New Beginnings for Marom 2019 [participant copy]

And it [the foetus] is taught the entire Torah, as it is said: (Proverbs 4:4) "He instructed me, and said to me, 'Let your mind hold onto my words; Keep my commandments and you will live'",
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And when it [the foetus] comes to the light of the world, an angel comes and strikes it on the mouth and makes it forget the whole Torah, as it is said (Genesis 4:7) "Sin crouches at the door (lit., "petach", opening, i.e. of the mouth)

(3) It is forbidden to busy one's self with his own needs or to set out before praying Shemonah Esrei (and their are those who are lenient that say some blessings before they say Baruch SheAmar, and it is good to be stringent in this - Terumat HaDeshen 18) nor may one eat or drink, but water may be imbibed before prayer, both on a weekday and on Shabbat or Yom Tov, and likewise all food or drink for medicinal purpose is allowed.

(4) One who is thirsty and one who is hungry are considered to be ill. If one has the ability to focus one's mind, one should pray. If not, if one desires, one should not pray until eating or drinking.

(1) בראשית IN THE BEGINNING — Rabbi Isaac said: The Torah which is the Law book of Israel should have commenced with the verse (Exodus 12:2) “This month shall be unto you the first of the months” which is the first commandment given to Israel. What is the reason, then, that it commences with the account of the Creation? Because of the thought expressed in the text (Psalms 111:6) “He declared to His people the strength of His works (i.e. He gave an account of the work of Creation), in order that He might give them the heritage of the nations.” For should the peoples of the world say to Israel, “You are robbers, because you took by force the lands of the seven nations of Canaan”, Israel may reply to them, “All the earth belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He; He created it and gave it to whom He pleased. When He willed He gave it to them, and when He willed He took it from them and gave it to us” (Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 187).

"At that time Judah went down from his brothers..." (Genesis 38:1)...Rabbi Samuel ben Nahman cited "For I [God] know the thoughts [that I have for you are positive]" (Jer. 29:11). While the tribes were busy selling Yosef into slavery, and Yosef was busy with fasting and sackcloth [mourning his sale] and Reuven was busy with fasting and sackcloth [mourning Yosef's sale and his lost birthright] and Yaakov was busy with fasting and sackcloth [mourning his lost of Yosef] and Judah was busy taking a woman for himself, the Holy One Blessed Be He was busy creating the light of the Messiah. "At that time Judah went down" (Genesis 38:1)..."before the labor pains began" (ISa. 66:7). Before the first one [Yosef] became enslaved, the redeemer (Messiah's forbear Peretz] was born.

The verse describes when the rest of the events of the Megilla occurred: “After these events did King Ahasuerus promote Haman” (Esther 3:1). The Gemara asks: After what particular events? Rava said: Only after the Holy One, Blessed be He, created a remedy for the blow and set in place the chain of events that would lead to the miraculous salvation was Haman appointed, setting the stage for the decree against the Jews to be issued. Rava explains: As Reish Lakish said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, does not strike at the Jewish people unless He has already created a remedy for them beforehand, as it is stated: “When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was uncovered” (Hosea 7:1). But this is not so with regard to the nations of the world. With them, God first strikes them and only afterward does He create a remedy, as it is stated: “And the Lord shall smite Egypt, smiting and healing” (Isaiah 19:22).