B"H

Thursday, Mar-Cheshvan 9, 5779 / October 18, 2018

In this week's Parsha, Lech Lecha, the Torah tells us of our forefather Abraham's  experience with fear and G-d's response to it.

In Chapter 15 verse 1 we read: "After these things [the battle with the four kings] the word of the L-rd came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Fear not Avram (at this point his name was Avram, his name was only later changed to Abraham); I am your shield, your reward shall be exceedingly great."  G-d then tells him that just as the stars in the heaven cannot be counted, "so will be your children."

G-d alleviates Abraham's fears by telling him "I am your shield.  Your reward is exceedingly great!"

Our sages discuss the reason of Abraham's fears.  After all, G-d promised him in the beginning of the Parsha, "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you."  Why, after winning the battle against the four mighty kings, did Abraham become fearful?

One explanation is that Abraham was afraid of future reprisals by the four nations (as a result of his winning the battle).

Another explanation according to our sages is that Abraham's fear was a direct result of all the miracles and blessings that he experienced!

The great miracle of winning his battle with only 318 men against the four Kings and their mighty armies, caused Abraham to worry that he is receiving G-d's blessings and reward in this world at the expense of the spiritual reward in the World-to-Come.  This caused Abraham great fear.

To eliminate his fears, G-d told him, "I am your shield and your reward is exceedingly great."  In other words, "I will shield you from any harm which anyone may want to cause you in this world.  In addition, your reward is also great in the World-to-Come.

Just as Abraham found comfort knowing that G-d is his shield and protector, so too, we must always remember the words of King David in Psalms, "I will fear no evil for You are with me!"

Rabbi Moshe Leib of Sasov had a unique way of dealing with worries and difficult situations, so that they do not get in the way of his serving G-d with happiness.

He would say: "What is in the past is already in the past and there is nothing I can do about it anyway, so why worry about them.  As for the future, it didn't happen yet, so why worry. I put my trust in G-d that things will be good.

The only worry I may have, concerns the present.  But the present is so short, it lasts only a moment, and anybody can handle a little trouble for a moment!"

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

B"H

Friday, Mar-Cheshvan 10, 5779 / October 19, 2018

In this week's Parsha, Lech Lecha we read, "And Avram was ninety nine years old and the L-rd appeared to Avram and said to him: I am G-d Al-mighty; walk before Me and be whole-hearted.  And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly." 

Then G-d changes Avram's name to Abraham (Avraham) - adding the letter "Hay." His wife's name was also changed, "And G-d said to Abraham as for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.  And I will bless her and I will give her a son."

In order that Abraham and Sarah should be able to give birth to their son, Yitzchak, G-d first changed their names by adding the letter "Hay."

One's Hebrew name is very significant.  Through the letters of one's Hebrew name, G-d funnels His blessings to that individual. After their name change they were able to have Yitzchak.

This is the reason why, when one is critically ill, many times a name will be added.  Usually, a name which has to do with healing and life, such as Chaim or Chaya (life), Refael (angel of healing), etc. is added. 

When one is sick, we recite the Mi Shebeirach prayer in which the person's name and mother's name are mentioned.  When calling to the Torah we call the person's Hebrew name and father's name.

Just as G-d gave Abraham his name, Avraham, in connection with his circumcision, so too, we name a baby boy at the time of his circumcision, on the eighth day.

Our sages tell us that when parents name their child, G-d gives the parents a form of prophecy so they will choose the proper name which will serve as a channel for G-d’s blessings.

When giving a name we are careful to name a child after good and righteous people.  According to our sages, one should not give a name after one who is wicked, for it may hurt the child.  

We see the importance of our Hebrew names, as our sages say that one of the merits for which Jews were liberated from Egypt, was that they didn't change their Hebrew names for Egyptian ones.

Point of interest: The number of Hebrew letters comprising the names of our three patriarchs add up to 13 (Abraham (5), Isaac (4) and Jacob (4). The Hebrew letters of our four matriarchs, Sarah (3), Rivkah (4), Rachel (3) and Leah (3) also amount to 13.  Together they total 26, which is the numerical value of G-d's name (10+5+6+5=26).   

SHABBAT SHALOM

Montrealcandle lighting time: 5:44 / Shabbat ends: 6:45

B"H

Monday, Mar-Cheshvan 13, 5776 / October 25, 2015

In last week’s Parsha, Lech Lecha, G-d tells Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you.” Our sages instituted that we recite at least one hundred blessings each day. Blessing G-d for everything we have, brings us more blessings. Blessings bring more blessings.

The following, from the Torah Fax archives, is worth reprinting. It reminds us to acknowledge the good things we are blessed with daily, which we too often take for granted.

I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large room filled with angels.

My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, "This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to G-d said in prayer are received."  I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world. Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section.  The angel then said to me, "This is the Packaging and Delivery Section.  Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them." I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth. 

Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. "This is the Acknowledgment Section," my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed.

"How is it that there is no work going on here?" I asked.  “It’s sad," the angel sighed. "After people receive the blessings they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments.

"How does one acknowledge G-d's blessings?" I asked.

"Simple," the angel answered. "Just say, "Thank you, G-d."

"What blessings should they acknowledge?" I asked.

"If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.  If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.  And if you get this on your own computer or mobile phone, you are part of a small percentage in the world who have that opportunity.”

"Also, if you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than many. If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 700 million people in the world.  If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm - you are unique to all those in doubt and despair."

If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.  So, enjoy your blessings and remember to say, Thank you G-d!

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY