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Sefer

Yismach Yisroel ישמח ישראל

The Alexander Rebbe on the parsha: simple and complete faith, humility, love for every Jew, and Hashem’s kindness in the darkest times.

Flowing edition of Sefer Bereishis: the Hebrew of the first edition (Lodz 1911) beside a new English translation, with notes, paragraph summaries and takeaways.

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Yismach Yisroel was written byRav Yerachmiel Yisrael Yitzchok Dancygerהרב ירחמיאל ישראל יצחק בן יחיאל דנציגרProfile ›

Parshas Bereishis בראשית

  1. אTwo Beginnings: Teshuvah and Endless Renewal
  2. בShabbos: The Seal of Truth That Sustains Creation
  3. גTeshuvah and the Two Beginnings of Torah

Parshas Noach נח

  1. אNoach's Chein and the Duty to Benefit Others
  2. בNoach's Two Modes: Dust and Ashes, and the World Created for Me
  3. גNoach's Trust: Bitachon Even When Unworthy
  4. דAlways Disqualifying Yesterday's Service
  5. הUnity: The Key to Prayer and Torah
  6. וWalking with Hashem Versus Walking on One's Own
  7. זIn His Generations: Lofty Heart, Humble Self
  8. חHumility Purifies When Preparation Is Lacking
  9. טTzaddikim Open Windows in the Barrier
  10. יNoach's Fear, Avraham's Love, and Trust

Parshas Lech Lecha לך לך

  1. אGoing Only Because Hashem Commanded
  2. בThe Burning Palace and the Guide of the Exile
  3. גAvraham's Holy Second Nature Revealed to the World
  4. דWhy Rashbi's Students Lamented His Passing
  5. הInheriting the Redemption We Cannot Earn
  6. וAvraham's Stick: Teshuvah and Faith Against the Nations
  7. זSarah's Good Eye and Hagar's Pride
  8. חAvraham Who Stitched the World Together
  9. טAvraham's Meal as an Altar Offering
  10. יFaith Reckoned as Charity, Darkness Serving Light
  11. יאWalking with Hashem: Avraham's Path of Love

Parshas Vayeira וירא

  1. אLowly Origins: The Key to Receiving the Torah
  2. בAlways at the Doorway: Endless Inner Gates
  3. גLowliness and Love: The Preparation for the Torah
  4. דHumility Awakens the Merit of the Avos
  5. הHumility: Why Moshe, Not the Angels, Received the Torah
  6. וHumility Unlocks Truth and Hidden Wisdom
  7. זAnother Ram: The Soul Caught in the Thicket
  8. חAvraham's Planting of Kindness and Prayer
  9. ט“From My Flesh I See God”: Humble Knowledge
  10. יAvraham at the Door: Humility, Knowledge and Hope
  11. יאDrawing Near the Distant Awakens Divine Mercy
  12. יבHospitality Opens the Way to the Shechinah

Parshas Chayei Sarah חיי שרה

  1. אThe Twice-Lived Years of the Tzaddikim
  2. בYears That Truly Existed Light Our Darkness
  3. גThe Servant Who Shares the Inheritance
  4. דEliezer's Prayer: You Began, Now Complete
  5. הThe Wise Servant and the Leaping Earth
  6. וThe Tzaddikim's Years Shine in Our Darkness
  7. זEliezer's Humility: Walking in Darkness, Lit by Hashem
  8. חThe Avos' Years Stored Up as Light

Parshas Toldos תולדות

  1. אYitzchak Reborn from Avraham at the Akeidah
  2. בSeparating Yaakov from Esav Through Humility
  3. גPrayer That Leans on Another's Merit
  4. דYitzchak's Prayer Tunneled a Path for Us
  5. הTunneling Beneath the Throne: Praying in the Avos' Merit
  6. וTruth and Faith Draw Down Livelihood
  7. זPraying in the Present Tense
  8. חChessed Hidden in Judgment, Blessing Guarded by Faith
  9. טAdam's Garments: From Betrayal to Fragrance
  10. יThe Fragrance of the Traitors' Teshuvah
  11. יאRivkah's Yom Kippur Hint: Humility Draws Down Blessing
  12. יבBlessed with Judgment, Blessed as Esav
  13. יגThe Gift of Godliness When Blessing Is Withheld
  14. ידYaakov's Pure Inner Point and the Day of Atonement
  15. טוGevurah as the Offspring of Chessed

Parshas Vayeitzei ויצא

  1. אYaakov's Dream, Shabbos, and His Hidden Greatness
  2. בTruth Sustains Israel Through the Final Exile
  3. גBe'er Sheva: Praying Through Darkness by Torah's Light
  4. דLeaving Be'er Sheva: Torah's Strength in Darkness
  5. הTruth and Faith in the Darkest Exile
  6. וStrength from the Source Above the World

Parshas Vayishlach וישלח

  1. אYaakov's Fear and the Power of Trust
  2. בA Quarrel Not His Own: Merit for His Children
  3. גYaakov's Fear as a Shield for His Descendants
  4. דShabbos: Truth, Boundaries and Unearned Grace
  5. הYaakov's Fear, Humility and Trust for Later Generations
  6. וArousing the Hidden Source of Mercy

Parshas Vayeishev וישב

  1. אFirst Kindle, Then Repair: Acting Like Hillel
  2. בReuven's Teshuvah Over the Root of Sin
  3. גReuven's Teshuvah for a Sin of Thought
  4. דReuven's Teshuvah Over His Father's Pain
  5. הForgiveness Through Kol Yisrael and Shabbos
  6. וReuven's Teshuvah and Yosef's Disappearance
  7. זReuven's Teshuvah: Merging Into Klal Yisrael

Parshas Mikeitz מקץ

  1. אThe Broken Heart That Draws Down Blessing and Grace

Parshas Vayigash ויגש

  1. אTorah, Shema and the Day of Death in Exile
  2. בEyes Opened to See the Redemption
  3. גWhen the Land and Man Are Truly Alive
  4. דThe Shame of Rebuke and Shabbos's Opening of the Eyes
  5. הEvery Concealment Is for the Good
  6. וKiddush, a Purified Mind, and True Remembrance
  7. זI Made Hashem Master: Prayer from the Divine Within
  8. חGiving Thanks for One's Present Spiritual Level
  9. טWhy Yosef Risked Being Alone with His Brothers
  10. יWalking in Hashem's Ways: Living Halachah

Parshas Vayechi ויחי

  1. אLiving by Yaakov's Power: Da'as and Hope
  2. בShema in the Darkness Before the End
  3. גYaakov's Da'as: Life in the Darkness
  4. דYaakov's Undivided Heart and Hidden Spark
  5. הGathering in Unity at the End of Days
  6. וUnity, Forgiveness, and Yaakov's Living God
  7. זYaakov Lives On Within Every Jew
  8. חHumility Must Match One's True Level
  9. טThe Closed Parshah and the Hidden Spark of Yaakov

Addenda to Vayigash and Vayechi השמטות לויגש ולויחי

  1. אYehudah's Prayer: Joining the Na and the Yad
  2. בLove of Hashem That Binds the Soul

English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.