Shalom Friends;
Our Parshat Vayeira vort is being sponsored by Dr. David and Tamar Kallus and family of Ramat Beit Shemesh who dedicate this vort Lilui Nishmas the upcoming Yahrtzeit of HaRav Chaim Zev Malinowitz, z”l, as well as dedicated for the safety of the Chayalim and the liberation of all hostages and their return home whole physically, mentally and spiritually as well as for the good health and security of kol Am Yisrael. To the Kallus family, many thanks for your sponsorship and your continued kindnesses.
You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring (or as the case may be, co-sponsoring) a Parshat HaShevua.
Please forward to your relatives and friends and encourage them to sponsor a Parshat HaShevua. And please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details.
Best Regards,
Moshe Burt
olehchadash@yahoo.com
skype: mark.burt3
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We begin our Parshat Vayeira with an excerpt from Rabbi Shmuel Goldin’s Parshat Vayeira Summary in his sefer “Unlocking The Torah Text,” Sefer Breish’t (page 77 – 78) :
Hashem tests Avraham through the Akeidat Yitzchak… as He commands Avraham to take Yitzchak and raise him as an offering at a designated site. Avraham complies. Father and son ascend Mount [Har] HaMoriah together only to have the intended sacrifice [korban] stopped at the last moment through Divine intervention in the form of an angel. Avraham sacrifices a ram in Yitzchak’s stead and the angel blesses the patriarch in Hashem’s name.
This author sees a relationship between events leading up to the test of Akeidat Yitzchak and our ongoing multi-front war against Iran and its terrorist proxies.
Rabbi Goldin now provides context and commentary discussing nissayon (ibid, pages 93, 96, 98) :
Akeidat Yitzchak, the classical example of nissayon (a trial administered by Hashem to test man) in biblical literature, provides… a perfect opportunity to explore the concept of nisayon within thought [in] Judaism.
The very concept of Hashem testing man, however, is very difficult to comprehend. A test is usually administered for the purpose pf gathering information. Hashem, however, is all-knowing. He knows in advance whether Avraham will or will not “pass” a specific test. Why then are these tests necessary at all?
1/ Hashem tests man to enable man to become aware of his own capabilities and actualize his own potential. None of us knows before a moment of crisis exactly how we will respond…. The quality of our actions… cannot be predicted in advance. Through the course of the tests that he experiences, man learns the full extent of his capabilities.
Even further, after the moment of crisis, we are no longer the people we were before. The very experience, and our corresponding reaction changes us. Our potential for good or for bad is actualized and concretely shapes our further actions. An individual changes with each passing test. (Rabbi Goldin citing Ramban on Sefer Breish’t, Perek 22, posuk 1)
2/ Hashem tests an individual to proclaim that individual’s capabilities to others. As Avraham undergoes each test, his greatness is recorded as an example to the world. That is why the word nissayon is derived from the word nes (banner).
A person’s true nature is revealed in the quality of his responses to the tests which confront him. (Rabbi Goldin citing Rambam, Moreh Nevuchim 3:24. Rabbeinu Bachya and Abravanel who both refer to Sefer Breish’t, Perek 22, posuk 1)In every generation, Hashem will test man, say the Rabbis, for each and both of these reasons.
The Rashbam… sees a common connection between the Akeida and [Avraham’s covenant with Avimelech]. He [the Rashbam] points to one specific phrase in the narrative describing the covenant. The [P’lishti melech Avimelech turns to Avraham and states, “And now, swear to me by G’d if you will deal falsely with me or my son or my grandson.” (Rabbi Goldin citing Sefer Breish’t, Perek 21, posuk 23). [Author’s Note: The posuk as rendered to English in the Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash: “…that you will not deal falsely with me nor with my son nor with my grandson…”] Avimelech is clearly suggesting a covenant in perpetuity. Avraham agrees.
