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אל תשלח ידך אל הנער... כי עתה ידעתי כי ירא אלקים אתה

Sruly Schnair
In Vayeira, 5779

Do not stretch out your hand against the lad… for now I know that you are a G-d-fearing man. (22:12)

What was so special about “now”? What did Avraham Avinu do “now” that made such a strong impression, that so underscored his fear of G-d? The Malbim explains that actually Avraham had been tested twice. The primary objective of the nisayon, test, of Akeidas Yitzchak was to see whether Avraham would carry out the mitzvah purely for the sake of Hashem: Would this mitzvah be the execution of the will of the Almighty – or would Avraham perform the Akeidah for ulterior (regardless of how minute and insignificant) motives? Would the Patriarch have a personal agenda included in his act…

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Home -> 5779 -> Vayeira

ויקרא אליו מלאך ד'... עתה ידעתי כי ירא אלקים אתה ולא תשכת את בנך את יחידך ממני

Sruly Schnair
In Vayeira, 5779

And an Angel of Hashem called to him… For now I know that you are a G-d-fearing man, since you have not withheld your son, your only one, from Me. (22:11,12)

The angel said to Avraham, “Since you have not withheld your son, your only one, from Me.” The Gaon, zl, m’Vilna, wonders what the angel meant with the words, “From Me”. If he meant Hashem, he should have said so. “Me” implies that he was talking about himself. Horav Yitzchak Zilberstein, Shlita, cites Maadanei Yosef, who explains that every mitzvah a person performs catalyzes the creation of an angel. The quality, perfection of this angel, depends upon the quality of the mitzvah. A strong mitzvah, ie, one performed solely for the sake of Heaven, with alacrity and the proper intentions,…

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Home -> 5779 -> Vayeira

וישלח אברהם את ידו ויקח את המאכלת לשחט את בנו

Sruly Schnair
In Vayeira, 5779

Avraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to slaughter his son. (22:10)

A dear friend who became observant late in life, after raising his children to be devoutly secular Jews with little or no Jewish identity, was told by his daughter, “What bothers me most about your commitment to Orthodoxy is that you care more about G-d than you do about me!” A powerful accusation – if one is not Orthodox. One whose life is wholly regulated by the Torah understands that it is all about G-d. He comes first. This does not in any way suggest that frum people do not have feelings for family. If anything, they place a higher…

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Home -> 5779 -> Vayeira

ואל הבקר רץ אברהם

Sruly Schnair
In Vayeira, 5779

Then Avraham ran to the cattle. (18:7)

The Baal HaTurim turns around the letters of the word, ha’bakar, so that it becomes ha’kever, the grave. The Yalkut Shemoni explains that the bakar, calf, that Avraham Avinu was prepared to slaughter ran away, and Avraham followed it into the Meoras HaMachpeilah, which then contained the graves of Adam and Chavah. When Avraham entered the cave, he saw a man and a woman lying there asleep. Next to them candles were burning, from which a pleasant odor permeated outward. This is why Avraham sought to make Meoras HaMachpeilah the place where he, too, wished to be buried. Interestingly, as…

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Home -> 5778 -> Vayeira

ויאמרו אליו איה שרה אשתך ויאמר הנה באהל

Roberto Szerer
In Vayeira, 5778

They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” and he said, “Behold! She is in the tent.” (18:9)

Three angels, disguised as Arabs, were welcomed by Avraham Avinu to his tent. After “partaking” of a luscious and satiating meal, the angels prepared for their real mission: to inform Avraham and Sarah Imeinu that they would soon be the progenitors of the next Patriarch. The angels inquired about Sarah’s whereabouts, to which Avraham answered, “She is in the tent.” Rashi explains that the angels were quite aware that Sarah was in the tent. The intent of their query was merely to endear Sarah to Avraham by underscoring the fact that she was a tznuah, a modest/chaste woman. Avraham’s vocalization…

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Home -> 5778 -> Vayeira

נברכו בו כל גויי הארץ

Roberto Szerer
In Vayeira, 5778

And all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by him. (18:18)

All the nations shall bless themselves through Avraham Avinu, and, by extension, his descendants – Klal Yisrael. Avraham set the standard for the world population to emulate – so should we. Previously, in Parashas Lech Lecha (12.2), Hashem told Avraham, V’heyei brachah; “And you shall be a blessing.” You will have the power to bless whomever you wish (Rashi). Ramban interprets this to mean that Avraham will be the standard by which people will bless themselves. Indeed, this is a powerful and frightening mandate for us – as his descendants. We must live up to our responsibility to set the…

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והאלקים נסה את אברהם

Roberto Szerer
In Vayeira, 5778

And G-d tested Avraham. (22:1)

Was it only Avraham Avinu’s nisayon, test? One would think that Yitzchak Avinu, the korban, sacrifice-elect, was playing a leading role in this nisayon. Why is our Patriarch Avraham singled out – as opposed to Yitzchak? Horav Moshe Neriyah, zl, offers an insightful explanation which underscores the significance of Torah chinuch, especially that which is taught at home from parent to child. Avraham taught his son, Yitzchak, to fear Hashem. He taught him well – to the point that our second Patriarch was prepared to become an olah, offering, to Hashem. Va’yeilchu shneihem yachdav; “And the two of them (father…

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Home -> 5778 -> Vayeira

וישכם אברהם בבקר ויחבש את חמרו

Roberto Szerer
In Vayeira, 5778

So Avraham woke up early in the morning, and he saddled his donkey. (22:3)

The above pasuk teaches us about Avraham Avinu’s alacrity to serve Hashem. The Almighty instructed him regarding a mission. Avraham did not tarry. He went about performing the mission at the earliest possible moment. The Tur Orach Chaim 1:1 begins with this idea: “That you should ‘wake’ the morning – rather than (have) the morning wake you.” Likewise, in Shulchan Aruch 1:1, the Bais Yosef writes his well-known opening words: “Arise like a lion, to get up in the morning to serve his Creator; that you should wake up the morning.” While this concept is probably the last thing that…

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וישב אברהם אל נעריו... וישב אברהם בבאר שבע

Roberto Szerer
In Vayeira, 5778

Avraham returned to his young men… and Avraham stayed at Be’er Sheva. (22:19)

Avraham Avinu returned home – with his two aides – but where was Yitzchak Avinu? Four people left for the mountain; three returned home. Yitzchak must have taken a different route. The Midrash Rabbah explains that Yitzchak took a detour to study Torah in the yeshivah of Shem (son of Noach). Targum Yonasan adds that Yitzchak studied there for three years, until he met Rivkah Imeinu. Was something wrong with Avraham’s yeshivah? It seems to have sufficed for thirty-seven years. Why did he change? Certainly Shem was not a better rebbe than Avraham. Horav Moshe Neriyah, zl, quotes the Rambam,…

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ברך עלינו... את השנה הזאת

Roberto Szerer
In Vayeira, 5778

Bareich aleinu… es ha’shanah ha’zos. Bless upon us… this year.

We begin the prayer for sustenance with the acknowledgement that everything – every penny – comes from Hashem. Indeed, one who does not acknowledge Hashem’s complete control over his livelihood takes the chance, when things do not go his way, of engaging in illicit behaviors, even acts of perjury and theft. One who trusts in Hashem knows that he will earn whatever Hashem wants him to earn: no more; no less. Now, when we begin our day with the realization that all of our blessings are Heaven-sent, and that what we will earn is specifically the product of Hashem’s decree,…

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