As Chanukah nears, Parshas Vayeishev teaches us to be like Yosef: refuse the demands of Greek-like culture and say “No” to the outside world. Even amid life’s fluctuations, we can settle in tranquility with bitachon, constantly growing in Torah and Hashem’s service.

Chanukah celebrates the eternal battle of light over darkness: the Jews fought Greek culture that sought to sever our spiritual connection to Hashem. We won by affirming that the physical world emanates from transcendent Torah, and human intellect can even partner in creating Torah Sheba’al Peh.

Rav Nissim Yagen zt”l calmly faced a $26,000 shortfall for kollel salaries, saying simply, “Hashem will take care of me.” Without panic or frantic calls, he continued his day of learning and teaching. Moments before deadline, a stranger delivered exactly $26,000 in cash, an open miracle born of pure bitachon.

The ideal time to light Chanukah candles is at nightfall (about 15 min after sunset) or within the following half-hour, to maximize pirsumei nisa. If missed, one may still light with a bracha all night long, per Shulchan Aruch (O.C. 672). Strive to light promptly!

After losing her grandparents, Ilanit Zakowski began recording their Holocaust survival stories in a messy Google Doc. Joining the Holocaust Museum LA’s DOR Program helped her transform scattered memories into a structured presentation. She urges everyone: start now, write the stories for future generations.

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their children Archie and Lilibet volunteered at OBKLA, a kosher nonprofit kitchen in Pico-Robertson, rolling cookie dough alongside rabbis and locals. Producing 105,000 meals annually, OBKLA teaches values through action, reminding us that service bridges divides and transmits dignity. Visit obkla.org to volunteer.

At a bar mitzvah kiddush, yeshivish boys chanted “ICE, ICE, ICE” at a Hispanic worker who asked them to wait. The only one with dignity was her. They can probably beat me in Gemara, but they have no middot, no derech eretz. Torah without character is priceless wine poured into a cracked cup, it all spills. Derech eretz kadma l’Torah isn’t a slogan. It’s a warning.

On International Day of Persons with Disabilities, discover Israel’s beauty without barriers! KKL-JNF’s 4 fully accessible trails let every family, wheelchairs, strollers, everyone, enjoy blooming irises on Givat HaMoreh, splash by the Jordan River pools, stand before the Scroll of Fire memorial, and gaze from the dramatic Arch Cave. Nature is for all of us.

Instant returns never matter. Jacob could have quit after seven years; any consultant would have told him to sue. Instead he worked another seven. Because some things are worth the wait, and the wait itself builds the value. Your marketing is the same. The customers no one fights for, the messages no one sends, the positions no one claims — those are your speckled sheep. Take them. Tend them. Wait. Real wealth always comes later, but it stays forever.

Parshat Vayetzei: Yaakov worked 14 patient years for Rachel. Laban changed wages 10 times. Guess who left rich? Short-term tricks look like wins on the spreadsheet. Long-term trust builds empires. Be a Yaakov marketer, not a Laban.

One Year to the 2026 Midterms: Trump Must Get Serious With Nov. 3, 2026, immigration, affordability, and Latino voter shifts (Trump now -38 pts underwater per CNN) will test his leadership. Midterms aren't just races, they're a national referendum on direction. Will Congress partner or block? The clock's ticking, governing meets judging.

The feminine doesn’t bloom in chaos – she blossoms in safety. When a woman feels truly protected (emotionally & spiritually), she can finally soften. A husband is called a מָגֵן – a shield. Be the man who stands tall so she can finally let go and bloom.

Skirball Cultural Center now displays “In Celebration of Light and Liberty,” a stunning Hanukkah lamp by artist Zachary Oxman, designed for the U.S. Vice President’s residence. Shaped like a pomegranate tree with copper from Ellis Island’s roof, it blends Jewish tradition and American immigration history. Free viewing in the main lobby. Info: skirball.org

Parshat Vayetzei’s Lavan is the ultimate gaslighter: he promises one thing, delivers another, then rewrites reality to keep control. Yaakov defeats him not with tricks, but with truth, boundaries, and emunah. Lesson for today: document facts, set limits, seek support, and never let a manipulator define your reality. Stay grounded in truth – just like Yaakov.

Ayala Shkuri, who lost her daughter Mor on Oct 7 and husband Roni in a later attack, shared: “I’m not alone – Mor and Roni are with Hashem now. My answer is: do more, choose life, appreciate your loved ones while they’re here.” To mourn…and then vayakam – rise.

A promise is a little seed planted with all one’s heart. It grows each time you follow through on what you said you’d start. If you keep your promise, and stick to your word, it grows so big and true. It shows those you know that without a doubt, they can count on you.

I used to push rigid diets, strict cleanses, and one-size-fits-all acupuncture plans. Then I realized: healing isn’t cookie-cutter. Today I lead a dream team of acupuncturists, chiropractors, PTs, and cupping experts who listen first, treat second, and tailor every plan to the unique body, mind, and soul in front of us. Wellness isn’t a protocol; it’s a partnership. Come experience the difference

“They told my parents: ‘If she dares divorce our son before three years, he will NEVER give her a get. We’ll make sure she’s an agunah. And we’ll fight for custody of the baby.’ I was holding my infant, hearing that the people who abused me could raise my child and control my future forever. That day I learned: some families weaponize the get not for halacha, but for image and revenge. I’m still not free. But I’m speaking so the next woman isn’t threatened into silence.”

LA’s Orah Pourati just spent a week with Livnot U’Lehibanot rebuilding war-torn homes on Israel’s northern border. From fixing rocket-damaged houses on Moshav Avivim to preparing the kindergarten in Kibbutz Malkiya for the kids’ return, she worked side-by-side with families who haven’t stopped smiling despite everything. “They keep thanking us, but honestly we’re the ones thanking them for their unbelievable strength.”

This week’s Quick Vort: Avraham = mountain 🔥, Yitzchak = field 🌾, Yaakov = home 🏡. The ultimate Avodas Hashem is creating a בית – a space where we can go inside and experience Hashem directly!” Parshas Vayeitzei | Torah Sparks by Rabbi Ori Strum