B"H
Tuesday, Mar-Cheshvan 14, 5779 / October 23, 2018
This week’s Parsha, Vayeira, begins, "And the L-rd appeared to him while he sat at the door of the tent in the heat of the day." “To him,” refers to Abraham. This took place on the third day after his circumcision at age 99, about which we read at the end of last week’s Parsha, Lech Lecha.
Q.Why did G-d appear to Abraham? What was the purpose of this appearance? Always when G-d appeared to Abraham, G-d spoke to him, but here there is no communication.
A.G-d's appearance to Abraham was for the sole purpose of performing the mitzvah of "Bikur Cholim” - visiting the sick," as Abraham was recuperating from his circumcision.
The mitzvah of visiting the sick is called "Bikur Cholim" and is a very important mitzvah. Our sages say that visiting the sick, not only helps the patient psychologically, it also helps him get well physically.
The Midrash tells the following: A student of the Talmudic sage Rabbi Akiva became ill. No one had visited him and his illness became worse. Rabbi Akiva heard this and visited the student. Rabbi Akiva cleaned the floor and did whatever the student needed. As a result of Rabbi Akiva's efforts, the student survived. Rabbi Akiva then told his students, "Whoever doesn't visit the sick is as if they have spilled their blood!"
The Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) states:"The main reasons for visiting the sick are; to see if they need anything and to pray for their health. If one visits a sick person and does not pray for him or her, one did not fulfill their duty.
Q.In the Mi Shebeirach prayer for the sick, in which we pray for their healing, we ask G-d, “Heal him/her amongst all the other sick of Israel.” Why do we include all the other sick of Israel?
A. Our sages say, “One's prayer is more readily accepted when it invokes the merits of many."
Q.Why, when calling up to the Torah we mention the person’s name and their father’s name. But when reciting the Mi Shebeirach prayer, for the ill, we recite their name and their mother’s name?
A. The people of Israel are divided into three categories; Kohen, Levi, Yisrael. These three divisions are determined by the father’s lineage. If the father is a kohen, the son is a kohen; if the father is a Levi, the son is a Levi and when the father is a Yisrael, the son is a Yisrael. Thus, when we call to the Torah a Kohen, Levi & Yisrael, we mention the father’s name.
But when we pray for a healing and strength, we use the mother’s name, because King David did so. In Psalm 86, King David prays to G-d, “Turn to me and be gracious to me; grant Your strength to Your servant, and deliver the son of your maidservant.”
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Thursday, Mar-Cheshvan 16, 5779 / October 25, 2018
This week’s Parsha, Vayeira, begins with G-d visiting Abraham after his circumcision, at the age of 99. The purpose for the visit was to perform the mitzvah of Bikur Cholim – visiting the sick. This story is recorded in the Torah to teach us the importance of this mitzvah.
Then we read in the Parsha about the three angels, disguised as ordinary travelers, who came to Abraham. Although Abraham was still recuperating from his circumcision, yet, when he saw them he ran toward them to invite them into his tent, so he can perform the mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim – providing food and lodging to guests. Abraham specialized in the mitzvah of showing kindness to people.
The Torah tells us this story to impress upon us how important is the mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim – being kind and helping people in need.
Later in the Parsha we read about the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Torah describes the people of Sodom and Gomorrah as, “The people of Sodom were extremely bad and sinful toward G-d.”
The sin of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah was that they were very stingy and wouldn’t let a stranger and wayfarer into their home. If anyone did give food or lodging to a stranger, they would be punished severely.
The Midrash tells of an episode in which a young girl gave food to a stranger who happened to pass through Sodom. When the people found out, they punished the girl by smearing honey all over her body and left her near a bee hive. She was so badly stung that she died.
It was then that G-d decided that He would destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. But G-d wanted to tell Abraham first what He was going to do to them.
When G-d told Abraham His plan, Abraham prayed for the people of these cities. He pleads with G-d that they should be spared in the merit of the righteous people found in these cities. G-d agreed, if He would find at least ten righteous people. But when Abraham realized that there weren’t even ten righteous people in those cities, he rested his case.
One of the lessons of this story is the importance of a “Minyan” – a congregation of ten. The merit of the Minyan has a great positive effect. This is why we make an effort to pray with a Minayn.
