Chaburat Taryag: Parshas Vayishlach

Hello, dear children! It's Saba Kadisha. Oy, oy, oy, oy! Last week, Yaakov worked for Lavan in Charan. This week, Yaakov is going home. But on the way, Eisav is waiting for him. So first, we learn! Sunday after school, the four friends came like every week to Saba Kadisha's room. This week we read Parshas Vayishlach, and it has three things every kid needs to know. Three? Star-counter ready. A star for each one. Easy! Number one: Yaakov sent messengers to Eisav, his brother, and they came back and said: Eisav is coming to meet you, with four hundred men! Yaakov was very afraid. But he didn't only fear. Chazal say Yaakov prepared in three ways: with tefillah, with a gift, and for battle. He sent Eisav a big gift: goats, sheep, camels, cows and donkeys, herd after herd, with space between each herd. He split his camp into two camps, so that if something happened, one camp would be saved. And most of all, he stood and davened to Hashem. That means: we daven, and we also do our hishtadlus. Both! One star! Number two: in his tefillah, Yaakov said: Katonti mikol hachasadim. That means: Ribono shel Olam, I'm too small for all the good You did for me. When I crossed the Yarden, I had only a stick, and now I have a big family and two camps. Yaakov didn't think he deserved it. He thanked Hashem for everything. At night, Yaakov brought his whole family across the Yabok river, and then went back alone for a few small jars that he forgot, because a tzaddik takes care even of a small thing Hashem gave him. And there, alone in the dark, an angel wrestled with him until dawn. The angel couldn't beat Yaakov, but he touched Yaakov's hip. And Yaakov limped. And before he left, the angel blessed Yaakov: From now on, your name will be Yisrael! And the sun shone for Yaakov. Children, whoever remembers that everything is a gift from Hashem doesn't show off. He says katonti, and says thank you, even for a small thing. So I need to say thank you too, for my bike, for my food, and for every little thing. Two stars! Number three: in the morning, Yaakov saw Eisav from far away, and with him four hundred men. Yaakov went ahead of his whole family and bowed down to Eisav seven times, humbly and with respect. And Eisav ran to meet him, hugged him and kissed him, and the two brothers cried. Yaakov said to him: Please take my gift. And Eisav took the gift and went back home in peace. And Yaakov went on his way, whole. So a kind word and a small gift can turn even someone hard into a friend. Three stars! The counter is full! And then Saba Kadisha noticed that Yisrael was sad. Yisrael and his big brother, Shmulik, argued over the bike, and since then, for two days already, they're not talking. So here's this week's mission: bring back peace between the brothers by Shabbos. And remember, children: like Yaakov Avinu, tefillah, a gift, and a kind word. Easy! My gadget will find the perfect plan. But he started it! Why do I have to go first? Wait. What did Yaakov do before everything? He davened. Let's daven first. And the friends said a chapter of Tehillim together, and Yisrael asked quietly: Ribono shel Olam, help me and Shmulik be friends again. And now, the hishtadlus. Like Yaakov Avinu: a gift. A new soccer ball, for Shmulik. And my gadget says Shmulik will be very happy. And the friends also fixed the bike that got scratched during the fight. And the first star lit up. Then Yisrael sat down to write Shmulik a letter, but he didn't know what to write. Remember Yaakov, Yisrael. He said katonti. What has Shmulik already done for you? Actually, he taught me to ride a bike. And he waits for me every day after school. And Yisrael wrote, line after line: Thank you for teaching me. Thank you for waiting for me. And also, I'm sorry. I wasn't OK either. And the second star lit up. On Thursday, Yisrael saw Shmulik in the building's yard. The friends waited behind the tree, and Yisrael went over first. Shmulik, this is for you. Thank you for everything you do for me. And sorry. Shmulik saw the letter and gave a big smile. He said: I'm sorry too. And hugged Yisrael tight. And the third star lit up. My gadget doesn't know how to make peace, but a kind word does! Since then, the two brothers ride together, and the new soccer ball, everyone plays with it together. Friends, today we did just like in the parsha: we davened and also made an effort, we said thank you and also sorry, and we made peace. Three stars! The mission is complete! On Shabbos night, at the Shabbos table, the friends told the whole family about Yaakov and Eisav, and about two brothers who made peace. And Abba said: Fortunate are you! Dear children, this week you davened, and you also made the effort. You said thank you humbly, and you made peace, like Yaakov Avinu. That's a very big message. And now, thank you for watching with us. Who's coming to play soccer? And next week, in Parshas Vayeshev: Yosef, Yaakov's son, a colorful coat, and very special dreams. What will happen? We'll find out next week!