“לֹא תַחְמֹד” — Do not desire what belongs to someone else.
— Deuteronomy 5:18

More than an action, this mitzvah governs the heart.
It calls us to respect boundaries, honor others’ gifts, and trust that Hashem has given us exactly what we need to fulfill our mission.

Chazal teach that jealousy begins not when we take something — but when we allow desire and comparison to take hold inside us. From Rambam to the Sefer HaChinuch, the message is clear: real freedom starts when we stop wanting someone else’s blessings and start embracing our own.

In Vayeishev, jealousy erupts into betrayal — reminding us that destinies unravel when we covet what isn’t ours, and rise when we celebrate the portion Hashem gives us.

Explore the full Mitzvah →
https://www.mitzvah-minute.com/613-mitzvahs/not-to-desire-anothers-possession

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Jealousy begins the moment we want what isn’t ours — the following essay shows how the Ketonet Passim turned desire into resentment and reshaped Jewish history.

Explore the full Essay (8 - min read) →
https://www.mitzvah-minute.com/divrei-torah/coveting-comparison-and-the-ketonet-passim---the-ketonet-passim-and-the-psychology-of-envy-how-a-symbol-became-a-catalyst-for-rupture

Vayeishev presents the Torah’s earliest sustained study of jealousy, providence, and the moral tension between human choice and Divine direction. Through Yosef’s trials and Yehudah’s transformation, the parsha reveals how Hashem uses even painful missteps to advance the future of Klal Yisrael.

Read the Parsha insights and commentaries →
https://www.mitzvah-minute.com/parshiyot/vayeishev

Vayeishev gives us a masterclass in living with responsibility, guarding our hearts from jealousy, and trusting in Divine guidance.

Read Lessons from Parshas Vayeishev (5 - min read) →
https://www.mitzvah-minute.com/divrei-torah/living-with-dreams-responsibility-and-hidden-light---parshas-vayeishev----lessons-for-today

Truth as Responsibility; Integrity as Avodah

Vayeishev teaches that the right choice is often the hardest one.

This essay explores:

• Why Yosef would not ignore sin
• How honesty isolated him from his brothers
• Courage to uphold Hashem’s will in darkness

Read the full essay (6 - min read) →
https://www.mitzvah-minute.com/divrei-torah/yosef-the-tzaddik-moral-courage-when-it-makes-you-unpopular---truth-as-responsibility-integrity-as-avodah

How Hashem Weaves Human Failure Into the Fabric of Redemption

Through Abarbanel’s lens, Vayeishev becomes a theological masterpiece — human flaws, royal lineage, and Divine providence converging into the hidden architecture of redemption.

Read the full essay (9 - min read) →
https://www.mitzvah-minute.com/divrei-torah/providence-in-the-shadows-yehuda-and-tamar-in-focus----abarbanels-architecture-of-vayeishev---how-hashem-weaves-human-failure-into-the-fabric-of-redemption

Bonus Insights From Vayeishev - 4 more Essays

“Dreams in the Dungeon: Divine Messages in Dark Places”

Even when hope feels buried, Hashem plants dreams that whisper: your story is still moving upward.

Read the essay (7 - min read) →
https://www.mitzvah-minute.com/divrei-torah/dreams-in-the-dungeon-divine-messages-in-dark-places---abarbanel-and-rav-miller-on-hope-darkness-and-divine-clarity

“The Pit Was Empty — No Water: The Anatomy of Sin by Omission”

Sometimes the greatest harm comes not from what we do wrong — but from the good we choose not to do.

Read the essay (6 - min read) →
https://www.mitzvah-minute.com/divrei-torah/the-pit-was-empty----no-water-the-anatomy-of-sin-by-omission---the-hidden-destruction-of-not-my-problem

“Judging Favorably: How Charity of Interpretation Could Have Saved the Twelve Tribes”

By failing to practice dan l’kaf zechus, the brothers let resentment replace trust — a lesson in how vital generous judgment is to unity.

Read the essay (4 - min read) →
https://www.mitzvah-minute.com/divrei-torah/judging-favorably-how-charity-of-interpretation-could-have-saved-the-twelve-tribes---the-failure-to-see-a-fellow-jews-innocence-lessons-from-the-sale-of-yosef

“The Cost of Peace: Why Yaakov’s House Needed Crisis to Become a Nation”

Peace without purpose breaks a people — Vayeishev reveals how conflict forged the first steps of redemption.

Read the essay (4 - min read) →
https://www.mitzvah-minute.com/divrei-torah/the-cost-of-peace-why-yaakovs-house-needed-crisis-to-become-a-nation---conflict-as-the-crucible-of-covenant----ramban-abarbanel-and-rav-miller-on-vayeishev

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