B"H

Tuesday, Mar-Cheshvan 7, 5779 / October 16, 2018

 

This week’s Parsha, Lech Lecha, tells us about some of the tests, which G-d put Abraham through. In total Abraham went through ten tests.

 

In yesterday’s Torah Fax, I mentioned that when G-d tests someone, together with the test He gives that person the ability to overcome the test. Otherwise, G-d wouldn’t test them. The Midrash explains this as follows:

 

When a potter offers his pots for sale at the market, he will bang on them to prove to the potential customer the strength and quality of his pottery.

 

Which pots will he chose to test in order to prove that his product is good? Naturally the one's he knows that will be able to withstand the test. He will not bang on an inferior product which may break.

 

So too, G-d chooses to test a person when they can withstand the test. Thus, the very fact that G-d chooses to test someone is a sign that G-d gave them the power to overcome the test.

 

This week's Parsha, Lech Lecha, covers a span of twenty four years in the life of Abraham and Sarah.  The Parsha begins with Abraham coming to Canaan at the age of seventy five (his wife Sarah was ten years younger) and ends with Abraham having his circumcision at the age of ninety nine.

 

In this Parsha G-d promises Abraham that his children will inherit the land of Israel: "G-d said to Abraham... Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are; northward, southward, eastward and westward, for all the land which you see, to you I will give it and to your seed forever." G-d promises Abraham that like the dust of the earth which cannot be counted so too, will be his seed - the people of Israel.

 

It’s right there in the Holy Book: G-d promised to give the Land of Israel to the people of Israel, over 3500 years ago! It is recorded and documented in the Torah. Our claim to the land of Israel is not a result of a UN declaration, but a gift from the Creator of heaven and earth!

 

In the Parsha we also find the act of giving charity, when Abraham gave away one tenth from his possessions to Shem, son of Noach, the kohen of that time.

 

Rabbi Moshe Leib of Sassov was once approached by someone for a donation.  Although the person had a bad reputation, Rabbi Moshe Leib, himself a poor man, gave him his last coin.  Later he was asked why he gave away his last coin to a man with such a questionable reputation.

 

Rabbi Moshe Leib, who was a very humble man, replied, "G-d wasn't selective when He gave the coin to me, so why should I be judgmental and selective whom to give it to?"

 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY