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Home -> 5786 -> Lech Lecha

והקמותי את בריתי ביני ובינך

Sruly Schnair
In Lech Lecha, 5786

I will ratify My covenant between Me and you. (17:7)

Avraham Avinu observed the Torah and its mitzvos.  It is, therefore, surprising that the mitzvah of milah, circumcision, was the one mitzvah that he did not perform until Hashem instructed him to do so.  The question is well-known, and the accepted answer is: Gadol ha’metzuveh v’oseh mimi she’eino metzuveh v’oseh; “A person who does something after being commanded is superior to one who does it without being commanded.”  The mitzvah of milah was so important to Avraham that he waited for Hashem to command him, so that his performance would have greater impact and generate greater reward. Horav Yechiel Yaakov…

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Home -> 5786 -> Lech Lecha

ותעניה שרי ותברח מפניה

Sruly Schnair
In Lech Lecha, 5786

And Sarai dealt harshly with her. (16:6)

Horav Mordechai Gifter, zl, cites Targum Yonasan who teaches that Sarah Imeinu dealt harshly with Hagar after Avraham Avinu freed her as a slave.  She was a giyores, convert, who was betrothed to our Patriarch.  How was Sarah permitted to treat her in such a manner?  Targum Yonasan himself explains our Matriarch’s rationale.  Hagar was the daughter of Pharaoh who was the son of Nimrod, the cruel idolator who viciously sentenced Avraham to death in the fiery furnace of Uhr Kasdim.  Hagar herself had acted disrespectfully toward Sarah, which was an indication that the impure character traits handed down to…

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ואנשי סדם רעים וחטאים לד' מאד

Sruly Schnair
In Lech Lecha, 5786

Now the people of Sodom were wicked and sinful toward Hashem exceedingly. (13:13)

The sins of the people of Sodom serve as the paradigm of evil and iniquity.  Theirs was the only city that was totally obliterated, indicating that their evil was not only reprehensible, it was unpardonable.  What was their primary sin?  I emphasize “primary,” because, once they fell into the clutches of sin, everything fell apart.  Their entire moral compass was no longer pointed in the right direction.  One would think that, in addition to their sinful behavior vis-à-vis Hashem (they were rai’im v’chataim l’Hashem me’od – exceedingly wicked and sinful toward Hashem), they needed no added sins. The Navi (Yechezkel…

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Home -> 5786 -> Lech Lecha

לך לך מארצך ....ויבא הפליט ויגד לאברהם העברי

Sruly Schnair
In Lech Lecha, 5786

Go for yourself from your land. (12:1)….Then there came (the fugitive) and told Avram, the Ivri. (14:13)

When the Torah introduces Noach, it adds the word b’dorosav, in his generations.  Chazal teach that this implies something special/specific about Noach’s righteousness is in comparison to the others in regard to his generation.  Some sages view this in his praise, i.e. he was a tzadik in such a morally profligate generation.  Had he lived in Avraham Avinu’s time, he would have been even more pious.  Others contend that Noach’s ability to rise above his generation was specifically because the society was so corrupt.  Indeed, had he lived in Avraham’s generation, he would not have risen to such spiritual stature. …

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Home -> 5785 -> Lech Lecha

ויגד לאברם העברי ויבא הפליט

Sruly Schnair
In Lech Lecha, 5785

Then there came the fugitive and told Avram, the Ivri. (14:13)

Avraham Avinu is given the appellation Ivri, which Chazal (Bereishis Rabbah 42:8) explain that because the entire world was mei’ever echad, on one side, and he (stood his ground) on the other side.  Ivri is derived from ever, side.  Our Patriarch’s essence and greatness are based upon his readiness to stand apart from the rest of the world.  The entire world population served idols.  He refused to fall in line with popular thinking.  He did not care what the surrounding culture viewed as vogue.  He was prepared to suffer isolation, if necessary, in order to adhere to his beliefs.  The…

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Home -> 5785 -> Lech Lecha

ואת הנפש אשר עשו בחרן

Sruly Schnair
In Lech Lecha, 5785

And the souls they made in Charan. (12:5)

Rashi explains that the word “souls” refers to those whom they converted to faith in Hashem.  Noticeably, the Hebrew word, nefesh, which is singular, is used to describe the souls, rather than nefashos, which is plural. In his commentary to Bereishis 46:27, where the Torah details the sixty-six souls that accompanied Yaakov Avinu as he descended to Egypt, Rashi quotes Vayikra Rabbah 4:6 where Chazal distinguish between plural nefashos used to describe Eisav’s family (ibid. 36:6) and Yaakov who ultimately entered Egypt with seventy nefesh.  They explain that Eisav’s sons are considered separate souls because they worshipped many gods.  Yaakov’s…

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ואעשך לגוי גדול ואברכך ואגדלה שמך והיה ברכה

Sruly Schnair
In Lech Lecha, 5785

And I will make you a great nation; I will bless you, and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. (12:2)

In an alternative explanation of these three terms, Rashi writes: “I will make you into a great nation.” This is a reference to what we say (in the Shemoneh Esrai), Elokei Avraham; ‘and I will bless you,’ this is a reference to that which we say, Elokai Yitzchak; ‘and I will make your name great.’ This is a reference to that which we say, Elokai Yaakov.  Since all three Avos, Patriarchs, are mentioned in the first b’racha of Shemoneh Esrai, one might think that the chasimas ha’brachah, conclusion of the blessing, should include all of them. Ve’heyei b’rachah, ‘and you…

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לך לך מארצך וממולדתך ומבית אביך

Sruly Schnair
In Lech Lecha, 5785

Go for yourself, from your land, from your relatives, and from your father’s house. (12:1)

Chazal (Pirkei Avos 5:4) teach that Avraham Avinu earned his distinction by successfully passing ten trials.  The first trial which the Torah elaborates, tested his ability to pick himself up, bid farewell to family and friends, and journey to a new land. Hashem was requiring him to start over and set up a new infrastructure for his outreach work.  No one will suggest that moving is not difficult, especially if one has spent his entire life in a particular place.  Leaving family and friends is equally challenging – for some more than others.  Nonetheless, why does the Torah make such…

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Home -> 5784 -> Lech Lecha

ויאמר אברם אל לוט אל נא תהי מריבה ביני ובינך ובין רעי ובין רעיך כי אנשים אחים אנחנו

Sruly Schnair
In Lech Lecha, 5784

And Avram said to Lot, “Please let there not be a fight between me and you and between my shepherd and your shepherds, because we are brothers.” (13:8)

Klal Yisrael is destined to experience various galusim, exiles. The last exile is America, a country that has been good to us, despite its permissive and pervasive society. We are allowed to practice our religion, build mekomos HaTorah, institutes of Torah – schools, shuls which follow their unique Torah traditions. We need not fear a pogrom. While this does not mean that everything is great, it just shows that, in comparison to the previous exiles in our tumultuous history, America is by far the easiest. Yet, it is called galus, because we must contend with an almost constant attack on…

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Home -> 5784 -> Lech Lecha

ואעשך לגוי גדול ואברכך ואגדלה שמך והיה ברכה

Sruly Schnair
In Lech Lecha, 5784

And I will make of you a great nation; I will bless you and I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. (12:2)

Rashi explains the three terms/blessings of this pasuk; “And I will make you a great nation”: we refer to this when we say in Shemoneh Esrai – Elokai Avraham, G-d of Avraham; “And I will bless you” – refers to Elokai Yitzchak, “And I will make your name great,” alludes to Elokai Yaakov. Rashi adds, “One might think that they conclude the blessing with all of them, i.e., Elokai Avraham, Yitzchak, v’Yaakov.” To teach otherwise, the pasuk says, V’he’yeih brachah, “And you will be a blessing.” B’cha chosmin v’lo ba’haem, “With you, Avraham, they conclude the blessing and not with…

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