Tuesday, Mar-Cheshvan 18, 5785 / November 19, 2024

B"H

Tuesday, Mar-Cheshvan 18, 5785 / November 19, 2024

At the end of last week’s Parsha, Vayeira, we read about the greatest test with which G-d tested Abraham, by telling him to bring his beloved son, Yitzchak, for a sacrifice. Each of us goes through their own personal tests in life. Life is full of tests. But G-d doesn’t put us through tests which we cannot handle. At the same time He gives us the test, He also gives us the strength to pass these tests.

The following two stories from the Midrash illustrate that in Judaism it is 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 accomplishments are measured.

First Story: 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.  Nothing worked and 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 hay and this way he led the ox toward the Temple.

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

Another Midrash story: The three great Talmudic sages, Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Akiva traveled 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 the rabbis a considerable amount and always gave it happily.  But this time, unbeknown to the rabbis, he had lost everything and was poor.

When he saw the rabbis and knowing that he had nothing to give, he felt terrible. His wife asked if he was sick, and Abba Yuden told her that 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 what you’re lacking.”

A while later, Abba Yuden went to plow the half-field he still owned. As the ox was plowing, the ground opened up and the ox fell into the hole and broke a leg. When he went down to lift up the animal, he noticed a treasure hidden. Abba Yuden said, “It was for my benefit that my animal fell into the hole.”

Sometime later, when the rabbis came back, they inquired about Abba Yuden.  People told them, “Abba Yuden is very wealthy, he owns servants, he possesses goats, donkeys and oxen.”

When Abba Yuden heard that the rabbis were there, he came to see them. They asked him how he was doing.   He replied, “Your prayers had produced fruit, and the fruits have also produced fruits!”

The rabbis, who realized his difficulty when he gave them the contribution, said to him, “We want you to know that even though others gave more, we wrote your contribution at the top of the list for its importance!”  There are many stories in the Talmud which illustrate that effort is what counts most. 

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

Monday, Mar-Cheshvan 17, 5785 / November 18, 2024

B"H

Monday, Mar-Cheshvan 17, 5785 / November 18, 2024

This week's Parsha, Chayei Sarah, begins with Sarah’s passing at the age of 127. Sarah’s passing comes right after the story of G-d testing Abraham by commanding him to bring his son, Isaac, for a sacrifice. Although it was only a test and Isaac lived, but when Sarah heard this it affected her negatively, that she passed away.

The Parsha begins, "And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. And Sarah died in Kiryat Arba which is Hebron in the land of Canaan and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her." Abraham purchased the "Ma'arat HaMachpeila," the cave of Machpeila, in the city of Hebron, as a family burial plot and buried his wife, Sarah, in the Ma’arat HaMachpeila.

Q.  Why did Abraham choose that particular cave as the family burial plot?

A.   Abraham wanted this special burial place for his wife, Sarah, because Adam and Eve (Chava) were buried in the Ma’arat HaMachpeila.

Q.  The first word of the Parsha is “Vayihu.”  The numerical value of the Hebrew word “Vayihu,” is 37.  What is the connection between the number 37 and the life of Sarah?

A.    The Parsha begins that the life of Sarah was 127 years.  However, from all these years, 37 years stood out, for they were very special years for Sarah. These were the last 37 years of her life in which she had her son, Yitzchak.  Sarah was 90 when she gave birth to Yitzchak.  She was 127 when she passed away.  Thus, these 37 years were very special in Sarah’s life.

Q.   The Parsha begins, "And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years, these were the years of the life of Sarah.”  The words, “these were the years of the life of Sarah,” seem to be repetitious?

A.   Our sages explain that the extra words teach us that all 127 years of Sarah’s life were the same - they were all good."   Although for many of these years she and Abraham went through many difficulties and tests and she was childless until age 90, yet, just like her last 37 years, when she had her son, Yitzchak, were good years for her, so too, she considered all her 127 years as good ones.

Q.   How could all of Sarah's years been equally good, after all the difficulties she went through?

A.  Our sages in the Talmud give the following instruction, "A person must bless G-d for the bad just as they would bless Him for the Good."  For, although we do not see the good in a particular act or event, it is because we cannot possibly see it the way G-d does. However, we believe that G-d is good and kind, and as such we should accept it just as the things we see as good.  Sarah accepted whatever G-d gave her, even her challenges, as good.

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

Friday, Mar-Cheshvan 14, 5785 / November 15, 2024

B"H

Friday, Mar-Cheshvan 14, 5785 / November 15, 2024

At the end of this Week’s Parsha, Vayeira, we read about the birth of Yitzchak (Isaac) to Abraham and Sarah. The Torah tells us that Abraham circumcised his son, Yitzchak, at eight days. The Parsha concludes with G-d testing Abraham by commanding him to bring his beloved son Yitzchak as a sacrifice, which Abraham didn’t hesitate to fulfill. At the last minute Abraham was commanded not to harm Yitzchak, for it was only a test.

Q.   Abraham grew up in a family of idol worshippers.  At what age did he realize that there is One G-d, Who created the Universe?

A.   Some say at the age of three.  Some say at forty; others say at forty-eight or fifty.

Q.   Noach lived 950 years.  How old was Abraham when Noach passed away?

A.   Abraham was fifty-eight.  Interestingly, the numerical value of the word “Noach” is 58 (50+8=58).

Q.   In addition to being her father-in-law, what was Abraham’s father, Terach’s relationship to Sarah?

A.   Terach was her grandfather.  Sarah was Abraham’s niece.  Her father, Haran, was Abraham’s brother.

Q.   What was the age difference between Abraham and Sarah?

A.   Abraham was ten years older than Sarah.

Q.   How old was Abraham when he was circumcised?

A.   Ninety-nine.

Q.   How old were Abraham and Sarah when Yitzchak was born?

A.   Abraham was 100and Sarah was 90.

Q.   Abraham also had a son named Yishmael from Hagar.  How much was Yishmael older than Yitzchak?

A.   Yishmael was 14 years older than Yitzchak.  Abraham was 86 when Yishmael was born.

Q.   Who was the first one mentioned in the Torah to be circumcised at 8 days?

A.   Yitzchak.  Abraham was circumcised at 99 and Yishmael was 13.

Q.    At the end of this week’s Parsha, Vayeira, we read about G-d’s test to Abraham, when He commanded him to bring Yitzchak to Mount Moriah and offer him as a sacrifice.  How old was Yizchak at that time?

A.   Yitzchak was 37.  The Torah tells us that Yitzchak went willingly to be offered as a sacrifice.  This was as much a test for Yitzchak as it was for Abraham.

SHABBAT SHALOM

Montreal candle lighting time: 4:05 / Shabbat ends: 5:11

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