Parshas Vayeitzei Erev Shabbos Shabbos Day Mincha 6:25pm Shacharis 9:00am Plag Hamincha 6:39pm Latest time for Shema 9:33am Latest Candle lighting 7:49pm Shabbos Mincha 4:30 / 7:25pm Shkiya 8:06pm Shabbos Ends 8:53pm Reminder - please register for Shabbos Minyonim Mazal Tov Mazal Tov to Daniel & Amanda Teller and Mark & Amy Wasbutzki On the occasion of Josh and Yona's wedding Mazal Tov to grandparents and great grandparents Short Vort on the Parsha A large portion of the parsha revolves around the birth of the shevatim. The Seforno (Bereishis 30:16) comments that these pesukim convey that the great efforts invested by Rachel and Leah in order to merit children, were worthy in the eyes of Hashem. Both allowed their maidservants to share in their relationship with Yaakov as a zechus that they should merit to bear shevatim. Additionally, the story of the dudai'm portrays that bearing shevatim was of the highest priority in the eyes of Rachel and Leah. The Seforno writes that it was these actions that caused Hashem to answer their tefillos: "For it is worthy for a righteous person to attempt to achieve his desires with whatever natural means that he might have, and along with this he should daven to achieve his goal." Why is it not simply enough for a person to daven that he succeed in achieving his desires? Rav Wolbe explains that if one wishes to achieve something and he davens for it but fails to take any action, his lack of investing effort generally demonstrates that he does not truly desire it. Conversely, one who only takes action and does not offer a prayer for success, demonstrates that he relies completely upon his brains and brawn. One who feels that he does not need Heavenly assistance, certainly cannot expect to achieve the desired results. Combining the natural with the supernatural should be our formula for achieving our goals.