Vayeira – Page 16 – Peninim on the Torah

And Yitzchak said to Avraham, his father, father where is the lamb for the sacrifice? (22:7)

Avraham Avinu reached the pinnacle of avodas Hashem, service of Hashem, during the Akeidas Yitzchak. He was asked to act upon his boundless love for Hashem by demonstrating his willingness to offer his beloved son Yitzchak as a sacrifice. The enthusiasm, zeal, and love which Avraham demonstrated throughout this endeavor continue to serve as an eternal merit for his children until this day. The Midrash portrays Yitzchak as a partner equal to his father throughout this major trial fully aware of what was transpiring. The Midrash relates that the Satan cleverly attempted to lure the pair into failure in their…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5752

“And Hashem appeared to him and he sat in the doorway of the tent.” (18:1)

Rashi explains that in order to spare Avraham the burden of guests during his recovery from the bris milah, Hashem removed the sun from its “container.” Upon seeing him grieve because of a lack of visitors, however, He brought the angels to Avraham in human form. It seems puzzling that Hashem would send angels instead of humans. Would it not have been more appropriate to send poor people rather than angels, thereby allowing Avraham to perform the actual mitzvah of tzedakah (charity) and hachnasas orchim (hospitality for wayfarers)? We may derive an important lesson from the meaning of these very…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5752

“And Hashem said, the cry of Sodom and Amorrah is great, and their sin is exceedingly great.” (18:20)

We should consider the extent of Sodom’s sins vis-a-vis the various other cities whose transgressions were also great. Indeed, the Baal Ha’Akeidah states that the famed sin of vgcdc adkp was far greater than those of Sodom, for in Sodom they allowed visitors to sleep in the street, while in Givhah even this was not permissible. There was however, a uniqueness to Sodom’s transgressions. Their immoral behavior originated from a depraved philosophy which later became a code of law. Their fear of having their lush, fertile land overrun with visitors caused them to legislate and enact the repulsive statutes for…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5752

“Fear not for Hashem has listened to the voice of the boy in the condition he is now.” (21:17)

After being ordered out of Avraham’s house, Hagar and her son Yishmael stumbled through the wilderness. Yishmael became feverish and drank all the water available to quench his burning thirst. He could no longer walk by himself and his mother could not hold him any longer. She put him down under a bush, and moved away to pray for his life saying, “I can no longer watch the child dying.” Yishmael also prayed and Hashem responded to his prayer, not Hagar’s. This is because Yishmael had the merit of being Avraham’s son, and also because he performed teshuva (repentance) at…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5752

“And Hashem tested Avraham.” (22:1)

Hashem elevated Avraham to become a beacon illuminating mankind’s path. When Hashem called Avraham, his response was immediate: hbbv -I am ready, I am prepared for any sacrifice, any deed which is requested of me. hbbv denotes the unconditional compliance in advance of the actual order. Avraham reflects the fierce determination to comply with the command before subjecting it to critical review and personal judgment. This hbbv manifests the obedience with which man raises himself to join the angels’ heavenly chorus “to obey the voice of His word” (Tehillim 103:20). This hbbv was the legacy Avraham bequeathed to his…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5751

“Perhaps there are fifty righteous men in the midst of the city.” ( 18:24)

The emphasis is in the words “in the midst of the city”. Avrohom did not ask forgiveness for the sake of fifty righteous men who happened to live in the city. The righteous man in the midst of Sodom’s depravity is not one who clings to his sheltered environment smug with pride over his own superiority, and who, therefore, thinks he has accomplished enough if he has saved himself and his household. Such a person does not fulfill Avrohom’s criteria of a righteous person. His righteous person can be found in the midst of the city, and in his living…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5751

“If I will find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, I will forgive the whole district for their sake.” (18:26)

The Talmud comments that those who say: “What do we benefit from the Rabbis, they study only for themselves” are considered non-believers (Sanhedrin 99b). One of the sources mentioned is the above posuk where it is implied that Hashem was willing to spare the city of Sodom because of the few righteous people that lived there. Imagine! Had there been righteous people in Sodom the city would have been spared, and life would have continued as normal. No one would have realized that they have been destined to die, but they were spared only due to the merits of a…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5751

“Who am I, but dust and ashes.” (18:27)

Rashi comments: “I was already fit to be dust at the hands of the kings and ashes at the hands of Nimrod, were it not for Your mercy which stood by me.” There is an obvious perplexity in Rashi‘s commentary. The posuk implies that Avrohom is speaking in the present tense – “and I am“, however, according to Rashi, Avrohom seems to be referring to what might have been had he not been spared by Hashem. Rashi, is teaching us a great lesson regarding the character trait of hakoras hatov, gratitude. When one is spared from certain death…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5751

“Now I know that you are a G-d fearing man”. (22:12)

Avrohom was tested by Hashem with ten trials, each one more difficult that the other. The tenth and most difficult one was the Akeidas Yitzchok. It was only after Avrohom passed this test that Hashem said to him, “Now I know that you are a G-d fearing man.” One may ask, what of Yitzchok’s part in this test? Yitzchok’s achievement in this test was awesome! His performance prior and during the actual Akeida remains as an everlasting merit for the Jewish people. Why then is the trial aspect of the Akeida not ascribed to Yitzchok as well? Yitzchok was ready…

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And Yitzchak said to Avraham, his father, father where is the lamb for the sacrifice? (22:7)

“And Hashem appeared to him and he sat in the doorway of the tent.” (18:1)

“And Hashem said, the cry of Sodom and Amorrah is great, and their sin is exceedingly great.” (18:20)

“Fear not for Hashem has listened to the voice of the boy in the condition he is now.” (21:17)

“And Hashem tested Avraham.” (22:1)

“Perhaps there are fifty righteous men in the midst of the city.” ( 18:24)

“If I will find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, I will forgive the whole district for their sake.” (18:26)

“Who am I, but dust and ashes.” (18:27)

“Now I know that you are a G-d fearing man”. (22:12)

YEARS

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