Toward the end of the Parsha is Yitzchak’s birth to Abraham and Sarah. Abraham was 100 and Sarah 90 when Yitzchak was born. We also read about G-d testing Abraham by commanding him to bring Yitzchak as a sacrifice. At the last minute the angel tells Abraham that it was only a test.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Thursday, Mar-Cheshvan 16, 5779 / October 25, 2018
This week’s Parsha, Vayeira, begins with G-d visiting Abraham after his circumcision, at the age of 99. The purpose for the visit was to perform the mitzvah of Bikur Cholim – visiting the sick. This story is recorded in the Torah to teach us the importance of this mitzvah.
Then we read in the Parsha about the three angels, disguised as ordinary travelers, who came to Abraham. Although Abraham was still recuperating from his circumcision, yet, when he saw them he ran toward them to invite them into his tent, so he can perform the mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim – providing food and lodging to guests. Abraham specialized in the mitzvah of showing kindness to people.
The Torah tells us this story to impress upon us how important is the mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim – being kind and helping people in need.
Later in the Parsha we read about the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Torah describes the people of Sodom and Gomorrah as, “The people of Sodom were extremely bad and sinful toward G-d.”
The sin of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah was that they were very stingy and wouldn’t let a stranger and wayfarer into their home. If anyone did give food or lodging to a stranger, they would be punished severely.
The Midrash tells of an episode in which a young girl gave food to a stranger who happened to pass through Sodom. When the people found out, they punished the girl by smearing honey all over her body and left her near a bee hive. She was so badly stung that she died.
It was then that G-d decided that He would destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. But G-d wanted to tell Abraham first what He was going to do to them.
When G-d told Abraham His plan, Abraham prayed for the people of these cities. He pleads with G-d that they should be spared in the merit of the righteous people found in these cities. G-d agreed, if He would find at least ten righteous people. But when Abraham realized that there weren’t even ten righteous people in those cities, he rested his case.
One of the lessons of this story is the importance of a “Minyan” – a congregation of ten. The merit of the Minyan has a great positive effect. This is why we make an effort to pray with a Minayn.
Toward the end of the Parsha is Yitzchak’s birth to Abraham and Sarah. Abraham was 100 and Sarah 90 when Yitzchak was born. We also read about G-d testing Abraham by commanding him to bring Yitzchak as a sacrifice. At the last minute the angel tells Abraham that it was only a test.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Friday, Mar-Cheshvan 17, 5779 / October 26, 2018
Q. In this week’s Parsha, Vayeira, three angels in the form of people came to Abraham. Why three?
A. The three angels were messengers from G-d. Each of them had their individual function. One came to heal Abraham after his circumcision. One came to tell Sarah that she was going to have a son. The third one later went on to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Q. Why did three angels come to Abraham but only two of them came to Lot in Sodom?
A. The angel who came to notify Sarah that she was having a son, finished his mission and had no reason to go to Lot. The other two angels went to Sodom. The angel who healed Abraham went to save Lot and his family. The second one came to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.
Q. The Torah tells us that when the angels came to Lot, he baked Matzot for them to eat. Why Matzot?
A. This story took place on Pesach (Passover). Although the story of Pesach and the Giving of the Torah, took place 400 years later, our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, (and their families) observed many of the Torah laws even before they were given to the children of Israel. They knew the Torah through Divine inspiration.
Even Noach knew the Torah. This is how he knew to distinguish between the kosher and non-kosher animals, when G-d told him to bring into the ark two of the non kosher and seven of the kosher ones.
Q. When the angels took Lot, his wife and two daughters out of Sodom, they warned them not to look back. When Lot’s wife looked back she turned into a pillar of salt. Why weren’t they permitted to look back?
A. Lot and his family didn’t deserve to be saved, they were in the merit of his uncle, Abraham. For this reason they were not allowed to watch how the people of Sodom were punished.
Q. Why was her punishment to turn into a pillar of salt?
A. Our sages say that when Lot invited the two angels into his home and served them food, he asked his wife for salt, but she refused to give it. Thus, she was punished measure for measure.
It is customary that before reciting the Grace-after-Meal, we wash our fingertips, to wash off the “Sodomite salt” from our fingers. “Sodomite salt” also refers to the stinginess of the people of Sodom. This is to remind us to be kind and generous to those who are hungry and in need.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montrealcandle lighting time: 5:32 / Shabbat ends: 6:34
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