B"H

Friday, Mar-Cheshvan 7, 5785 / November 8, 2024

The following are quotes from the Midrash on this week's Torah portion, Lech Lecha. 

From the Torah(Gen. 12:1): G-d tells Abram [Abraham], "Go out [to your benefit] from your country, from your birthplace, and from your father's house to the land that I will show you.  And I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great."

From the Midrash:Rabbi Brachia said, "What is Abraham compared to before he left his birthplace?  To a fragrant oil in a sealed bottle, lying in a corner. In this manner, no one could benefit from its fragrance. Only when the bottle's seal was uncovered, and it was moved around could people benefit from its wonderful fragrance. 

So too, G-d said, "Abram, you are a righteous person.  You have done many good deeds and many mitzvot. Go now from place to place and your name will be known, and it will be to everyone’s benefit."

From the Torah(Gen. 12:5):  "And Abram [Abraham] took Sarai [Sarah] his wife, and Lot his brother's son and their possessions that they had gathered and the souls which they made in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan and they came to the land of Canaan."

From the Midrash: "If all the nations of the world got together and tried to create the smallest fly, they could not give it life.  Yet, the Torah says, And the souls which they made!  How is this possible?  But this refers to the converts whom Abraham and Sarah brought closer to G-d. For when one brings someone closer to G-d, it is considered like they created them!"

From the Torah (Gen. 12:16): "And he [Pharaoh] dealt well with Abraham because of her [Sarah]."

From the Midrash:"A man should always be careful to honor his wife; for the blessing in his house is due to the wife, as is written, 'And he did good to Abraham because of her.'"

The Talmudic sage Rava would remind the people of his city, Mechuza, "Give honor to your wives so that you will be blessed with wealth!"

From the Torah (Gen. 13:16): "[G-d said to Abraham] I will make your seed as the dust of the earth."

From the Midrash:"G-d said to Abraham, Just like the sand is from one end of the world to the other, so too, will your children be scattered throughout the world.  Just as everyone steps upon the earth, so too, will your children be oppressed.  But just as the earth survives everything and is forever, so too, will your descendants last forever and ever."

SHABBAT SHALOM

Montreal candle lighting time: 4:13 / Shabbat ends: 5:17

    UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW

B"H

Thursday, Mar-Cheshvan 6, 5785 / November 7, 2024

The Torah and mitzvot were given to the Jewish people, after the Exodus from Egypt, when they stood at Mount Sinai. 

Although most of the mitzvot were recorded later in the Torah, yet, they were all given at Mount Sinai and even hinted in the Ten Commandments, according to many sages.

In this Parsha, Lech Lecha, we find a special mitzvah which was given to Abraham, four hundred years before the Giving of the Torah.  This special mitzvah is the mitzvah of Milah-circumcision.

Jews have observed the mitzvah of circumcision throughout the generations for over three and a half thousand years. Not only do we observe this mitzvah as we do other mitzvot, but it is observed with much celebration and great joy. 

At the Brit-Milah (circumcision) a bond and covenant is formed between the child and G-d.At the Brit we give the baby his Hebrew name. Every Brit is linked to our forefather, Abraham. It is also reflected in the blessing which the father of the baby recites at the Brit, “Blessed are you G-d, our G-d, King of the universe, that You have sanctified us with the mitzvah of bringing him into the Brit-covenant of our forefather, Abraham.”

Usually we recite the special blessing of Shecheyanu over mitzvot which are not performed regularly, only on special occasions, like on the holidays etc.  But with the mitzvah of circumcision, although it’s once in a lifetime mitzvah, there are different opinions whether the Shecheyanu is recited.

Some say that this blessing should also be recited just like with other mitzvot which don’t come regularly.

But other rabbis are of the opinion that the Shecheyanu blessing is recited only for mitzvot which bring complete joy to the person; like the holiday mitzvot, or when eating a new seasonal fruit, which is available only once a year.  But the mitzvah of circumcision, although, it is one of the greatest mitzvot, yet, there is pain to the child; and thus, the blessing of Shecheyanu is not appropriate.

Q.   Why is the child’s name given at the Brit?   

A.  In this week’s Parsha (chapter 17), when G-d commands Abraham about the mitzvah of circumcision, He also says to him, “Your name shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham.  In connection with his Brit, G-d changed his name from Abram to Abraham – adding the letter “hei” to his name. This is why we too name the baby at his Brit.

*  The numerical value of the Hebrew word “Brit” is 612 (2+200+10+400=612). There are 613 mitzvot in the Torah.  After the Brit, which is a mitzvah performed only once in a lifetime, there are 612 mitzvot left for the child to perform throughout his lifetime.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

    UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW

B"H

Tuesday, Mar-Cheshvan 4, 5785 / November 5, 2024

In the beginning of this week’s Parsha, Lech L'cha, G-d commands Abraham and Sarah to leave their birthplace and their father’s home and go, “To the land that I will show you.”  G-d promises Abraham, “And I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who will bless you and those that curse you, I will curse;and in you shall all the families of the earth bless themselves." 

Throughout the Parsha we read about the many trials and tribulations which Abraham and Sarah endured.  Yet, they withstood all the tests and didn't waiver in their faith in G-d.  As a result, they were blessed, as the Torah says, "And the L-rd blessed Abraham with everything" (24:1).

Our sages say, "Our forefather Abraham was tested with ten trials and he withstood them all, to show the degree of his love for G-d."  The ten tests according to Maimonides are:

1. At the age of 75, G-d commands Abraham to move to an unknown land.

1. There is a famine in the new land and Abraham and Sarah have to move again, this time to Egypt.

1. In Egypt, Sarah is taken against her will to King Pharaoh. G-d sends a plague on Pharaoh and his household, and he returns Sarah to Abraham.

1. Returning to the land of Canaan Abraham's nephew, Lot, is captured and Abraham wages war against four mighty kings to save him.

1. Although G-d promised that a great nation would come from Abraham and Sarah, he still doesn't have children and marries Hagar. At the age of 86 Hagar gives birth to Ishmael.

1. At the age of 99, Abraham is commanded to circumcise.

1. Sarah is forcefully taken to King Avimelech's palace.

1. Abraham has to expel Hagar.

1. Abraham is forced to expel his son, Ishmael.

10.  G-d commands Abraham to bring his beloved son Isaac as a sacrifice.

The Midrash presents the following analogy on how to view G-d's tests to mankind. A potter will bang or squeeze on his wares as a way of showing his customers that his product is strong. But he will only do this with a pot that he knows can withstand the beating and pressure. He would not test a pot which is not capable of surviving. The same was with the tests which G-d gave Abraham and Sarah and the tests we all face from time to time. The very fact that G-d tests us, proves our strength and ability to withstand these tests. They also make us stronger when we pass them.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW