B"H

Tuesday, Mar-Cheshvan 16, 5781 / November 3, 2020

According to the Torah, it’s the effort that counts most. Judaism is not a competitive religion. Each one has their mission in life and each one can achieve and reach the highest spiritual levels. It’s not about who does more; who gives more; who knows more or who performs mitzvot more.  It’s all about effort. It’s about performing to the best of our ability, which is how our accomplishments are measured by G-d.

The following are two stories from the Midrash, which illustrate this point:

During the time of the Holy Temple, a wealthy man was leading his ox to be offered as a sacrifice in the Holy Temple.  Suddenly the ox refused to continue. The ox stubbornly stood there and refused to move. 

A poor man, holding a bundle of grass, saw all this and decided to help. He offered the ox his bundle of grass.  The ox ate the grass and this way he was led toward the Temple, where he was offered as a sacrifice. The wealthy man felt great about his offering.

That night, he had a dream.  In his dream he was told, “The bundle of grass which the poor man sacrificed was appreciated in heaven even more than your sacrifice.” The bundle of grass for the poor man was more of a sacrifice than the ox for the wealthy person.

Another story in the Midrash: The Talmudic sages, Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Akiva went to a suburb of Antioch to collect for the support of the sages.  In that suburb there lived a man by the name of Abba Yuden, who used to give charity with much good will, but at that time he had lost everything and was poor.

When he saw the Rabbis and knowing that he had nothing to give, he felt terrible and came home.  His wife looked at him and asked if he was sick.  Abba Yuden told her that he saw the Rabbis and he feels awful because he has nothing to contribute.

His wife, who was even more pious than he (these are the words of the Midrash), said to him: “We have only one field left.  Sell half of it and give the money to the Rabbis.  He did so.  When he gave the money to them they said to him, “May G-d, make up to you what you are lacking.”

A while later, Abba Yuden went to plow the half-field he still owned. As he plowed, the ground opened up beneath him and his heifer fell into the hole and broke a leg.  When he went down to bring up the animal, he noticed a treasure under the heifer. Abba Yuden said, “It was for my benefit that my animal fell in the hole.”

Some time later, when the Rabbis came back, they inquired about Abba Yuden.  People told them, “Abba Yuden is very wealthy, he now possesses servants, goats, donkeys and oxen.”

When Abba Yuden heard that the Rabbis were there he came to see them. He told them, “Your prayers had produced fruits and these fruits have produced more fruits!”

The Rabbis said to him, “You should know that even though others gave more than you, we wrote down your contribution at the top of the list… WE appreciated your contribution more because of the effort you made!” There are many stories in the Midrash and Talmud which illustrates that effort is what counts most. 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

B"H

Thursday, Mar-Cheshvan 18, 5781 / November 5, 2020

This week’s Parsha, Vayeira, begins with G-d’s visit to Abraham after his circumcision.  “G-d appeared to him at the planes of Mamre as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day.  And he lifted up his eyes and he saw three men.  When he saw them he ran toward them...” 

The Torah continues to tell us how Abraham pleaded with them to come into his tent, where he himself ran to fetch food for them.  This took place on the third day after Abraham’s circumcision at the age of 99.

G-d appeared to Abraham on that day to visit him as he was recovering from his circumcision.  The Parsha tells us that although Abraham was in G-d’s presence, yet when he saw three travelers he asked G-d to wait, he ran toward them, disregarding his physical condition, in order to provide them with food and lodging.

Based on this story, the Talmud tells us that, "Offering hospitality to guests is greater than being in the Divine Presence!"  Although Abraham stood in G-d’s presence, yet as soon as he saw the three travelers, he ran toward them to invite them to be his guests while leaving G-d waiting.

The 613 commandments were given to the Jewish people many years later at Mount Sinai, yet, we already find here three mitzvot (commandments);  The mitzvah of circumcision (“Brit Milah”); Visiting the sick (“Bikur Cholim”), and the mitzvah of hospitality (“Hachnasat Orchim”).

Our sages say that G-d also performs the mitzvot which He commanded us to perform.  The reason G-d came to Abraham on the third day after his circumcision, was to perform the mitzvah of visiting the sick.

Each morning we recite the following Mishna: "These are the precepts whose fruits a person enjoys in This World but whose principal remains intact for him in the World to Come.  They are: Honoring one's father and mother, performing acts of kindness (Gemilat Chasadim), early attendance at the house of study morning and evening, hospitality to guests (Hachnasat Orchim), and visiting the sick...”

Hospitality to the needy and visiting the sick, rewards a person in this world as well as in the World-to-Come..

The Torah says, “G-d appeared to him,” without mentioning Abraham’s name. Had the Torah specified that G-d appeared to Abraham, we may conclude that G-d performed this mitzvah only because of the greatness of Abraham. The Torah specifically omits that this involved Abraham to teach us that this mitzvah applies to everyone.  It is a mitzvah to visit the sick no matter who they are.

The mitzvah of visiting the sick serves two main purposes.  By visiting them we become aware of their needs and we can help them in whatever they need, thus speeding their recovery. Another purpose for visiting the sick is that it makes us aware of their condition so that we will pray for them.

Abraham's response also teaches us the importance of personally fulfilling a mitzvah. Performing G-d’s mitzvot should be viewed as an honor and privilege which unites us with G-d.  Thus, our sages tell us that it is always better to perform the mitzvah ourselves than to delegate it to someone else on our behalf.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

B"H

Friday, Mar-Cheshvan 19, 5781 / November 6, 2020

In this week’s Parsha, Vayeira, we read about happiness and laughter.  We read about the birth of our patriarch, Yitzchak (Isaac), who was named Yitzchak which comes from the word “Tzchok,” meaning laughter.

At the end of the Parsha we read about G-d testing Abraham commanding him to bring his beloved son, Yitzchak, for a sacrifice. At the last minute, an angel from heaven told him that it was only a test.

The reason for his name Yitzchak is found in last week's Parsha, Lech Lecha.  G-d told Abraham that his wife Sarah will give birth to a son. Upon hearing this, "Abraham fell upon his face and laughed."  Abraham's laughter was an expression of happiness and joy for this great miracle. 

G-d then told Abraham to name the child Yitzchak, which is laughter. In this week’s Parsha, Vayeira, we read about Yitzchak’s birth and circumcision on the eighth day and Abraham named him Yitzchak.

Q. Why did Yitzchak’s birth bring so much laughter?

A. Yitzchak was born to his parents, Abraham and Sarah, when Sarah was 90 and Abraham 100.  One can imagine what great joy and laughter his birth brought them. In addition, many women who couldn’t have children were also blessed with children, thus bringing laughter to many.

Yitzchakwas the only one of our patriarchs to have his name chosen by G-d, unlike Abraham and Jacob, whose names was chosen by their parents.

While Abraham and Yaakov’s original names were later changed by G-d, as told in the Torah, Yitzchak’s name was never changed.  Yitzchak was the name given by G-d and a name which reminds us of happiness.

Q. How important is happiness in Judaism? 

A. The scriptures tell us that it is a mitzvah to serve G-d with happiness. Later in the Torah Moshe warns the Jewish people about G-d’s punishment for not serving G-d with happiness and Joy. The service in the Holy Temple was performed with all kinds of musical instruments and song.

Very wise words from one of the sages, “While joy and happiness may not in itself be one of the 613 mitzvot, yet, happiness can bring a person to such great heights where no other mitzvah can. By the same token, sadness and dejection may not be one of the sins, yet, to the lowest levels to which sadness can bring a person, no other sin can...” May we all experience great joy and happiness.

SHABBAT  SHALOM

Montrealcandle lighting time: 4:16 / Shabbat ends: 5:19