew. The Talmud explains that Avraham had passed away that day and Yaakov was pre

paring the traditional mourner’s meal for his father, Yitzchak. Rashi cites the Talmud th

although Avraham was supposed to live to the age of one hundred eighty, he died five yea

early to prevent him from witness-

ing his grandson, Eisav’s abhorrent

behavior. Eisav was fifteen years of

age at the time of Avraham’s death.

Commenting upon the verse “and

the youths grew up”, Rashi statesthat although Yaakov and Eisav were

distinctly different in nature, as chil-

dren there was no conspicuous dif-

ference between them. Once they

reached the age of thirteen, the stark

contrast became apparent; Yaakov

frequented houses of study and Ei-

sav, houses of idol worship. Why did

Avraham’s premature death occur

when Eisav was fifteen and not two

years earlier, when it became evi-

dent that he engaged in idolatry?

Rashi comments on the verse “vay-

ivez Eisav es habechorah” - “Eisav

spurned the birthright”, that Eisav

rejected and showed contempt for

the service of Hashem, which was

linked to the firstborn’s birthright.

Eisav is not being held accountable

for selling the birthright, rather it is

the fact that he holds the birthright

in contempt, thereby showing a lack

of respect and sensitivity towards

נת העמקיםEMEK BLOSSOMS

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Emek’s 9th Annual Golf & Tennis Tournament took

place on Monday, October 28th at Braemar Country

Club in Tarzana, CA. We welcomed over ninety

golfers and ten tennis players and hosted over one

hundred thirty guests for dinner. We were honored

to have join us Chief of Police Jorge Villegas, Chief

Assistant Regina Scott and Captain Ivan Minsal. The chief addressed our dinner guests

and expressed his hopes for a long-standing relationship between Emek Hebrew

Academy Teichman Family Torah Center and the LAPD. Our event raised over $120,000

which will directly benefit our scholarship fund. We want to take this opportunity to

thank our many sponsors: Special thanks to Division 6 and Mr. and Mrs. Ira Leibowitz,

our title sponsors, Skechers USA, Inc., Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Aharonoff, Drs. Roy and Aviva

Mansano, The Teichman Family, Dr. & Mrs. Shahram Jacobs, and Mr. Lyle Weisman. The

success of our event could not have been possible without their support.

Emek’s 9th AnnualGolf & Tennis TournamentRaises $120,000

THIS WEEK’S NEWSLETTER

IS SPONSORED BY:

Rabbi Mordechai and Debbie

Shifman in Honor of the Bar

Mitzva of Jonathan Lapidot

CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES:

Encino 5:44PMLos Angeles 5:43PM

Northridge 5:44PM

Valley Village 5:43PM

Emek Hebrew Academy Teichman

Family Torah Center, located in Sher-

man Oaks and Valley Village, is an

ECC, K-8th grade school dedicated to

 providing an academically challeng-

ing and strong Orthodox education

 for Jewish children. Emek providescomprehensive, well balanced cur-

riculums in both Torah and general

 studies in a warm and nurturing en-

vironment.

the service of Hashem, for which he is being taken to task.

All transgressions can be attributed to compelling forces which, although they do not ex

cuse the behavior itself, to a certain extent they can be a mitigating factor. Whether a perso

is motivated by desire, wealth, egotism or self-preservation, as heinous as the transgre

sion may be, the path for reconnecting himself to his Creator is still accessible. In contras

the person who acts out of contempt, reaches a point of no return. Such behavior can nev

be mitigated or excused.

The Torah highlights Eisav’s contempt above all his other transgressions, for it is specifica

this behavior which characterizes the reason why Eisav is an unworthy progenitor of h

grandfather Avraham’s legacy. Even after performing idol worship at the age of thirtee

Eisav was still spiritually redeemable. Only once he exhibited his disdain for all that is ho

did it become necessary for Hashem to protect Avraham from witnessing Eisav’s spiritu

demise.

This year, B’ezrat Hashem, our 600th enrolled student attending our school. This milestone could not have beeaccomplished without the efforts and support of our laleadership and our strong parent base. Yeyasher Kochachemto all of you.

Kol Hakavod,Rabbi Mordechai Shifman, Head of School andMr. Daniel Aharonoff, Board President

Emek Reaches 600 Students!

FROM SCORN TO SCORNED CONTINUED