Avraham, says the Rashbam, endangers his progeny when he contracts an intergenerational covenant with the likes of Avimelech. While Avraham may make a personal agreement with Avimelech…, he has no right to make a concrete covenant complete with commitments on behalf of his children and grandchildren. Hashem is, therefore, moved to respond: [as presumably surmised by Rashbam and cited by Rabbi Goldin] “You were careless with the son I gave you. You contracted a covenant with them and with their children. Now take that son, offer him as a sacrifice and see what good the contracting of your convenant has done.” (Rabbi Goldin citing Rashbam on Sefer Breish’t, Perek 22, posuk 1)
The Avraham who emerges following the Akeida is very different. His total focus turns inward, as in Chayei Sara, he occupies himself with two primary tasks: burying Sara, and finding a wife for Yitzchak. (Rabbi Goldin citing Sefer Breish’t, Perek 23, posuk 1 through Perek 24, posuk 67)
Apparently Avraham, traumatized by the Akeida, learns the lesson that, according to the Rashbam, Hashem wanted to convey. Avraham recognizes that his mission in the world remains of extreme significance and importance. His mission to his own family… and his responsibility to his nation’s future, become primary.
At the end of Avraham’s life we do not know the fate of the many souls whom he touched through his preaching to the world. We do know, however that Avraham’s legacy is narrowed down to the life of one individual: his son Yitzchak. Perhaps it takes the Akeida to teach Avraham this lesson.
Just as Rashbam reasons that Avraham learns the lesson concerning his responsibility to his family, and the nation that will emerge from the seed of Yitzchak and, eventually from Yaakov, it seems that our modern day Israeli government, political leadership, top military leadership have as yet NOT learned the lesson that the security of Am Yisrael is primary, and not to be deceived (verb: mislead by a false appearance or statement) by misconceptions (conceptia) projected, or seemingly projected by our enemies regarding their intentions.
It was this deception concerning Hamas’ intentions which lead us to our military high command’s arrogance regarding the warnings of impending attack and our unpreparedness for Hamas’ brutal attack and slaughter of last Simchat Torah. Have we yet not learned that Islamic — Amalek’s intentions have always been, and will always be the annihilation and eradication of the Jews?
As Avraham Aveinu’s legacy lives on, in that era, only through his son Yitzchak, but ultimately through Yaakov and his sons and their descendants through to today, we remember that the legacy of our beloved Rav Chaim Zev Malinowitz, z”l is soo massive and many-faceted in scope. From the incredible volume and mastery of his Torah knowledge, to his ability to “think outside the box,” to his high level of knowledge of the world and human nature, to his editing of the Artscroll Gemuras — both the Bavli and Yerushalmi Gemuras, to his clear-headed insight regarding our sovereignty in Eretz Yisrael, and his wit and mentchlicheit to a degree that he related to an entire Kehillah on each of our individual levels. Rav Malinowitz inspired a Kehillah and the entirety of Ramat Beit Shemesh. HaRav is missed and has left an imprint on us all.
May it be that our Chayalim, regardless of the machinations of their high command, emerge totally victorious — eradicating from the face of the earth Hamas, their terrorist buddies and the so-called “innocent civilians” of Gaza who joined with Hamas in their murderous deeds, that the Chayalim return home whole — physically, mentally and spiritually and that the Chayalim Liberate and bring home all remaining hostages. And may we see the restoration of true unity within Am Yisrael.
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently re-settled in Gush Katif, once the IDF, by the Yad Hashem, destructs and eradicates the wild beasts of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, all other terror entities, and if necessary Iran, and that our brethren be made totally whole — be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them, that the thrice expelled families of Amona be restored to their rebuilt homes and the oft-destroyed Yeshiva buildings in Homesh be rebuilt, as well as rebuilding the homes of families of the hilltop outposts who had their residences destroyed by Israel government bulldozers — all at total government expense. Baruch Hashem that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard is now nearing the fifth anniversary of his aliyah to Eretz Yisrael and continues in a new chapter in his life. May Esther Yocheved bat Yechiel Avraham have an aliyah in Shemayim and may her spirit and memory continue to lift Jonathan to at least 120 years. May the MIAs be liberated alive and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem — as with the return in April, 2019, via Russia, of the remains of Zachariah Baumel, as should the remains of the two chayalim from the Gaza War of ten years ago. May we have the courage and strength to stand up and physically prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and prevent Chas V’Challila the handing of Jewish land over to anyone, let alone to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we see, in 5785, the REAL Jews from the Ukraine and Russia as well as the US and Canada, the real Jews via matrilineal descent, make Aliyah enmass — via thorough review by Misrad HaPanim. And may we soon and finally see the total end to the Communist Chinese Wuhan Lab corona virus pandemic and all like viruses and variants. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nei Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem Al’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bimhayrah b’yamainu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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