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Home -> 5778 -> Lech Lecha

ויבא הפליט ויגד לאברם העברי

Roberto Szerer
In Lech Lecha, 5778

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

Avram haIvri, the conjunctive name, Avram the Ivri, is found only once in the Torah. It defines our Patriarch as being on one side, the other side, alone against the world. An individual whose moral, spiritual and ethical compass stood in stark contrast to that of the entire world – and continues to do so until this very day. Some people need to be popular, to receive public accolades, to be surrounded by the crowds, to be accepted by everyone. We understand that public appeal and acclaim can be dangerous snares that might devour a weak person. They are willing…

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Home -> 5778 -> Lech Lecha

וגם ללוט ההלך את אברם היה צאן ובקר ואהלים

Roberto Szerer
In Lech Lecha, 5778

Also Lot who went with Avram had Flocks, cattle and tents. (13:5)

The Torah relates that Lot, who was traveling with Avraham Avinu, was very wealthy. Since the Torah wastes no words, informing us of Lot’s wealth hardly seems significant. Why does the Torah mention it, and what are we to learn from it? Rashi explains that Lot’s affluence was caused by his traveling with Avraham. How did Rashi understand that this is implied by the pasuk? Horav Shlomo Wolbe, zl, explains that every physical entity is a manifestation of a spiritual source. If Lot were wealthy, it could be traced back to its spiritual source. Lot’s wealth was not created simply…

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Home -> 5778 -> Lech Lecha

ואת הנפש אשר עשו בחרן

Roberto Szerer
In Lech Lecha, 5778

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

Avraham Avinu was the amud ha’chesed, pillar of kindness. What was his greatest kindness? It was reaching out to people and teaching them about Hashem. To save a person from the clutches of idol worship and inculcate him with belief in monotheism is the greatest act of kindness, because this person has been saved – not only spiritually, but physically as well. We involve ourselves in all forms of chesed projects, but the most basic act of reaching out to our estranged brethren seems to elude us. This is especially true if the subject is in an environment that is…

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Home -> 5778 -> Lech Lecha

לך לך... ואעשך לגוי גדול

Roberto Szerer
In Lech Lecha, 5778

Go for yourself… and I will make of you a great nation. (12:1,2)

לך לך… ואעשך לגוי גדול Go for yourself… and I will make of you a great nation. (12:1,2) The term/class/status, minority, implies deficiency to a certain extent. Indeed, in contemporary society (and probably much earlier), the appellation, minority, relegates its members, or member, to an implied second-class status. This, of course, is dependent on the individual or individuals who fall under this status, either imposed by the members of the majority or self-imposed – due to a desire to segregate themselves from the majority. Having said this, we will analyze our People’s status – both vis-à-vis the world community and…

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Home -> 5778 -> Noach

ברך עלינו... ואת כל מיני תבואתה לטובה

Roberto Szerer
In Noach, 5778

Bareich aleinu… v’es kol minei sevuasah l’tovah.

In this brachah, we pray for sustenance. When one consumes food without first praying for the food, he makes the food loathsome. In his Yearos Dvash, Horav Yehonasan Eibeshutz, zl, notes that Horav Moshe Cordovero, zl, the Rmak, would not even set the table without first praying for sustenance. It is, thus, appropriate that we pray to Hashem every day; petitioning Him to help us earn an honest living. We realize the inappropriateness of eating food which is tainted with any form of wrongdoing – whether it is in the area of kashrus of the product, or kashrus in the…

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Home -> 5778 -> Noach

ויאמר ד' לנח בא אתה וכל ביתך אל התב

Roberto Szerer
In Noach, 5778

Then Hashem said to Noach, “Come to the Ark, you and all your household.” (7:1)

The Zohar HaKadosh asks, “Could Hashem not have secured Noach in a corner of the world, safe from the raging waters of the mabul, flood?” He could have transported Noach to Eretz Yisrael, which was left unscathed, and have him remain there throughout the deluge. Rabbi Shimon explains that Hashem wanted Noach to experience the flood, to see its massive destruction. Why did Hashem want Noach to be in the Ark, within the floodwaters, surrounded by death? Horav Chaim Zaitchick, zl, explains that it was important for Noach to see and feel, to see the dead and dying, to feel…

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Home -> 5778 -> Noach

בא אתה וכל ביתך אל התבה

Roberto Szerer
In Noach, 5778

Come to the Ark, you and all your household. (7:1)

A teivah is an Ark, a container, a box which holds an object within its confines. Teivah is also a word. The Chassidic Masters, notably the Baal Shem Tov, zl, render Hashem’s command to Noach to “Come into the Teivah” homiletically. Hashem is also saying: “Enter into the words of prayer and Torah study; there you will find a sanctuary of wisdom, meaning and holiness amidst the raging flood waters of life.” The various commentators expound on this play-on-word translation. Perhaps we can focus on the meaning of teivah/word as the reason for the disaster that befell that generation, and…

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Home -> 5778 -> Noach

נח איש צדיק תמים היה בדרתיו

Roberto Szerer
In Noach, 5778

Noach was a righteous man, perfect in his generation. (6:9)

The Talmud Sanhedrin 108b relates that actually the decree to annihilate the dor haMabul, generation of the Flood, had originally applied to Noach as well. It was rescinded due to the chein, favor, Noach found before Hashem: V’Noach matzah chein b’einei Hashem, “Noach found favor in the eyes of Hashem” (Bereishis 6:8). The question which confronts the reader is whether or not Noach was worthy of reprieve. If he was not, why should “favor” alter his sentence? Since when does favor determine one’s worthiness? Our sages debate the integrity of Noach’s virtue:  Did it stand on its own accord, or…

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Home -> 5778 -> Noach

נח איש צדיק תמים היה בדורותיו

Roberto Szerer
In Noach, 5778

Noach was a righteous man perfect in his generations. (6:9)

We do not find another leader treated as negatively and judged as harshly as Noach. The Torah writes, Tamim hayah b’dorosav; “Perfect in his generations.” Chazal interpret, “in his generations” in two ways. Some maintain this to be praiseworthy. Noach was righteous and perfect, even though he lived in a generation that was so corrupt that it had to be wiped out. Others counter that this statement is far from laudatory. Indeed, it implies that Noach’s righteousness was viewed relative to his community. They were so evil that they made him look good! The issue is not whether Noach was…

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Home -> 5778 -> Bo

תקע בשופר גדול לחרותנו

Roberto Szerer
In Bo, 5778

Teka b’Shofar Gadol l’cheiruseinu. Sound the great Shofar for our freedom

Teka b’Shofar is the tenth blessing of the Shemoneh Esrai. The specific designation of the number ten with regard to the ingathering of the exiles is not lost. Kibbutz galuyos, ingathering of the exiles, and returning to the Holy Land have been our national dream since the tragedy of the destruction of the Temple, which was provoked in part by the infighting among the people – sinaas chinam, unwarranted hatred. The return must be one embraced and personified by unity. Divisive quarreling among Jews is the sad result of arrogance and envy. One who is humble does not envy, since…

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