"Out of Asher, His Bread Shall Be Fat": What Did It Take to Buy the Oil of the Tribe of Asher? • The Daily Lesson from Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

Everyone needs to read the weekly Torah portion (Parashah). The Parashah restores the soul to each person. Without it, there is no fear of Heaven (Yiras Shamayim). One can even read it on the way, in the car.

The next portion is Parashat Shmini, in which the two sons of Aharon were burned.

Everyone should study Likutey Halachos, Laws of Deposits 4, regarding the order of the Counting of the Omer (Sefiras HaOmer). On the first day of the first week, we receive the first expanded consciousness (Gadlus Aleph) of Abba (the Supernal Father); on the second day, the first expanded consciousness (Gadlus Aleph) of Imma (the Supernal Mother); on the third day, the second constricted consciousness (Katnus Bet) of Abba and Imma; on the fourth day, the second expanded consciousness (Gadlus Sheni) of Imma; and on the fifth day—the eve of the Seventh Day of Pesach—the first constricted consciousness (Katnus Aleph) of Abba and Imma. It was then that they said, "Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt" (Numbers 14:4). And then Moshe told the Jewish people, "The sea will split." Such a miracle never was and never will be again.

The Ramban is buried in Haifa, and Elisha is also buried in Haifa. Elisha said, "Let there be, I pray thee (na), a double portion" (II Kings 2:9). The word na (נא) stands for Nadav and Avihu.

Today is the day of the Nasi (Prince) of the children of Asher: "Out of Asher, his bread shall be fat" (Genesis 49:20) and "he dips his foot in oil" (Deuteronomy 33:24). In Tractate Menachos (85b), it is brought down regarding the abundance of oil that the Tribe of Asher possessed: The people of Laodicea sought to buy oil for a million dinars, and they sent a messenger who found the seller hoeing under his olive trees. After the messenger saw the immense wealth, he bought oil from him for one million, eight hundred thousand maneh, to the point that they had to hire all the camels and beasts of burden in the Land of Israel to transport the cargo, and the seller escorted them on their way to Laodicea.

Naftali missed it by five minutes (when running to Egypt to retrieve the deed for the Cave of Machpelah). If he had made it in time, they wouldn't have cut off his (Esau's) head.

"Happy am I, for the daughters will call me happy (b'oshri ki ishruni banos)" (Genesis 30:13). The daughters of Asher were the most righteous women, who never stepped outside the door of their home.